Trump health fears soar after ‘concerning’ meeting with European ally - ‘dangerous’

US President Donald Trump (Image: Getty)

Concerns over US President Donald Trump’s mental wellbeing have escalated sharply after Slovakia’s Prime Minister, Robert Fico, reportedly described a private meeting with him as “dangerous” and expressed shock at the president’s psychological state. Five European diplomats briefed on the conversation said Mr Fico—one of the few EU leaders to consistently back Mr Trump’s views on European security—told fellow leaders at an informal huddle in Brussels on January 22 that the encounter left him deeply unsettled.

Two of the diplomats said Mr Fico used the word “dangerous” to characterise Mr Trump’s demeanour during the face-to-face discussion at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on January 17. Another diplomat reported that Mr Fico described the president as “out of his mind”, adding that the Slovak leader appeared “traumatised” by the exchange.

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico is a strong ally of President Trump (Image: Getty)

The remarks were made on the sidelines of an emergency EU summit convened to address transatlantic tensions following Mr Trump’s threat to seize control of Greenland. The summit focused on calming nerves after the US president also raised the prospect of tariffs on certain European countries over the issue. Diplomats stressed that Mr Fico’s comments were shared privately, not during formal roundtable discussions.

All five diplomats spoke to Politico on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential exchanges. They represent four EU member states and one senior EU official. None were present during Mr Fico’s conversation, but were briefed separately by the leaders involved shortly afterwards. A sixth EU diplomat noted that Europe’s leadership is increasingly worried about Mr Trump’s “unpredictability”.

Mr Fico’s private assessment stands in stark contrast to his public account. In a Facebook video posted after the Mar-a-Lago visit, the Slovak prime minister described the meeting as a sign of “high respect and trust”. He said the pair held “informal and open talks” on Ukraine and on the EU’s “deep crisis”.

Mr Fico highlighted Slovakia’s independent stance, saying Washington valued his views because his country is “not a Brussels parrot”. He made no mention of Mr Trump’s Greenland threat or the US operation earlier in January aimed at seizing Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

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The White House pushed back forcefully. Anna Kelly, a spokesperson, dismissed the reports as “absolutely total fake news from anonymous European diplomats who are trying to be relevant”.

A senior administration official, granted anonymity to describe the meeting, said it was “pleasant, normal” and included lighthearted moments captured by a White House photographer. The official said they could not recall any awkward or off-key exchanges.

Mr Fico’s reported remarks carry particular weight because of his track record as one of Europe’s most vocal Trump supporters. He spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference a year ago, telling Americans that their president was “doing Europe a great service”. His government even signed a civil nuclear cooperation deal with Washington during the trip.

The episode adds to a lengthening list of concerns about Mr Trump’s condition. Now in his second term at the age of 79, the president has faced speculation about his cognitive health since the 2024 campaign, when critics pointed to verbal slips and moments of confusion.

Questions intensified after an assassination attempt in July 2024 left him wounded but galvanised his supporters. Medical bulletins released by his team describe him as in robust health, but independent observers have noted his reduced stamina and occasional reliance on teleprompters.

Recent weeks have seen Mr Trump’s foreign policy pronouncements described by critics as erratic and impulsive. European leaders have privately expressed alarm at the pace and tone of his early second-term actions, with some drawing parallels to the unpredictability of his first presidency.

While no formal medical assessment has been made public, these latest diplomatic reports are likely to amplify calls for greater transparency about the president’s fitness for office.

Express.co.uk has contacted the White House separately for comment.