Managers pay homage to Trump and fear his disruptive changes

Managers pay homage to Trump and fear his disruptive changes

In the hours after Donald Trump Victory in the presidential election A well -known spectacle began in the capitals of the world. Guide from Paris to Jerusalem to Riyadh and beyond sent congratulations on the Internet and urged their ambassadors in Washington to find a way to contact the new president directly.

Global reactions to Trump's election victory

The hectic hustle and bustle remained not hidden from Trump's sleepy helpers in Florida, who followed exactly who reported how and when. While the world processes the reality of a further Trump presidency, the central features of its foreign policy approach become clear again: transactionally, personality-related and erratic. In the past four years, this Trump doctrine has caused chaos, which made both foreign leaders and experienced security experts in the USA exhausted and nervous.

Trump's agenda for the second term

Nothing in Trump's election campaign indicates that his approach could change. In contrast to the past four years, however, the world is currently "on flames", as Trump likes to say, and he has promised to extinguish the flames. He has vowed to end Russia's war against Ukraine in 24 hours and bring peace to the Middle East while keeping American adversaries in North Korea and Iran at bay.

Trade wars and international relationships

Additionally, Trump plans broad new tariffs on China, a reassessment of stable American defense alliances like NATO and a search for countries willing to accept the migrants he wants to deport en masse. How he will achieve all of these goals is unclear. As a candidate, he has not revealed any details about his plans, let alone spoken to American allies about how to jointly address the challenges.

Dealing with allies

However, what he has made clear is his distrust of the American alliances, which form the basis of the western world order. It was these that President Joe Biden wanted to restore four years earlier when he took over the Trump presidential office and explained: "America is back." Instead of helping the United States to achieve their goals, Trump described the allies as parasitic burdens, especially when he encouraged Russia to "do whatever they want" with NATO countries that do not meet their defense spending.

Unpredictable future

That makes Trump's impending return to the global stage one of the most unpredictable factors in an already risky world, as foreign leaders both hold their breath and try to connect with him. Even before Trump's victory was assured, leaders wrote their congratulations on

The search for direct contacts

The Élysée, Macron's official office, found that Macron was one of the first heads of state that Trump reached. They had a very warm conversation that set up on their strong pre -existing relationship. The Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman also congratulated Trump by phone on Wednesday and confirmed the "historical relationship" between her countries.

Preparations for future meetings

As the leaders offered their congratulations to Trump, their aides were already running through various scenarios to arrange potential meetings with the president-elect in the coming months. Leaders from around the world are open to all options, including trips to New York or Trump's estate in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. Many of them are aiming to meet before Trump's inauguration in January.

The challenge of relationships with authoritarian leaders

However, it was still unclear how or whether some of the autocrats that Trump openly admired during his first term would send their congratulations. The Russian President Vladimir Putin, who tried to flatter Trump during his first term, is not planning a congratulatory call, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskow. "Let's not forget that we are talking about an unfriendly country that is directly or indirectly involved in the war against our states," he said.

Key figures in Trump's foreign policy

A crucial relationship that Trump must now build is with China's Xi Jinping, whom he described as a "very good friend" but with whom the relationship has deteriorated significantly. Trump launched a trade war with China during his first term, and as Covid-19 spread in the US, he regularly referred to the virus as the “China virus.” On Wednesday, Xi congratulated Trump in a phone call, two sources said.

Expectations of the foreign policy orientation

Experts and former officials warn that Trump's foreign policy course may not be aligned with the conventional decision-making processes of previous presidents. Trump often shaped his policies impulsively and made decisions quickly, sometimes based on conversations that his aides only learned about after the fact.

Competent advisor for the next term

Those around Trump expect that he will choose people who are willing to better implement his instructions, no matter how chaotically they are decided or communicated. It's not out of the question that some veterans from Trump's first term will return in various roles, including Mike Pompeo and Richard Grenell. Brian Hook, a senior State Department official during the first Trump administration, could lead Trump's transition team at the State Department.

It remains to be seen whether Trump decides for consultants who go beyond his first term. The choice he hits for the most important national security positions will be crucial for what his foreign policy will look like.