US President Donald Trump Tops Politico List As Europe’s Most Influential Figure

Last Updated:December 11, 2025, 06:58 IST

Donald Trump tops Politico’s list as Europe’s most influential person, reshaping diplomacy, security, and policy, while European leaders seek autonomy amid his unpredictable moves.

Modern Usage: After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the term lost its geopolitical meaning. Today, it is commonly used, though controversially, to describe economically disadvantaged or developing nations. These countries often face high poverty levels, political or economic instability, and elevated mortality rates. Because the Cold War and modern meanings differ so sharply, confusion about which countries qualify is common. (Image: Reuters)

US President Donald Trump has been selected as the Europe’s most influential person. Politico examined who is truly shaping events on the continent in the year ahead for selecting the most influential people in Europe.

The leaders were evaluated not just by their titles or popularity, but by their real ability to influence decisions, shift policies and challenge the existing order.

According to Politico, months of on-ground reporting across Europe, several draft lists, and extensive newsroom debates helped whittle down the selections. The final ranking reflects who has the greatest ability to drive events, or block them, during a time of uncertainty, rather than who is most popular or conventionally influential.

As per the newsroom, Trump’s influence dominates European diplomacy, security and economic policy. European leaders see him as unpredictable and at times unsettling, yet they continue to depend on the United States for security and stability.

Trump’s open outreach to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and public humiliation of Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy rattled governments, along with his administration’s hardline messaging, including claims that Europe is facing “civilizational erasure" from migration has pushed the continent’s politics rightward.

In the early months of his second term, European leaders hurried to Washington in efforts to keep him placated, even as he cast doubt on NATO’s Article 5 and pushed Brussels into a lopsided trade deal that left Europe relieved yet embarrassed.

Trump’s influence is also reshaping Europe’s internal power balance and its place in the world. His administration has blurred the boundary between diplomacy and political campaigning, with Vice President JD Vance openly criticising European governments and Trump elevating far-right figures such as Marine Le Pen and Viktor Orbán.

His America First energy drive has undercut Europe’s Green Deal goals and strengthened opponents of EU regulations, from digital rules to artificial intelligence.

As Washington pressures its allies while easing oversight at home, European officials are quietly pursuing strategic autonomy — boosting defense spending and creating space between themselves and U.S. influence.

News world US President Donald Trump Tops Politico List As Europe’s Most Influential Figure

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