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As news of a Donald Trump’s presidential victory circulated, world leaders gave their obligatory congratulations to the billionaire reality star now president-elect. Many from the right wing praised the victory as a template for the future, leaving many guessing how U.S. foreign relations would change under Trump.
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Europe’s Far-Right
France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen was one of the first to congratulate Trump and “the free American people” for the result. Le Pen’s National Front party has been gathering support on an anti-immigration and anti-EU platform and is looking to claim a similar victory in next year’s presidential elections.
“Today the United States, tomorrow France,” tweeted her father and party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen. "Their world is crumbling. Ours is building," said National Front deputy leader Florian Philippot
Hungary’s far-right anti-immigration Prime Minister Viktor Orban – often referred to as the “Viktator” – praised the news via Facebook, claiming that “democracy is still alive.”
“A historic victory! A revolution! We too will give our country back to the Dutch!,” tweeted Dutch anti-Islamic politician Geert Wilders who even used the hashtag #makethenetherlandsgreatagain.
“Bit by bit, the political left and the out-of-touch and corrupt establishment is being punished by voters and driven from the seats of power. That’s a good thing, because the law comes from the people,” said Heinz-Christian Strache, leader of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party.
“This election result is encouraging for Germany and for Europe, because Trump really has the cards for political sea-change in his hand,” said Frauke Petry from the hard-right Alternative for Germany party.
“Like Americans, citizens of Germany must have the courage to put a tick in the ballot box and not remain resigned at home. Their own opinion counts, even if political correctness would appear to have elevated the decreed consensus to the level of a new doctrine,” she explained.
“The world won’t end, but things will get more crazy,” tweeted German Justice Minister Heiko Maas who asked if Trump would keep U.S. commitments to NATO, who on the campaign trail said that the organization was “obsolete” and that the U.S. would only assist NATO nations if they had “fulfilled their obligations to us.”
Meanwhile, Chancellor Angela Merkel said that while Trump’s win had “confrontations that were difficult to bear,” Germany had an important relationship with the U.S that would continue, and that she would offer Trump “a close working relationship.”
Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that “Russia is ready and wants to restore the fully-fledged relations with the U.S.” Putin added that while “the way to that will be difficult” Russia is ready to do its part as improved relations would be mutually beneficial.
Tensions between the two world powers have been escalating as of late. Both have continually accused each other of interfering with peace efforts in Syria, and in September the U.S. State Department announced that it had suspended bilateral relations with Russia over Syria.
Putin aide Sergei Glazyev said that Trump would lift Russian sanctions and “for the first time in the world’s history there is a chance to move to a new global economic order without waging a world war."
"I believe Trump is a practical man, he will lift sanctions on Russia that are harmful to the US business, too. As a result, the trade turnover, financial and economic relations between Russia and the US, as well as the West in general, will be restored and start growing depending on economic situation only," said Glazyev, according to Russian news agency TASS.
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Rodrigo Duterte, who has often been referred to as the Philippines’ version of Trump for his for his maverick and outspoken approach gave his “warm congratulations” to the president-elect.
Since coming to power, Duterte has begun to move his country’s foreign policy away from its former colonizer towards China and had denounced U.S. imperialism in the region.
While his relations with the Obama administration have recently soured, a Trump presidency has many guessing if Duterte will warm again to the U.S.
Duterte reportedly "looks forward to working with the incoming administration for enhanced Philippines-U.S. relations anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit and shared commitment to democratic ideals and the rule of law," said a statement from the Philippines' presidential communications secretary.
Israel and Palestine
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “Trump is a true friend of Israel” adding that “I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability and peace in our region,” via Twitter.
Unsurprisingly, Palestine was more was hesitant about news of Trump’s victory, with a spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas saying “we will deal with any president elected by the American people on the principle of achieving permanent peace in the Middle East based on the two-state solution on the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital”
Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Organization Saeb Erekat said that while all U.S. administrations have made the two-state solution a priority, he hoped that the new administration “will change talk about the two-state solution to achieving this principle on the ground because security, peace and stability in the region will come only after defeating the Israeli occupation”
During his campaign, Trump said that if elected he would solve the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine saying it would be “probably the toughest deal of all but I’m going to give it a shot.”
Britain
British Prime Minister Theresa May congratulated Trump, adding that the two countries' traditionally close relationship would continue.
Nigel Farage, who was at the head campaigning for the equally staggering Brexit vote in June, congratulated Trump saying that he was handing over “the mantle” to the president-elect. The UKIP leader, who endorsed Trump’s campaign, said that his win was bigger than the Brexit vote.
At the time of the vote, Trump hailed the split from the European Union as a sign that Britain had taken their country back.
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