Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election has left world leaders and politicians in awe. Congratulations to the Republican leader came from all over the world, from European capitals to the Middle East. At the same time, the reactions to his victory reflect not only diplomatic congratulations, but also serious strategic concerns about possible changes in international politics, defence commitments and global alliances. From euphoric statements about Trump by right-wing radical politicians to cautious but diplomatic statements by European leaders, the world is watching to see what changes the new-old president will bring to relations between the US and the rest of the world.
‘The greatest comeback in history’ for Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump’s victory the ‘greatest comeback in history’ and expressed hope for a strong renewal of the alliance between Israel and America.
Despite the fact that Trump criticised the Israeli leader’s actions in the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, he supported the Republican leader, as tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv have risen sharply over the past year due to the Biden administration’s policies.
Viktor Orban was one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory. He is one of the few who openly supported the Republican leader long before the last votes were counted in the United States. The right-wing Hungarian prime minister, who during his ten-year rule of the Eastern European country was accused of undermining democratic institutions through concentration of power and restrictions on the country’s judicial system and civil institutions, called Trump’s success ‘a long-awaited victory for the world!’
In a post on social media, Orban said that Trump had made ‘the greatest political comeback in US history’ and congratulated him on his ‘huge victory’.
By supporting anti-immigrant policies and maintaining close ties with Russian President Putin, Orban has gained a heraldic reputation among European Union leaders. At the same time, he has always emphasised his close relationship with Trump. In one of his summer speeches, Orban even hinted that he had helped shape Trump’s future public policy and was ‘deeply involved’ in his team.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made an incredible effort to maintain decorum and respect for the historic ‘special relationship’ between the two countries despite the clear distinction between his own values and those expected from the next Trump presidency.
In a post on social media, Starmer congratulated Trump ‘on your historic election victory,’ adding that he looked forward to ‘working with you in the future.’
‘As closest allies, we stand side by side in defence of our shared values: freedom, democracy, and entrepreneurship,’ Starmer wrote.
Cautious congratulations from Macron and Scholz
‘Congratulations, President @realDonaldTrump,’ French President Emmanuel Macron wrote in a short post on social media. He acknowledged that his government is ‘ready to work together again,’ as it did during Trump’s first term as president, ‘with your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition. For greater peace and prosperity.”
But an hour later, the French president issued another message that betrayed unease with the new-old resident of the Oval Office. In his second tweet, Macron said that he had just spoken to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and that the leaders of the EU’s two largest economies had agreed to ‘work towards a more united, stronger and more sovereign Europe in this new context.’ It is clear that Paris and Berlin, like most European capitals, are concerned about Trump’s policies on NATO, the Russian-Ukrainian war, and tariffs on imports from various countries.
In his address, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed the need for close cooperation between the European Union, saying that the EU must act as one. He also reaffirmed the importance of the transatlantic partnership, assuring that Germany would remain a reliable partner for the United States.
Rutte’s sincerity is questionable
It is also hard to believe in the sincerity of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s congratulations. In a post on social media, he wrote that ‘Trump’s leadership will once again be key to strengthening our alliance. I look forward to working with him to promote peace through strength across the Alliance.’
Trump’s criticism of European NATO members for failing to meet the commitment to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defence budgets is widely known. During this year’s election campaign, the Republican leader stated that he would demand that allies increase defence spending, and that this policy would be one of his main vectors if he is re-elected.
In May, Trump’s campaign spokesperson Carolyn Levitt proudly announced that ‘Trump has forced allies to increase their spending on NATO by demanding they pay’ and that if re-elected, he would ‘restore peace and rebuild American strength and deterrence on the world stage’.
Fatemeh Mohajerani, a spokeswoman for the Iranian Islamic regime, made a statement on the state-run IRIB TV channel and said that Trump’s election victory would not have a significant impact on the situation in Iran, which is in conflict with the West over its support for armed proxy groups in the Middle East and its nuclear programme.
‘Peace through strength’ in Zelenskyy’s greeting
Zelenskyy congratulated Trump on his ‘impressive victory’ and took the opportunity to praise the new-old US president’s approach to global affairs, in particular through the principle of ‘peace through strength’, which he said could bring a just peace to Ukraine. He also expressed hope for strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States and stressed the importance of developing mutually beneficial political and economic cooperation between the two countries. Zelenskyy added that Ukraine, as one of the largest military forces in Europe, seeks to ensure peace and security in the region with the support of its allies.
A victory that does not matter to Iran
‘The victory of the US president does not matter to us ,’ she said, noting that the policies of both the US and Iran are ’constant and do not change depending on who holds the presidency.’ According to her, whoever is in the White House will not have any impact on the ‘living conditions of the people’ in Iran. Iran’s economy has been hit hard by massive sanctions imposed by the United States and the international community, initially over suspected nuclear weapons development, and by support for terrorist organisations such as Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Houthi rebels in Yemen.
During his first term in office, Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the international nuclear agreement concluded by his predecessor. The agreement was aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump took a tougher stance, reimposing sanctions. This caused outrage among the European allies of the United States, who participated in the negotiations and signed the agreement. Since then, Iran has stepped up its nuclear activities, raising concerns that its support for so-called proxy groups in the Middle East could lead to a major war with Israel.
The personal business of Americans
In his turn, Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas official who ruled the Palestinian Gaza Strip for almost two decades before the group provoked the current war with Israel with its unprecedented terrorist attack more than a year ago, called Trump’s re-election ‘a personal matter for Americans.’ At the same time, he noted that ‘Palestinians expect an immediate end to the aggression against our people, especially in Gaza, and seek help in achieving their legitimate rights to freedom, independence and the establishment of their own sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.’
Against the backdrop of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, international diplomatic efforts to achieve a so-called ‘two-state solution’ that would create an independent Palestine alongside Israel have all but disappeared.
US administrations from both political camps have supported such a solution, but with the current Israeli government strongly opposed to the idea of Palestinian statehood, most Palestinians see little reason for hope, regardless of who wins the US election.
Euphoria and a lot of emojis from Duda
Polish President Andrzej Duda congratulated Trump on his victory, a greeting that was far different from his reaction to Biden’s victory in 2020, when he praised the Democratic frontrunner in a way that caused much controversy. Back then, Duda congratulated him only on a ‘successful campaign’ instead of congratulating him on the victory itself. This year, Duda came out with his congratulations before the official results were announced, which was noticed by all the media.
And he was more direct, emotional and unambiguous. Duda wrote: ‘Congratulations, Mr President Donald Trump. You did it!’ and added an emoji with applause and the flags of Poland and the United States, symbolising the successful cooperation between the countries.
Radoslaw Sikorski, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, said that Poland respects the decision of the American people and confirmed the correctness of Poland’s foreign policy, which provides for the maintenance of political ties with both Democrats and Republicans. At the same time, he noted that Europe urgently needs to take greater responsibility for its security.
In general, the first reaction of world leaders to Donald Trump’s victory shows both optimism and fears about possible changes in the international order. For many countries, especially in Europe, the biggest questions remain about the future position of the United States on defence, trade, the environment, and security cooperation. Trump, known for his unpredictability and harsh statements, seems to be leaving the world at a crossroads, and it will be important for many countries to respond in time to the new challenges they will face in the context of a change in US political leadership.
