U.S. President Donald Trump expressed high expectations for Czechia’s Andrej Babiš, particularly regarding an American fighter jet agreement that the incoming prime minister had promised to reassess.
“It is great to see Andrej Babiš appointed again as Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. Together, we will once again achieve Great Success on Defense, Energy, and Illegal Immigration — Just as we have done during our First Terms in Office,” Trump stated in a Truth Social post.
“Andrej knows how to get Deals done, and I expected incredible things from him, including on F-35s. Congratulations Andrej!” he added. Babiš remarked that he was pleased with the president’s congratulatory message.
The former Czech government, led by Petr Fiala, had decided in 2023 to buy 24 American F-35 fighter jets. Babiš and his right-wing populist party ANO criticized the decision, calling the jets “useless and overpriced.” In its election manifesto, ANO advocated for “reasonable investments in defense” and mentioned reconsidering “costly acquisitions” like the U.S.-made F-35 aircraft.
Before October’s electoral victory, it was uncertain if Babiš — who shares Trump’s rhetoric and adopted the red “Strong Czechia” cap — would risk irritating the U.S. president by reversing the deal. However, post-election remarks suggest a more pragmatic stance.
“The purchase of American F-35 aircraft is a done deal, but everything must be done to ensure maximum involvement of Czech industry,” stated ANO deputy chairman Karel Havlíček in November.
Other countries such as Spain, Switzerland, and Canada have also questioned buying American F-35s because of the Trump administration’s actions towards Europe, including challenging NATO’s collective defense commitment.
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