EU remains defiant in face of Trump rhetoric

VALLETTA, MALTA • European Union leaders on Friday vowed to remain united and defiant in the face of an onslaught of criticism from the new American president that has started to undermine the once- unshakable trans-Atlantic relationship.

And they hit back in an increasing battle of words, underscoring how they fear that Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric will be turned into policy and further tear apart their troubled bloc.

EU chief Donald Tusk earlier this week moved the U.S. into a “threat” category for the EU, following several negative comments about the 28-nation bloc.

“Maybe the best evidence that we are together in this context was the fact that some of my colleagues have used a new nickname for me, spontaneously, which is ‘our Donald,’ ” Tusk said Friday at an EU summit in Malta, highlighting the new divisions in the century-old alliance with the U.S.

French President Francois Hollande said “it cannot be acceptable” that Trump could put pressure on the EU through his declarations on Twitter.

And he warned that Trump should not send any envoy to the EU that has criticized the bloc, which one potential candidate has done.

“To appoint an ambassador, better for him to believe in the institution with which he would have to work. It is as simple as that,” Hollande said.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite pointed out that it was almost impossible to build a bridge with Trump because “today we’re communicating with the United States mainly on Twitter.”

Trump has questioned the NATO alliance linking North America and Europe, calling it “obsolete.”