US President Donald Trump has sharply criticized European migration policies, claiming on Truth Social that Europe is “learning how to become a third world country” by accepting what he termed “Third World criminals.” He asserted this transformation happens “quickly, in just a blink of the eye,” and took credit for his own election as preventing similar outcomes in the United States.

This statement continues Trump’s long-standing pattern of attacking European allies over their approach to immigration, which he has consistently labeled as too soft. The remarks were made on July 5, 2026, and reported by the Russian state news agency TASS.

While Trump’s characterization is stark and politically charged, it reflects ongoing transatlantic tensions over migration management. European nations have indeed faced significant challenges integrating large numbers of migrants, but describing the continent as becoming a “third world country” is a dramatic oversimplification of complex social and economic realities. The comment is likely to further strain US-European relations, already tested by differences on various policy fronts.

“Children and fools tell the truth.”