It’s not like EU-US relations can get any worse under Trump, says former Commission chief Juncker

Former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, whose term in Brussels coincided with Donald Trump’s first administration in the U.S., said the transatlantic relationship is already at a nadir.

“I can’t really answer that question because I can’t imagine it getting any worse,” Juncker said to laughter at an event in Brussels on Tuesday, in response to a query about whether EU-U.S. ties were likely to get worse during Trump’s upcoming second term.

“But it’s going to be the case that we have to get comfortable with the idea that the election has been won. The Americans have their president,” he added.

U.S. presidents typically become more friendly to Europe in their second terms, Juncker said — but noted he wasn’t sure that would happen with Trump.

“Whether that will be the case with Trump is impossible to say. I doubt that he will be inspired by the second life path of his predecessors,” Juncker said.

Juncker was president of the Commission from 2014 to 2019, overlapping with Trump, who entered the White House in 2017.

The former Commission chief said he constantly fought Trump over trade policies such as the U.S.’s hefty tariffs on imported steel and aluminum during his presidency.

At times, Trump said Juncker was “nasty,” “a brutal killer” and a “tough, tough cookie.” Other times, Trump appeared to have a soft spot for the former Berlaymont boss, calling him “a very good man” and complimenting him on being a “great businessman.”