When questioned by journalists at the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa maintained that he had already expressed his views regarding Donald Trump, referring to Trump as operating like a “Soviet, or Russian asset.” He emphasized that this statement was made with “utmost care,” clarifying there were no ties of friendship, economic, social, political, or ideological nature involved.
“It was said in the most elegant way. It was just a matter of noting: look, this happens. It happens because, ultimately, these are the results of certain strategies. These results have consequences, and the consequence, as understood by everyone, is that for eight months we’ve been waiting for a ceasefire and a much faster move towards peace. But, ultimately, these are strategies followed by those with the legitimacy to do so,” he elaborated.
When asked about the impact of his statements, which prompted the Government to reiterate its responsibility for foreign policy, and if he had any further comments regarding the remarks he made at the PSD Summer University, the head of state simply replied, “Nothing, nothing, nothing. What I said is said.”
“It was not the first time I said it. In the last seven months, I’ve stated it on several occasions. One of those times was in the presence of President Macron, during a dinner speech I gave, and he agreed with my viewpoint,” he mentioned.
“But it is said, it is said,” reiterated the President of the Republic.
Regarding his relationship with the PSD/CDS-PP government, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa noted that “the Government is who directs foreign policy” and emphasized that “therefore, it is about the President of the Republic and the Government aligning their positions whenever possible.”
“And it has been possible to align. Here, the position was straightforward, genuinely defending that the stronger the alliance cohesion in the Ukraine case, the better for Ukraine. The less strong it is, the worse for Ukraine. And that is the position of the Government, it is the position of the President,” he stated.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa added, “There have been historical cases where Presidents took positions against the Governments on foreign policy matters, but not here, fortunately not here.”
