When Donald Trump initially secured the presidency, his unorthodox acceptance of direct communications from international royals without supervision was seen as a departure from standardized U.S. diplomatic conventions—a move that left the departing Obama administration barely concealing their irritation. Fast forward to the present, and nobody in the White House seems particularly concerned, despite the fact that international leaders are already turning their gaze towards the president-elect, unable to officially alter U.S. foreign policy for another two months.
As Trump prepares for his second term, foreign governments are strategizing to determine their status with his administration, taking into account his national security team, focusing on building strong relations, and making concerted efforts to be in the good graces of the soon-to-be president. The predominant preoccupation among our allies and commerce partners is making connections with President-elect Trump and his imminent cabinet.
A key aspect of Trump’s campaign was taking a hard line on China and Europe with the imposition of tariffs and other methods. Another statement of intent was his plan to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. Furthermore, he expressed a desire for Europe to compensate the U.S. for its involvement in supplying military hardware to Ukraine, though the method of doing so remains uncertain.
Trump also boldly promised to curtail Russia’s war with Ukraine within a single day, possibly even before he assumes office again. Amid these geopolitical maneuverings, diplomatic staff in Washington are diligently studying Trump’s appointments to his national security team.
One diplomat from Europe remarked pragmatically, ‘We acknowledge the U.S. as a key player, but we believe it is essential for us to carve out our own fate, rather than depending overly on the U.S.’ In Eastern Europe, groundwork has been laid at the regional level for a new kind of military and geopolitical alliance.
Formerly, the first government leader to meet with Trump was then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan. However, this time around, Argentina’s hard-right libertarian head, Javier Milei, has won the honor of the initial face-to-face meeting with the president-elect. Trump has already received numerous congratulatory calls—an excess of 80—from foreign dignitaries.
In the U.S., the transition period between administrations is lengthier compared to many other nations. This creates precarious dynamics as incoming and former leaders must continue to function with the current president while simultaneously attempting to forestall showing favoritism and circumvent potential backlash. All this occurs with the challenging backdrop of Trump still being two months away from officially being able to dictate U.S. foreign policy.
A few of these leaders have just assumed office this autumn and are seeking audiences with President-elect Trump subsequent to the U.S. election. Worries are being voiced that if nations with right-leaning governments succumb to Trump’s demands, it might result in the disintegration of their unity.
Even the current U.S. president has tried to persuade Trump to sustain the foreign policy objectives set during his tenure. The wind, however, is clearly back in Trump’s sails. But will it last, or is this a fleeting moment in global diplomacy?
In years since, leaders have been firmly advising Trump at international summits not to permit a second term for Trump. Yet, Biden might now find those doors firmly shut. ‘The election outcome, I believe, was a sound rejection of the existing administration’s tactics,’ said one observer.
Meanwhile, the incoming Trump administration perceives that they’ve received a resounding mandate to steer the American economy towards a different course. These strategies suggest a stark departure from the principles held by the outgoing Biden-Harris administration, which are generally perceived to be ill-founded and unlikely to garner major support.