Le Monde, France’s largest newspaper, expressed dismay over Donald Trump’s recent presidential election victory, describing it as “the end of an American era.” In an editorial published Thursday, the paper stated that Trump’s win signals the conclusion of a period when the U.S. acted as an open, globally engaged superpower and a model of democracy—an identity, it argued, that had already been eroding over the past two decades. Trump’s return, Le Monde suggested, is the final blow.
Titled “The End of an American World,” the editorial warned of the potential consequences for Europe, noting a “real risk” of division or even fragmentation across the continent. The paper urged European Union leaders to recognize the existential threat and prepare for it without waiting until Trump takes office.
The editorial also took aim at Elon Musk, describing him as “the iconoclastic CEO turned power broker” who supported Trump’s rise. “Trump’s voters chose him knowingly, as did the business and tech leaders who backed him,” Le Monde concluded. “The rest of the world will bear the cost.”