Trump 'not himself': Fico denies he made such statements 0 12

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico categorically denied the claim by Politico that during an informal conversation in Brussels he told European Union leaders that he was shocked by the mental state of U.S. President Donald Trump during their personal meeting on January 17 at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. "I did not speak at the informal summit in Brussels, nor did other prime ministers. I openly criticized this summit, its preparation, and its convening. I did not have informal conversations with any prime minister or president about my visit to the U.S. at the summit," Fico wrote on Facebook on Wednesday, January 28.

The Slovak prime minister called the Politico material "an abuse to eliminate opponents" and "groundless media lies." "There was a strong attempt to hinder my visit to the U.S., just as there was for my visit to Russia, where even some EU countries did not allow me to fly over their territory!" Fico recalled, adding that he "agrees with many of the U.S. president's strategies, some he does not" and "appreciates meetings with the American president."

In Washington, the Politico publication was labeled a fake. "This is absolutely fake information from anonymous European diplomats trying to draw attention to themselves. The meeting at Mar-a-Lago was positive and productive," said Deputy White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly. Additionally, an unnamed senior official from the U.S. presidential administration who attended the meeting with Trump and Fico told Politico that he does not remember any awkward moments or inappropriate exchanges during the meeting between these politicians.

Politico: Slovak Prime Minister shocked by Trump's mental state

Robert Fico, after meeting with the U.S. president at his private residence in Florida, told EU country leaders that he is concerned about Trump's mental health, Politico reported a few hours earlier, citing five anonymous European diplomats. According to them, the Slovak prime minister made this statement at a separate informal meeting of several leaders and senior EU officials, rather than during official roundtable negotiations.

As claimed by two of them, Fico used the word "dangerous" to describe how the U.S. president behaved during their personal meeting at Trump's estate in Florida. According to another source from the publication, the Slovak prime minister was "traumatized" by the conversation with the head of the White House, emphasizing that Trump was "not himself." Politico's sources also added that they do not know the details of what specific actions by the U.S. president triggered such a reaction from Fico.

According to the publication, the conversation between the Slovak prime minister and European politicians took place in Brussels on January 22 on the sidelines of an emergency EU summit convened in response to Trump's threats to seize Greenland. Politico described its sources as representing four different governments of EU countries, with the fifth being a senior EU official.