Trump's retaliation tour seemingly reaching European shores?

In the aftermath of his presidency, Donald Trump has been making waves across the globe, targeting a diverse range of individuals and entities with a perceived sense of grievance and a promise of retribution.

One of the most high-profile figures on Trump's list is John Bolton, his former national security adviser. Bolton, who unleashed a damaging assessment of Trump's Ukraine policy, found himself on the receiving end of an FBI raid on his home and office, as part of a criminal investigation into the potential mishandling of classified information. The fallout between the two men was evident, with Bolton becoming a frequent critic of Trump and engaging in public spats with the first Trump administration over an explosive memoir he wrote about his time in the White House.

Trump's list also includes Democrats such as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, former top military and intelligence officials, and anyone who publicly disagreed with him. The president's ire extends beyond US borders, with former EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager and Angela Merkel, the former German Chancellor, also potentially in Trump's crosshairs.

Trump's methods of retaliation are varied. He has threatened to impose sanctions on EU or member state officials responsible for implementing the bloc's landmark Digital Services Act (DSA). He could also sanction individuals with visa restrictions or other penalties, according to experts. In a more dramatic move, Trump shared an AI-generated video on Truth Social, depicting Barack Obama being handcuffed by FBI agents and dragged out of the Oval Office.

Trump's allies in the US Congress have also been active in this global reckoning. They invited Thierry Breton, the former EU internal market commissioner and French Economy Minister, to testify before a committee, which he publicly declined. Trump's ambassador in Paris publicly accused the French government of inaction against rising antisemitism and ignored a summons to the French foreign ministry.

Trump's actions have not been without controversy. His firing of Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, whose monetary policy ideas didn't align with the president's, drew criticism. Similarly, Trump's Justice Department launched probes of two of his most outspoken legal adversaries: California Democratic senator Adam Schiff and New York attorney general Letitia James.

As the 2024 US presidential campaign approaches, Trump has been making promises of revenge and retribution against perceived and real enemies. Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey who was one of the first Republican establishment figures to endorse Trump in 2016, has found himself in Trump's crosshairs once again, with the president now threatening to launch another federal investigation into "Bridgegate", a scandal that rocked the political world in 2013.

While there is no verified information that Donald Trump has specifically targeted any EU government members in a "revenge tour," one thing is clear: the former president believes the time for punishing "unscrupulous behavior" has come, particularly for those who crossed him in public, potentially including individuals in Europe.