President Trump’s second term could reshape US diplomacy against authoritarian leaders

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) – Hungary’s fierce right-wing leader says Donald Trump’s victory will help fight immigration and multiculturalism and restore traditional family values.

In Argentina, the president once hugged by a bear At a political conference in Maryland, President Trump attacked his critics like rats and parasites, went on a rant against what he called corrupt elites, and called climate change “a socialist lie.” ” is called.

According to both these leaders and outside observers, President Trump’s second term could reshape U.S. diplomacy away from traditional international alliances and toward populist, authoritarian politicians. .

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán

Two days before Tuesday’s election, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán made a bold prediction.

“Donald Trump will be president again, which means that by the end of the year there will be a pro-peace political majority in Western countries,” Prime Minister Orbán told state radio.

Mr. Orbán has been accused by the European Union of destroying Hungarian democracy by controlling the media and building a network of loyal oligarchs. His closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin has worried foreign leaders.

What President Orbán calls “illiberal democracy” has stigmatized civil society organizations and suppressed LGBTQ+ rights. Supports remaining in power even if it goes against the interests of traditional Hungarian allies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin

President Trump has avoided publicly criticizing Putin and has consistently made warm comments about him.

Nigel Gould-Davies of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London said there was “clear compatibility in authoritarian orientation” between the two.

This fit is consistent with Trump’s admiration for other authoritarian leaders, some of whom were elected by formerly democratic institutions, he said, citing Orbán’s Hungary as an example. Gould-Davis said.

President Trump has vowed to end Russia’s war in Ukraine “within 24 hours,” a claim welcomed by the Kremlin, which currently controls the battlefield and about 20% of Ukraine’s territory.

The Russian government said President Trump has demanded that other members of the alliance meet agreed military spending levels and warned that Russia could “do whatever it wants” to countries that fail. Considering that there are many countries around the world, they may be hoping to sow the seeds of dysfunction in NATO.

Gould-Davis observed before the election that the Kremlin would welcome Trump’s victory because of Trump’s apparent desire to end the Ukraine war on terms favorable to Russia. Gould-Davis said Putin and other authoritarian leaders would be emboldened by Trump’s re-election, but it “means there will be less emphasis on the importance and value of human rights in U.S. foreign policy.” said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is one of India’s beloved and polarizing political leaders. Under Modi, Hindu nationalism, once a fringe ideology in India, has become mainstream, and no one has done more to promote it than the 74-year-old leader.

Some critics believe Mr. Modi’s politics have divided India, particularly along religious lines. he was accused of using hate speech He became increasingly vocal against the country’s minority Muslim community, especially in the final stages of this year’s election campaign.

To his supporters, Mr. Modi is a political outsider who has broken with the country’s history of dynastic politics. His rise was driven by promises to overhaul India’s economy, but also fueled by Hindu-first politics that resonated widely in a country where 80% of the population is Hindu. Ta.

For his critics, Mr. Modi has strained democracy and threatened India’s secular fabric, while attacks on media and free speech have increased over more than a decade in power.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Like President Trump, President Erdogan projects an image of strength that prioritizes national interests and relies on a populist message of being the defender of the common people against the elites.

Although the Biden administration has distanced itself from the Erdogan administration, President Trump and President Erdogan have built a friendly relationship. This is despite a series of differences between the two countries, such as when the Trump administration removed Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program in 2019 over Ankara’s purchase of a Russian missile defense system.

President Javier Millay of Argentina

The president of Argentina is cheeky In Trump-like style, criticizing multilateral institutions like the United Nations, a dismissive approach to diplomacyignoring talks with leaders of traditional allies Brazil and Spain.

For many observers, the most important worry in parallel included Millay’s argument that last year’s presidential election in Argentina was rigged against him. That is with him Efforts to Downplay Atrocities His reign as a bloody military dictatorship in Argentina from 1976 to 1983 has raised concerns about his influence on democracy.

Mailei posted an image of the two embracing in front of both countries’ flags on Instagram on Wednesday, congratulating Trump on his election victory.

The caption reads: “You know you can count on Argentina to get the job done.” “Now let’s make America great again.”

Analysts say the cash-strapped Trump administration, which desperately needs support from the United States, the International Monetary Fund’s biggest stakeholder, is betting on Trump’s victory. Milley’s administration is pinning its hopes on the idea that Trump could pressure the IMF to increase lending to Argentina, its biggest debtor.

The fund is considering lending Argentina more cash, which Millais’ liberal government needs to fully re-enter global markets and break free of currency restrictions. During President Trump’s first term, the IMF granted a controversial $57 billion bailout to Argentina, then led by conservative President Mauricio Macri.

Mariano Machado, principal analyst for the Americas at global risk intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft, said that while U.S. institutions and separation of powers are designed to prevent authoritarian rule, “Argentina is currently “We are returning to a point where the very elements of the system are being undermined.” I’m under pressure. ”

Prime Minister of Slovakia Roberto Fico

Although Fico is on the left, he has used similar rhetoric to Trump.

Fico even compared the assassination attempt on President Trump in July to his own injuries in a mass shooting in May.

“This is a carbon copy scenario,” Fico said. “Donald Trump’s political opponents are trying to put him in jail, and if that doesn’t work, it will enrage the public and some of the losers will take up guns.”

Like Trump, Fico despises the mainstream media and has declared war on illegal immigration. Fico faces criminal charges of organized crime, which he has accused of being politically motivated. The case was ultimately dismissed.

The Slovak leader condemned the Western approach to the Ukraine war and halted arms shipments to Kiev.

Fico, like Orbán, is known for his pro-Russian views and has said he opposes EU sanctions against Moscow and would block Ukraine’s entry into NATO.

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Susan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Isabel Debre in Buenos Aires, Kurtika Paty in New Delhi, and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed.