Foreign diplomats are ‘preparing for Donald Trump to be reelected in 2020’ because they were blindsided by his previous election victory and ‘don’t want to be stupid twice’
- Foreign diplomats have reportedly said they are preparing for President Trump to be reelected in 2020
- Some governments are said to be already making contingency plans for how to deal with him if he wins the election
- The diplomats admitted they were surprised by Trump’s win in 2016 said they were eager to not be fooled again
Foreign diplomats are quietly preparing for President Donald Trump to be reelected in 2020 and are already making contingency plans for how to deal with him if he wins the election.
Politico spoke to about 20 foreign diplomats, who wanted to remain anonymous, and the majority admitted they were surprised by Trump’s win in 2016.
They said they were eager to not be fooled again and were not going to underestimate Trump’s popularity with voters this time around.
Foreign diplomats are quietly preparing for President Donald Trump to be reelected in 2020 and are already making contingency plans for how to deal with him if he wins the election
‘In 2016, nobody believed he was going to be elected. People don’t want to be stupid twice,’ Gérard Araud, a former French ambassador to the U.S., said.
The foreign diplomats were not prepared to say Trump would lose the 2020 election because the U.S. economy is strong and the Democrats do not have a clear front runner to take him on.
‘The way it looks to people is it’s going to be another four years,’ an Arab diplomat said.
‘If he gets reelected, he’s bound by nothing, except Congress. And I don’t know how that’s going to play out.’
A European diplomat said that Trump was not an ‘isolated phenomenon’.
‘In his campaign and his presidency, he’s just responding to what the American public feels. The frustration he expresses, the grievances he responded to in his campaign are very often real.’
Diplomats say the potential for a Trump 2020 victory could affect how countries handle their negotiations with the U.S. North Korea, for example, may not be able to negotiate with a Democratic leader
The diplomats said many embassies were already preparing for a possible Trump win and suggested that it could affect how countries handle their negotiations with the U.S. before and after the election.
The officials pointed to how China and Iran appear to be holding off on deals related to trade and nuclear negotiations in case Trump is defeated.
Countries like North Korea – with whom Trump has formed a friendship with – may not be able to negotiate with a Democratic leader.
The diplomats argued, however, that even if Trump does lose the election some policies could shape foreign policy for several years.
While some governments appeared to be waiting to see of Trump loses, others said they have recognized they could benefit if he is reelected.
‘The current administration is really good from the business perspective,’ a European ambassador told the publication.
‘For governments who want regulations changed, they might have a better chance now than with another administration.’