Former President Trump Engages with Foreign Leaders to Strengthen Ties with GOP Leader Pre-Election

Former President Donald Trump may no longer have the official perks of hosting state dinners or using Air Force One, but that hasn't stopped him from meeting with world leaders. Despite not being in office, Trump has been actively engaging with foreign dignitaries, strengthening his relationships as he prepares for another presidential campaign.

In recent weeks, Trump has welcomed several foreign leaders to his homes in Florida and New York. He had dinner with Polish President Andrzej Duda in New York, hosted British Foreign Secretary David Cameron at his Mar-a-Lago club, and had phone conversations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Trump is taking on the role of a diplomat and opposition party leader, making his presence felt on the international stage.

On Tuesday night, Trump had dinner with former Japanese prime minister Taro Aso after leaving the Manhattan courthouse. Aso, a senior official in his country's ruling party, discussed the importance of the US-Japan alliance and the challenges posed by China and North Korea with Trump, according to a readout of the meeting from the Trump campaign.

It is common for foreign leaders to meet with the leader of the party that is not in control of the White House, especially if they have a serious chance of becoming the commander in chief. During his 2008 presidential campaign, then-freshman Sen. Barack Obama made headlines with an overseas trip where he met with European and Middle East leaders and delivered a powerful speech to a crowd of 200,000 in Berlin. In a similar vein, four years later, Republican nominee Mitt Romney visited the United Kingdom, Israel, and Poland to bolster his foreign policy credentials while challenging Obama.

Biden and his top envoys have a tradition of meeting and speaking with opposition leaders, which is a common practice for US officials.

In March 2022, Biden had a phone conversation with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the opposition leader of Belarus. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also met with UK Labour Party leader Keir Starmer in Munich in February, along with other important meetings.

Trump is in a unique position. It's not common for a presidential candidate to have already established a foreign policy doctrine, appointed their own diplomats, and formed relationships with world leaders before taking office.

The fast pace of these meetings during the campaign adds a new challenge for President Joe Biden as his administration deals with various international issues.

The US State Department did not provide a comment in response to the request.

According to someone close to Trump, the meetings were friendly and not unexpected, considering his previous connections with these individuals.

"He's not the one reaching out to them, they're the ones seeking him out," according to a source. "They really want to hear his perspective on things, and many believe he might run for president again, otherwise they wouldn't travel to Mar-a-Lago or New York just to meet with him."

Biden and Trump have always had conflicting views on the world, and they have openly debated their different approaches to dealing with foreign allies and enemies since the 2020 presidential campaign.

Biden, during his campaign, vowed to improve relationships with America's long-standing allies in Europe. He also called out Trump for his approach of praising foreign leaders like Putin and Xi instead of holding them accountable.

During a recent NATO meeting in Poland, Biden reassured the member countries that the US would stand firm in international affairs and stand up against any aggressive actions from Putin.

"When we unite, we become an unstoppable force," Biden emphasized.

During his campaign, Trump often claims that the conflicts in Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas would not have happened if he was in charge. At his rallies, Trump praises Xi as a clever and powerful leader, criticizes Biden using Putin's comments, and tells his supporters about his positive relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who supposedly wants him to return.

Trump disagreed with critics, stating, "They say that's terrible, but it's not. It's called smart."

In response to recent meetings with world leaders, Trump campaign spokesman Brian Hughes told CNN that the interactions highlight a common belief among supporters. According to Hughes, there is a perception that Joe Biden is weak, and when Trump becomes the 47th President of the United States, the nation will be safer and more prosperous.

Some leaders that Trump has interacted with have had disagreements with Biden. For instance, Trump recently met with Hungarian President Viktor Orban, who is known to have close ties with Putin. He also met backstage with Argentina's new right-wing populist leader Javier Milei at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference.

During a gathering with Orban at his Palm Beach resort, Trump praised the European leader, saying to the audience: "There's no one better, smarter, or a better leader than Viktor Orban. He's fantastic."

The meeting highlighted Trump's tendency to support authoritarian leaders over traditional US allies. A Biden administration official confirmed that Orbán did not receive an invitation to meet with Biden, and Orbán did not request a meeting with the White House during his US visit.

However, Trump's involvement in foreign affairs has also allowed him to engage closely with America's international partners.

Just two weeks after hosting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, President Trump met with Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso. Both Aso and Kishida are influential figures in Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the country's main conservative political party.

During a recent state dinner, President Biden praised the strong bond between the US and Japan, declaring it as the strongest it has ever been. He also revealed plans for increased military cooperation between the two nations. Japan has become a key partner in Biden's efforts to strengthen alliances in the Indo-Pacific region, with Kishida making significant changes to the country's defense strategy and providing support to Ukraine.

Trump had a phone conversation in March with Saudi Arabia's crown prince, according to two sources who spoke to CNN. The call, which was first reported by the New York Times, was set up by Sen. Lindsey Graham during his visit with Salman. This conversation took place while the Biden administration was working to establish formal diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, seen as a crucial step in ending the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

In addition to his call with the Saudi crown prince, Trump also spoke over the phone with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain in March, as reported by two sources familiar with the conversation to CNN. The details of this call were first revealed by the New York Times.

Last week, Trump and Poland’s Duda met at Trump Tower to talk about NATO spending over dinner. Duda suggested that NATO countries should increase their defense spending from 2% to 3% of their GDP.

Trump has been pushing for NATO countries to spend more on defense, both as president and during his 2024 campaign. At a rally in February, Trump even mentioned that he would let Russia do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member not meeting the spending requirements. This statement caused a lot of criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, sparking worries that Trump might not honor NATO's collective-defense clause if he gets reelected.

Duda had a conversation with Biden about the proposal during the March NATO meeting. He mentioned to the American president that while two percent was sufficient ten years ago, three percent is now necessary due to the full-scale war initiated by Russia near NATO's eastern border.

Trump, on the other hand, talked about NATO defense spending and the Russia-Ukraine conflict during a dinner with Cameron, the British foreign secretary, at his Mar-a-Lago resort earlier this month. The British ambassador to the United States, Karen Pierce, was also present at the dinner.

Cameron’s recent visit occurred shortly before his meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington to discuss increasing US aid to Ukraine. A spokesperson for the British government stated that Cameron’s meeting with Trump was a normal practice, highlighting the importance of engagement between ministers and opposition candidates from allied countries.

During their meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Trump, Cameron, and Pierce not only talked about military agreements but also shared their mutual admiration for the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Editor's P/S:

Trump's continued engagement with world leaders despite being out of office highlights his enduring influence on the global stage. His meetings with foreign dignitaries, including Polish President Duda, British Foreign Secretary Cameron, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, demonstrate his efforts to maintain and strengthen relationships ahead of a potential presidential run. These interactions provide Trump with a platform to share his perspectives on international affairs and shape the global narrative.

Trump's meetings also underscore the challenges faced by the Biden administration in dealing with various international issues. Trump's differing views on foreign policy, his support for authoritarian leaders, and his statements about NATO spending add complexity to the diplomatic landscape. The Biden administration must navigate these challenges while maintaining alliances and addressing global threats. Trump's continued involvement in foreign affairs adds a new dimension to the political dynamics and presents both opportunities and obstacles for the Biden administration.