U.S. President Donald Trump criticized European leaders as 'weak' and the continent as 'decaying' in an exclusive interview with Politico reporter Dasha Burns on December 9, 2025, stating he would back political candidates aligned with his vision, according to Politico posts published over the past hour. The interview, featured in a special episode of The Conversation, addressed Trump's influence on Europe, major U.S. policy challenges on immigration and Ukraine, and the future of the GOP, Politico stated. A full video and transcript were released simultaneously via YouTube and Politico's website. Separately, the UK's top naval commander warned on December 9 that Britain could lose superiority in the North Atlantic to Russia without urgent defense funding increases, citing heavy Russian investments in its Northern Fleet, rising hostile ship movements near the UK, and Royal Navy shortages in ships, submarines, and personnel, as reported by InsiderGeo within the 59-minute reporting window. The naval assessment noted that modernization plans for manned and unmanned systems are not expected before 2029, with senior military leaders expressing private concerns over insufficient spending to counter threats from Russia and China.
