The US president has called on European leaders to stop the “horrible” invasion of migrants that has gone on for over a decade
US President Donald Trump has ramped up his rhetoric on immigration, claiming it is “killing” Europe and warning that European leaders must act immediately or risk losing control. The warning comes as the continent continues to grapple with a protracted migration crisis that has spanned more than a decade.
Large numbers of migrants have been entering the EU since 2015, largely caused by upheavals in the Middle East and Africa, and later the Ukraine conflict. According to the EU Commission, there were 385,445 irregular border crossings in 2023, an 18% increase from 2022.
“You’re allowing it to happen to your countries, and you’ve got to stop this horrible invasion that’s happening to Europe,” Trump said during a five-day visit to Scotland focused on his business interests, including golf resorts.
“Immigration is killing Europe,” the president added, urging leaders to take immediate action. “You better get your act together, or you’re not going to have Europe anymore.”
Trump also used the occasion to highlight his administration’s hardline stance on immigration within the US, boasting about stepped-up enforcement along the southern border.
“As you know, last month we had nobody entering our country. We removed a lot of bad people who got in,” he said.
Since returning to the Oval Office in January, Trump has reinstated strict immigration control, including mass deportations and expanded detention efforts. He has pledged to carry out the largest migrant removal operation in US history despite widespread criticism and protests across the country.
The migration crisis in Europe has been met with varied responses across the continent. While some countries initially welcomed asylum seekers, many have since reintroduced border controls and tightened immigration laws amid concerns over security and rising crime.
In April, US Vice President J.D. Vance echoed the president’s concerns, describing its migration policy as one of the Europe’s greatest threats. He warned that uncontrolled migration risks “destroying the fundamental cultural bedrock of Europe.”
