Off the Leash: Borrell Labels Trump 'Very Dangerous' as Post-Mandate Candour Sets In

Josep Borrell, the European Union's former High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has described US President Donald Trump as "a very dangerous person for the world." Speaking in an interview on France 24's programme Talking Europe, the former diplomatic chief offered a blunt assessment of the American administration that stands in stark contrast to the delicately hedged language traditionally produced by the European institutions. Borrell stepped down as the EU's top diplomat after five years heading the European External Action Service, where his mandate was defined by navigating major global crises alongside Washington while managing internal divisions among European capitals.

For citizens wondering why European statements often sound like they were drafted by a committee of nervous lawyers, the answer is that they usually were. While serving as the High Representative, any formal position on the United States must balance the distinct interests of 27 sovereign member states, spanning staunch transatlantic allies to more cautious non-aligned capitals. Once out of office, former officials frequently reveal the genuine anxieties that churn beneath official protocol. Borrell's unvarnished verdict underscores enduring European disquiet regarding the trajectory of American foreign policy, trade relations, and defence commitments under President Trump, even as official Brussels works to maintain stable transatlantic engagement.

There is a well-established tradition in the EU quarter: the moment an official is no longer required to run every noun and adjective through Coreper—the committee of national ambassadors that vets Brussels statements—their vocabulary undergoes a rapid expansion. As the EU's foreign policy representative, Borrell had to spend his days crafting communiqués that all 27 EU foreign ministers could sign without sparking a diplomatic incident. Relieved of the European External Action Service's drafting machinery and the eternal pursuit of consensus, a former top diplomat can finally say out loud what sitting officials usually restrict to closed-door debriefings over lukewarm coffee in the Justus Lipsius building.

Sitting EU leaders and active diplomats will not be echoing Borrell's phrasing on the record. Current Commission and Council representatives must maintain formal working relations with the White House, prioritising sensitive talks on tariffs, NATO defence spending, and regulatory coordination. While former officials can voice uninhibited assessments on European television, those still holding security passes in the Berlaymont will stick strictly to carefully negotiated talking points designed to avoid transatlantic friction.