Donald Trump says he is ‘totally in favour’ of ‘wonderful’ EU

US President performs apparent U-turn after criticising bloc in previous interviews

Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House (Reuters)

Donald Trump has described the European Union as “wonderful” and said he is “totally in favour of it”, despite having in the past praised Britain as “smart” for pursuing Brexit.

The US President, who has made no secret of his dislike of the Brussels bloc, said he had “very good relations with the EU, but I thought that the UK would pull out of Brexit and I was right”.

“The EU, I’m totally in favour of it. I think it’s wonderful, if they’re happy. If they’re happy – I’m in favour of it,” he said.

Mr Trump’s about-turn follows previous criticisms levelled at the 28-member bloc for acting as a “vehicle for Germany”.

He has also predicted that other member states would leave the EU.

Mr Trump said during an interview in January: “You look at the European Union and it’s Germany. Basically a vehicle for Germany. That’s why I thought the UK was so smart in getting out.”

White House chief strategist and close aide to Mr Trump Steve Bannon is also understood to be an ardent Eurosceptic, reportedly telling one German diplomat during a recent meeting that the EU was a flawed concept.

He also suggested the US under Mr Trump favoured conducting bilateral negotiations.

But Vice President Mike Pence has attempted to strike a different tone, saying during a recent visit to Europe that he and the President looked forward to working with the EU to “deepen our political and economic partnership”.

Leaders of the EU have raised their own concerns about Mr Trump’s suspicion of Brussels, with Martin Schulz, the former president of the European Parliament, describing his election victory as a “very difficult moment” for the continent.