The was more decisive than most pollsters and pundits had predicted. Now the world waits to see whether the election of Donald Trump as president will prove as destabilizing as many American allies fear.
Trump secured victory Wednesday when he needed to win. In a victory speech before the official declaration, he vowed to B次元官网网址減ut our country firstB次元官网网址� and bring about a B次元官网网址済olden ageB次元官网网址� for America.
TrumpB次元官网网址檚 first term saw him insult and alienate many of the United StatesB次元官网网址� longstanding allies. His return to the White House, four years after losing office to President Joe Biden, has huge consequences for everything from global trade to climate change to multiple crises and conflicts around the world.
Trump has pledged to ramp up a the United StatesB次元官网网址� growing economic and strategic rival. In the Middle East, Trump has pledged, without saying how, to end the . He has also vowed to end the within 24 hours of taking office B次元官网网址� something Ukraine and its supporters fear would be on terms favorable to Moscow.
HereB次元官网网址檚 how leaders and others around the world are reacting:
NATO is nervous and Ukraine is anxious
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte congratulated Trump, saying, B次元官网网址淚 look forward to working with him again to advance peace through strength through NATOB次元官网网址� in the face of B次元官网网址渁 growing number of challenges globally,B次元官网网址� including B次元官网网址渢he increasing alignment of China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.B次元官网网址�
Trump was a during his first term, accusing its other members of failing to pull their weight. Earlier this year he said the United States that donB次元官网网址檛 meet defense spending targets.
Rutte emphasized the positive, praising Trump for his work persuading member states to ramp up defense spending and saying NATO was now B次元官网网址渟tronger, larger, and more united.B次元官网网址�
AmericaB次元官网网址檚 allies are B次元官网网址� belatedly, some say B次元官网网址� grappling with what to do if they cannot depend on the U.S. for their defense.
B次元官网网址淭he existential concern for Europeans has been , what happens to EuropeB次元官网网址檚 security, what happens to AmericaB次元官网网址檚 commitment to NATO?B次元官网网址� said Leslie Vinjamuri, director of the U.S. and Americas program at the think tank Chatham House. B次元官网网址淲ill America be there for Europe?B次元官网网址�
The U.S. is by far KyivB次元官网网址檚 biggest military backer as it battles Russian invasion, though the Biden administration to do even more. Zelenskyy, like Rutte, said he welcomed TrumpB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址減eace through strengthB次元官网网址� approach.
B次元官网网址淭his is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer,B次元官网网址� Zelenskyy wrote on social media. B次元官网网址淚 am hopeful that we will put it into action together. We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President TrumpB次元官网网址檚 decisive leadership.B次元官网网址�
No congratulations were forthcoming from Moscow, where President Vladimir PutinB次元官网网址檚 spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, declared that Russia-U.S. relations were at the B次元官网网址渓owest point in history.B次元官网网址�
European congratulations mask deep divisions
European leaders rushed to congratulate Trump even before his victory was officially declared B次元官网网址� some more effusively than others.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it a B次元官网网址渉istoric election victoryB次元官网网址� and said that B次元官网网址渁s the closest of allies, the U.K. and U.S. will continue to work together to protect our shared values of freedom and democracy.B次元官网网址�
Like governments of U.S. allies around the world, has worked hard to forge ties with Trump and his team. Starmer had dinner with Trump at Trump Tower in September.
FranceB次元官网网址檚 centrist President Emmanuel Macron offered congratulations, B次元官网网址渞espect and ambition.B次元官网网址� Social Democratic German Chancellor Olaf Scholz congratulated Trump and said he wanted continued close ties, even if B次元官网网址渟urely many things will be different under a Donald Trump-led administration.B次元官网网址�
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, whose far right-led government is in some ways close to Trump politically, said Italy and the U.S. had a B次元官网网址渟trategic bond, which I am sure we will now strengthen even more.B次元官网网址�
European leaders are keen to stress that the transatlantic relationship transcends individual politicians, but TrumpB次元官网网址檚 protectionist economic leanings are causing concern. During his last term he slapped tariffs on European steel and aluminum, roiling the blocB次元官网网址檚 economy.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that the EU and the U.S. B次元官网网址渁re bound by a true partnership between our people, uniting 800 million citizens. Let us work together on a transatlantic partnership that continues to deliver for our citizens.B次元官网网址�
EuropeB次元官网网址檚 populist politicians, meanwhile, welcomed the victory of a politician they consider a kindred spirit.
B次元官网网址淭hey threatened him with prison, they took his property, they wanted to kill him B次元官网网址� and he still won,B次元官网网址� said , who will hold for some 50 European leaders on Thursday.
A Middle East in turmoil awaits TrumpB次元官网网址檚 moves
During his first term, Trump pushed to remake the Middle East by reconciling Israel and Saudi Arabia, and all eyes now are on how he intervenes in the regionB次元官网网址檚 raging conflicts between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon B次元官网网址� and the chief backer of the two militant groups, .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called TrumpB次元官网网址檚 election win B次元官网网址渉istoryB次元官网网址檚 greatest comeback.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淵our historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory!B次元官网网址� he wrote on social media.
Trump and B次元官网网址� a fellow conservative nationalist B次元官网网址� had a tight relationship during the former presidentB次元官网网址檚 first term, but the ties soured when Netanyahu congratulated President Joe Biden on winning in 2020.
NetanyahuB次元官网网址檚 inner circle hopes Trump will allow Israel free rein against its enemies, but the president-elect is famously unpredictable, and the Israeli leader faces strong opposition at home. On Tuesday he , a surprise announcement that sparked protests across the country.
Hamas issued a terse statement saying, B次元官网网址淥ur position on the new U.S. administration depends on its positions and practical behavior towards our Palestinian people, their legitimate rights and their just cause.B次元官网网址�
Washington is one of the key mediators of so-far unsuccessful Gaza cease-fire talks and has publicly accused Hamas of turning down several deals. Hamas has denied this, blaming Israel for demanding last-minute changes to the proposals.
The challenge of China still looms
There was no immediate reaction from the Chinese government to TrumpB次元官网网址檚 victory, but analysts were pessimistic, citing the likelihood of and an intensifying confrontation over Taiwan.
B次元官网网址淚t is not all dark, but there are more challenges than opportunities,B次元官网网址� said Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University in Beijing. B次元官网网址淲e are clear about the challenges. As for opportunities, we are yet to see them clearly.B次元官网网址�
Long-seething in the South China Sea are a fault line in the U.S.-China rivalry in Asia and likely will remain a major foreign policy concern for the next American president.
Phillips OB次元官网网址橞rien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews, said WashingtonB次元官网网址檚 allies in the Indo-Pacific, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and even Australia, B次元官网网址渃an no longer look for the U.S.A. to be a reliable partner in defense.B次元官网网址�
U.S. allies in Asia, apprehensive about ChinaB次元官网网址檚 growing clout, clamored for TrumpB次元官网网址檚 attention in congratulatory messages.
B次元官网网址淚 hope to closely cooperate with President-elect Trump to further elevate Japan-U.S. alliance and relations to even higher levels,B次元官网网址� Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters, saying he hoped to speak to the president-elect soon.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol wrote on X: B次元官网网址淯nder your strong leadership, the future of the ROK-U.S. alliance and America will shine brighter,B次元官网网址� using the initials of South KoreaB次元官网网址檚 formal name, the Republic of Korea.
Tensions between the Koreas are at their highest point in years as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has repeatedly flaunted his expanding nuclear weapons and missile programs, while providing Russia with munitions and troops to support its war in Ukraine.
