The Prime Ministers of Italy and Hungary – Giorgia Meloni and Viktor Orbán – have already been guests of Trump's in Florida and are generally seen as the incoming president's most important allies in Europe.
However, there is a significant difference between the two regarding their views on Ukraine. The majority of other EU and NATO countries hope that the Italian will get Trump to continue supporting the ruling government in Kyiv.
Orbán, on the other hand, hopes for the opposite. He risks causing friction in relations with Washington due to Hungary's close economic ties with China.
Criticism of Farage
In the UK, arch-Brexiteer Nigel Farage has long been a strong Trump supporter. He likely got a nasty shock, however, when his capacity as party leader of the Reform Party was recently questioned by new Trump favorite Elon Musk.
On the other hand, Farage and Trump are united by their genuinely negative view of the EU. On this issue, both Meloni and Orbán are significantly more positive. Although Orbán is frequently in conflict with both the EU leadership in Brussels and other EU countries, he has always ruled out leaving or dismantling the EU – even if he would like to see changes in how the union functions and acts.
Unexpected Guest
From France, debater and provocateur Éric Zemmour has been invited to Trump's inauguration in Washington, along with his girlfriend Sarah Knafo – the only remaining EU parliamentarian in Zemmour's far-right party.
Whether this can help Zemmour increase his increasingly marginal support at home is uncertain. Many interpret his early invitation to the USA as further evidence that Trump does not like far-right competitor Marine Le Pen, despite similar views.
Still a "Bromance"?
Perhaps it is instead France's President Emmanuel Macron who has the greatest opportunity to influence Donald Trump. Although they think differently on many issues, Trump and Macron have had a special relationship since Trump was invited to Macron's first national day celebration as president in 2017.
Trump's only visit to Europe after the election in November last year was also made to Macron, at the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in December.
