Foreign leaders use the art of flattery to court Trump

It was a privileged opportunity to respond to Trump’s economic threat.

Instead, Ishiba adopted a different position:

became the last foreign leader in adular instead of making fun, of the US president.

“I was very excited to see such a celebrity on television,” said Ishiba, which caused Trump to turn to him and smile from ear to ear.

“On television it is afraid and has a very strong personality, but when I met him, he was actually very sincere and very powerful, and with a strong will for the United States.”

Ishiba assured the White House journalists and officials gathered that their praise to Trump were not an attempt to “adulatelo“, But rather part of an effort to guarantee” world peace “and” regional stability. ”

Ishiba is the last foreign emissary that uses the adulation art With a president known for his transactional approach, if not unpredictable, in foreign policy.

Trump’s predecessor, Joe BidenHe often said that foreign leaders express his concern for the perspective of Trump’s return to the White House.

Now that it is back, all concerns seem to have stayed aside, at least in public.

Days before Isthiba praises Trump’s presence on television, the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu He called Trump “the best friend Israel has had in the White House”, adding that he has “enormous respect” among the Israelis.

He praised Trump’s ability to go straight to the point. ”

The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukelemade an unusual gesture by proposing that Trump imprison immigrants who are illegally in the country – and even to the convicted American citizens – in the famous penitentiary complex of the Central American nation.

“People seem to think that compliments will work for what they need, that they will win points,” said Elizabeth Shackelford, a former diplomat who worked in Poland, South Sudan and Somalia before giving up in protest for Trump’s first presidency .

“They may think that when they are friendly to him they will be less likely to be they who get angry with him when they attack them.”

It is not a new strategy.

During Trump’s first government, the French president, Emmanuel MacronHe praised Trump in the White House and told him that he expected his “friendship” and “kinship” to continue growing.

Poland He proposed to change the US military base to Fort Trump.

Netanyahu He proposed that an Israeli settlement in the Golán highs to be called Trump Heights.

The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin TrudeauHe launched an offensive of charm by inviting Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, to participate in a business leaders meeting.

The compliments did not always work.

In 2018, Trump imposed tariffs on Canada and called Trudeau “dishonest and weak” on social networks.

The romance between Trump and Macron became a public dispute over the NATO direction.

Later, Trump broke out in Ira against Netanyahu when he congratulated Biden for his victory in the 2020 elections.

He published coffee table books with criticism of several foreign leaders, including Trudeau and Angela Merkelthe former German chancellor, who did not hesitate to challenge Trump.

His 2024 book included 10 pages of photographs with Trump and Kim Jong Un Jong Uthe North Korean dictator.

Trump boasted of his “love letters” of the North Korean leader, missing that he valued so much that he took them to Mar-a-lago after finishing his mandate.

Subsequently, the National Archives They tried to recover them along with other documents that Trump retained, which finally led to federal investigation and processing.

Shakelford described the attempt to use adulation as a means to earn Trump’s favor as a “Useless mission”.

“I don’t think anyone is going to get what Trump wants,” Shakelford said.

“He will use them while it suits him. But he has no problem cutting contact with people. Don’t earn points with Trump because he doesn’t give you credit for that later. ”

“When it suits him, he simply pretends that it never happened,” he added.

But that has not prevented leaders from trying.

The presidents and prime ministers went to Mar-a-Lago even before Trump assumed the position.

A delegation from Canada has made multiple visits to Washington since Trump’s election, hoping to convince Trump that the country was doing enough border security in an effort to avoid tariffs.

The meetings even impressed some of Trump’s advisors.

Trump still threatened to affect his economy with tariffs last week, before delaying sanctions for 30 days.

Not all leaders have had repairs to rebuke Trump.

The president of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, This week said that the Trump administration was spreading “lies and falsehoods” after the State Department said that US ships could go through the Panama Canal Without paying.

The Panamanian government has also rejected Trump’s statements about resuming the property of the Panama Canal.

But most leaders have chosen to trust adulation, including diplomats, who are experts in that art.

Peter Mandelsona veteran British politician ever known as the “Prince of Tinieblas”, years ago he had called Trump “white nationalist” and said it was “a danger to the world.”

His choice as a new British ambassador to the United States triggered a wave of intense opposition among some of Trump’s allies, including Steve Bannonhis former boss strategist.

The result was a remarkable example of political adulation.

Mandelson appeared in Fox News at the end of January to say that he had completely changed his mind about the president.

Mandelson said that his previous comments had been “unfortunate and erroneous” and that he was “impressed not only because of the extraordinary second mandate he received from the American people, but because of the dynamism and energy with which he addressed not only the campaign, but also the government ”

He continued to say that “a new respect has been won, certainly from me” and predicted that Trump “could become one of the most important US presidents that I have met in my adult life.”

Speaking just a week after Trump’s possession, Mandelson said that the president’s approach to the government had been “much more organized, it is much more consistent, it seems to be much clearer in what he wants to do.”

On the days that followed the apology, Mandelson’s appointment seemed go back.

Ishida seems to expect a similar response from Trump.

When asked on Friday if he was willing to impose retaliation tariffs against Trump, Ishida said:

“I can’t answer a theoretical question.”

“That is a very good answer,” Trump said while the crowd in the White House laughed.

“Very good answer, wow. That’s very good.

“He knows what he does.”