North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski declared in an exclusive interview with Breitbart News that his government "strongly supports" President Donald Trump and the United States, positioning the small Balkan nation as one of America's most reliable allies in a region historically dominated by European powers and Russian influence.

"The United States has a very strong ally in the Balkans," Mickoski told Breitbart. "I know that they appreciate very much what we are doing for our partnership." The prime minister emphasized that a bilateral treaty his government is pursuing with the United States would strengthen economic cooperation and "open the gates for U.S. exports and investors to have a much more ambitious and much more meaningful role not only in the Balkans but also in Europe generally speaking."

Mickoski Was Only Balkan Leader at Trump Inauguration

Mickoski demonstrated his commitment to the Trump administration early, becoming the only head of government from the Balkans to attend Trump's January 2025 inauguration in Washington. During that visit, he met with Trump Media CEO Devin Nunes and attended events hosted by Rumble and the Trump Media Group, according to announcements from his party and photos posted by the Macedonian government.

The meetings raised eyebrows at the time, with ProPublica reporting that Rumble, a close business partner of Trump Media, was seeking a cloud technology services deal with the Macedonian government. A government minister responsible for "digital transformation" hinted at potential business dealings in a LinkedIn post, saying the "investment potential that these world-leading companies offer can revolutionize our digital infrastructure."

Voting With US at United Nations

Mickoski made clear in the Breitbart interview that North Macedonia backs Trump administration positions at the United Nations even when doing so creates political complications with European partners. The country has consistently voted alongside the United States on key resolutions, a pattern that sets it apart from many NATO allies who have sought to maintain distance from some Trump policies.

Trump administration officials Richard Grenell and Kimberly Guilfoyle both spoke highly of Mickoski ahead of the Breitbart interview, signaling that the Macedonian leader has cultivated strong relationships with key figures in Trump's orbit. Grenell, who served as acting Director of National Intelligence and U.S. Ambassador to Germany during Trump's first term, has been particularly active in Balkans diplomacy and appears to view Mickoski as a key partner in the region.

Balancing Act With European Union

Mickoski's embrace of Trump comes as North Macedonia pursues European Union membership, creating a delicate balancing act for the prime minister. Veteran journalist Ljupco Popovski told Balkan Insight in March 2025 that Mickoski believes "by favouring Donald Trump over Europe, North Macedonia will be better placed in the 'new world order,'" though such a strategy may carry costs for the country's EU accession timeline.

The landlocked country of roughly two million people declared independence during the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991 and has relied on American support for decades, including millions in foreign aid and security assistance. North Macedonia joined NATO in 2020 after resolving a longstanding name dispute with Greece, a move that solidified its Western orientation but left EU membership as the next major goal for successive governments.

Mickoski's nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party came to power following elections in May 2024, and the prime minister has since positioned himself as a Trump-aligned leader willing to buck European establishment preferences. His government's pursuit of deals with Trump Media properties and public declarations of support for the American president represent a bet that closer ties to Washington under Trump will yield economic and strategic benefits that outweigh potential friction with Brussels.