Trump pressures new Czech PM over F-35 deal

US President Donald Trump said he expects "incredible things" from Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, particularly regarding the deal for American fighter jets, which the new prime minister has promised to review, UNN reports with reference to Politico.

"Great to see Andrej Babiš reappointed as Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. Together, we will once again achieve great success in defense, energy, and combating illegal immigration — just as we did during our first terms in office," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

"Andrej knows how to make deals, and I expect incredible things from him, especially regarding the F-35. Congratulations, Andrej!" he added. On Wednesday, Babiš told reporters that he was "glad" that the president had congratulated him in this way.

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The previous Czech government, led by Petr Fiala, approved the purchase of 24 American F-35 fighter jets in 2023. Babiš and his right-wing populist ANO party campaigned by criticizing the deal, calling the planes "useless and overpriced." In its election program, ANO called for "sensible investments in defense" and stated that the party would "review expensive acquisitions," including American-made F-35 jets.

Before his decisive victory in October, it was unclear whether Babiš — a billionaire who adopted both the rhetoric of the US president and a Trump-style red "Strong Czechia" baseball cap — would risk angering the US president by backing out of the deal. Indeed, post-election statements suggest a more pragmatic approach.

"The purchase of American F-35 aircraft is a done deal, but everything must be done to ensure maximum participation of the Czech industry," said ANO Deputy Chairman Karel Havlíček in November.

Other countries, including Spain, Switzerland, and Canada, had their own doubts about purchasing American F-35s due to the Trump administration's behavior towards Europe, particularly questioning NATO's promise of collective defense.