Vox leader Abascal breaks with Trump over Meloni jabs, citing ally treatment
Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain's far-right Vox, has publicly rebuked Donald Trump for mocking Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, marking his first direct criticism of the US president and signalling a strategic pivot for the party.
A public rebuke
On Tuesday, Abascal told Telecinco that Trump "se está equivocando" (is mistaken) and that allies should not be treated "como vasallos" (as vassals). He called Meloni a "friend and ally" and said the attacks were "absolutamente inaceptables". The remarks came after Trump posted a photo of Meloni with the caption "Orden de alejamiento necesaria" (restraining order needed), the latest in a series of jabs at the Italian leader.
I believe it would be very good if allies saw allies as allies and not as vassals, and I think Mr Trump is mistaken on that.
A history of admiration
The criticism is a sharp departure from years of close alignment. Trump praised Abascal at the CPAC conference in Washington on 23 February 2025, calling him a "great guy" and thanking him for his "great work". The two had met privately at CPAC a year earlier, and Vox's Fundación Disenso has served as a bridge to Trump's orbit since 2020.
- Abascal first attends CPAC; Fundación Disenso created as Vox's international bridge.
- Private 15-minute meeting with Trump at CPAC; Trump says Abascal will 'soon be number one'.
- Trump publicly praises Abascal at CPAC: 'Great guy, great work.'
- Abascal tells Telecinco Trump is 'mistaken' and allies are not vassals, defending Meloni.
Strategic realignment
Analysts see the shift as part of a broader European far-right move away from Trump. With the fall of Viktor Orbán in Hungary and Marine Le Pen also distancing herself, Abascal "has smelled the danger of being left completely disconnected from the European far right", said journalist Gabi Sanz. Vox is simultaneously entering coalition governments in four Spanish regions, a pragmatic turn that requires shedding the most toxic associations.
Electoral calculus
Trump is deeply unpopular in Spain, and with elections approaching, Abascal is adjusting his discourse. "Vox used to keep a low profile, and now Abascal has changed his speech because he knows we are nearing elections and Trump is absolutely unpopular in Spain," said journalist Ignacio Cembrero. The party had previously stayed silent when Trump threatened tariffs on Spanish goods or attacked other European allies.
The Venezuela dimension
Antonio Maestre pointed to another factor: Trump's treatment of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado, a close ally of Abascal. The US administration's overtures to Delcy Rodríguez and snubs to Machado have created friction within the far-right international network. "The Venezuela factor and the María Corina Machado factor are much more relevant than any other circumstance," Maestre argued.
Reactions in Spain
Eduardo Rubiño of Más Madrid called Abascal's criticism "timid" and noted that unlike Italy's opposition, which defended Meloni when she was personally attacked, Spain's right-wing parties never defend the Spanish government when Trump attacks it. Antonio García Ferreras described Abascal's words as "a before and after", given the explicit statement that Trump is mistaken.
