The Current American President isn’t big on Foreign Affairs….
He’s usually dealing with things in being briefed by Republican conspiricy outsiders NOT the CIA…
The sitdowns , with camera’s rolling, and American domestic questions thrown…. tend to have the leaders as side shows ….
And then?
They ususally have to listen to ole’ Trump beat-down, spreadin g Un-Truths about them and their countries to the world?
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa got the Zelensky treatment while meeting President Trump Wednesday, with added special effects.
The big picture: Visiting the White House is no longer just a coveted opportunity to earn goodwill with the president and credibility back home. Under Trump 2.0, it carries the risk of a presidential ambush.
- The visit immediately evoked the disastrous Feb. 28 meeting in which Trump and Vice President Vance berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, shocking the world and setting a precedent.
- Even leaders who avoid a public flogging face prolonged and unpredictable on-camera spectacles, with Trump taking questions from a mix of mainstream and MAGA media and holding the floor for up to an hour.
- Trump’s premeditated humiliation of Ramaphosa is likely to be on the minds of other leaders before they make plans to visit Washington….
…
Zoom out: There are still potential upsides to visiting Trump’s White House.
- Several leaders, most recently Canada’s Mark Carney, have managed to hold their own or score minor wins.
- El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele seemed to enjoy guest starring in the Trump show, while French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer tried a mix of flattery and persuasion to influence Trump on trade and Ukraine.
- But while one Oval Office disaster could be a fluke, two is starting to look like a trend.
The bottom line: If Trump invites you into his office, enter at your own risk…
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