Rupert Lowe, leader of the far-right Restore Britain party, similarly argued that Trump’s war with Iran led to the Republicans’ election defeats, referring to the conflict as a “catastrophic” mistake. “What has this war achieved? Absolutely nothing of worth,” he said, without directly naming Trump in his reflections. 

While these tensions had been building for months, Rahman argues that the midterm results have further “tarnished the MAGA brand.”

“I think [Europe’s far-right] were hoping the Trump Administration would legitimize their own political identity. It would produce a tailwind that would help them, in the context of elections next year,” he says, pointing to France’s upcoming presidential election in 2027.

Trump hailed far-right figure Marine Le Pen as a “conservative voice” amid the protests in France last month. Le Pen was convicted for misusing E.U. funds last year. An appeals court upheld the conviction in July, but shortened her sentence, clearing the path for her to run in the April 2027 presidential election. She is currently leading in polls ahead of the high-stakes race. When asked if he plans to endorse Le Pen, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office: "Well, I don't know her, I haven't met her. But I thought she was badly treated. It would look like a weaponization to me.”