French far-right leader Bardella: ‘My heart leans toward Trump’ in US presidential race

PARIS — Former U.S. President Donald Trump has at least one loyal supporter across the pond.

French far-right leader Jordan Bardella told POLITICO that his "heart leans towards Trump" ahead of the next U.S. presidential election, lauding the former president's economic policies and questioning President Joe Biden's cognitive abilities.

"The only models I follow are French examples," Bardella said, referring to French political figures. "Between Biden and Trump, my heart leans toward Trump, but I'm not American."

Speaking at a POLITICO event in Paris, the 28-year-old lead candidate of the National Rally (RN) in the upcoming European election stated that he didn't want to meddle in U.S. politics, but nevertheless criticized the Democratic president's fitness for office.

"When you're the president of the world's leading economic power, you need to be vital, fit and clear-headed enough to make the right decisions," Bardella said. "The latest footage we've seen circulating on social media is not reassuring."

In 2016, the perennial face of RN — former presidential candidate Marine Le Pen — described Trump's victory as part of "a great movement across the world." Four years later she claimed Trump's reelection would be "best for France."

Le Pen later called the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot a "dangerous act against democracy" while noting Trump was not "solely responsible" for the polarization in U.S. politics.

Future of NATO

Bardella's comments on Trump and Biden came in response to questions regarding his stance on France's role in NATO, as he argued that the future of the alliance hinged on the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.

Bardella told POLITICO that the National Rally was still in favor of leaving NATO's integrated command, but only after the war in Ukraine was over.

"The proposal we've always advocated ... did not factor in war," Bardella remarked. The far-right leader indicated that the National Rally would only maintain its position on NATO in the next presidential election, slated for 2027, if the conflict in Ukraine had ended.

"You don't change treaties in wartime," Bardella said.

Le Pen’s 2022 presidential platform included calls for France to exit NATO’s integrated military command, which Paris rejoined in 2007 under former President Nicolas Sarkozy's leadership, and to forge "new strategic agreements with the United States" and open "dialogue with Russia on major common issues."

Recent polling projects that Bardella's National Rally will receive around 30 percent of the vote in the June 9 European election — roughly 10 percentage points ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance party list led by Valérie Hayer.

The forecasts have rattled the president, who recently cornered his far-left and far-right opponents with a vote on Ukraine aid, forcing the National Rally to reveal its doubts about France's Ukraine strategy.

France's main far-right political force has often been criticized for its pro-Kremlin sympathies — something the party has vigorously resisted.

Bardella claims that since the start of the war he has "fought to hold a reasonable position, saying yes to supporting Ukraine but no to a full-on war with Russia."

He reiterated his opposition to French troops being sent to Ukraine, a possibility Macron has refused to rule out. He also voiced concern about the possibility of Kyiv's joining the EU and NATO, arguing it could lead to escalation and emphasizing the importance of avoiding direct confrontation with Russia.

However, Bardella acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin was to blame for NATO's renewed vigor, saying the Putin had made a "tactical error" in attacking Ukraine.

"Putin likely underestimated Western support [for Ukraine] ... [and] has driven countries like Finland and Sweden closer to NATO," he said.