Tsipras urges Greece to 'cool' ties with Trump's MAGA and end 'blank check' to US
Former prime minister Alexis Tsipras, now leading the ELAS party, used a Politico interview to accuse the Mitsotakis government of excessive concessions to Washington and called for a foreign policy based on mutual benefit.
Alexis Tsipras, the former Greek prime minister and current leader of the opposition party ELAS, has sharply criticised the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis for what he describes as a "blank check" policy towards the United States. In an interview with Politico published on 3 July 2026, Tsipras argued that Greece must "cool" its overly close relationship with the MAGA movement and rebalance its strategic ties with Washington.
A call for mutual benefit, not unconditional alignment
Tsipras insisted that Greek-American relations must be guided by the principle of mutual benefit, not unilateral concessions. He accused the conservative government of having gone too far in granting the US indefinite access to military bases across Greece, including the main naval base on Crete, rather than requiring periodic renewal and renegotiation of terms.
Greek-American relations are strategic in nature and must be governed by the principle of mutual benefit. The government is following a policy of blank checks and this does not serve our national interests.
The Iran war contrast with Spain
To underline his point, Tsipras contrasted Mitsotakis's stance with that of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who refused to allow US forces to use Spanish bases during the recent war in Iran. He suggested that Athens should have shown similar autonomy.
This issue arose with great intensity during the recent war in Iran. We saw the reaction of the Greek prime minister and that of the Spanish prime minister.
Distancing from MAGA and public scepticism
Tsipras linked his foreign policy stance to widespread Greek public distrust of Donald Trump. He cited a Pew Research Center survey from late June showing that only 22% of Greeks trust the US president's handling of international affairs. While much of Europe is stepping back from the MAGA movement, he said, Greece is deepening its embrace.
European cohesion, own resources and defence
On European policy, Tsipras called for stronger social cohesion, reduced regional inequalities, and new EU own resources through taxation of multinational corporations and carbon emissions. He supported higher defence spending but warned it must not come at the expense of social welfare.
If that happens, in a few years we will be left with a European Union that is stronger in defence and governed by far-right governments.
Corruption as an 'invisible tax'
Domestically, Tsipras described corruption as an "invisible tax" that drains resources from public health, education and social services. He said every euro lost through direct awards in public contracts or embezzlement of EU funds is a euro missing from schools and hospitals.
We have the invisible tax of corruption — and I call it a tax because I believe the cost of the extensive and unprecedented levels of corruption in Greece is so great that it deprives social policy of resources.
Political context and elections
Tsipras founded ELAS in May 2026 to unite a fragmented opposition ahead of national elections expected by spring 2027, before Greece assumes the rotating EU Council presidency in July 2027. Polls place his party second, though still far behind New Democracy. He also addressed lingering criticism of his 2015 tenure, noting that public debate focuses only on the first months of that government.
