Is Trump fuelling far-right ideologies in Europe ahead of his second term?

As the president-elect Donald Trump prepares to begin his second term on January 20, experts are raising alarms about his growing influence on Europe’s far-right movements.

Trump’s close ally, Elon Musk, has also attracted controversy for his public support of far-right groups such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD), his criticism of UK Labour leader Keir Starmer, and his use of the social media platform X to amplify extremist voices.

“I have consistently argued that Trump is not acting alone,” Dr Ayhan Sari of Turkish-German University told TRT World. “Trump represents a political ideology and a ruling faction in the US,” Sari said.

Asserting that the involvement of a powerful political clique is no coincidence, Sari described it as “striving for the dominance of white Americans and their ideology in the US.” These figures often portray their actions as a battle against the so-called “deep state,” he argued.

“Trump is undoubtedly fuelling far-right ideologies in Europe,” Sari said. He highlighted how Trump’s victory reverberated globally, noting, “The morning after Trump’s election victory, Germany’s coalition government collapsed.”

Sari predicts a bolder alignment with European far-right leaders.

“After Elon Musk’s tweets, I believe the Trump camp will openly and unapologetically support far-right parties. Germany heads to elections on February 23, and France may follow if its crisis deepens,” Sari added.

Testing allegiance?

Dr. Amelia Hadfield, head of the politics department at the University of Surrey, sees Trump’s return to power and Musk’s actions as significant threats.

"It's sort of a forensic attack when you drill down into it, but it's also very widespread,” Hadfield told Anadolu Agency. “I think not only because Musk has taken aim at a number of European countries—France and Germany are the best examples—but also, more broadly, the United Kingdom,” Hadfield added.

Musk’s interventions, including calls for Nigel Farage to step down from Reform UK and endorsements of figures like anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson, have heightened fears of a coordinated agenda.

Hadfield cited Musk’s support for far-right groups, including the AfD, and his direct engagement with its leader, Alice Weidel, ahead of Germany’s snap elections.

“It feels as if these taunts are really deliberate and sort of manipulative,” Hadfield said. “I feel it is a strategy designed to compound nervousness in allies and perhaps jangle even more nerves in sussing out countries who are unsure of their allegiance.”

A recent New York Times report alleges that Trump’s pardoned advisor, Paul Manafort, has assembled a team, including members of Trump’s new advisory group, to support the far-right parties in Europe and South America. The team is reportedly behind billion-dollar initiatives aimed at backing Marine Le Pen in France.

How to tread?

While the New York Times report on Manafort’s alleged role in organising support for far-right parties has not been verified, Sari advises caution in interpreting such reports.

“A significant portion of the media still belongs to the anti-Trump camp... it’s better to approach such news with scepticism unless it is visibly evident or corroborated by statements from their side,” Sari said.

Hadfield, however, is unequivocal in her concern. “Musk and Trump pose the greatest example of a threat of foreign interference,” she said, arguing that their actions could destabilise the liberal democratic order.

“If the liberal democratic order does not take it seriously, then we will see the death of the rules-based liberal democratic order,” she warned.

Hadfield emphasised the stakes for Europe, noting that the rise of far-right parties like the AfD in Germany and the normalisation of such ideologies pose significant challenges.

The world is watching the political dynamics unfold closely. Will Trump’s actions mark a turning point for global politics, or will liberal democracies counter this rising tide of far-right influence?

As Hadfield put it, “The stakes, frankly, could not be higher.”