How world leaders are reacting to Trump’s election win

Donald Trump’s victory is headline news across the world. The president-elect and his team are vowing to dramatically change U.S. foreign policy. Nick Schifrin reports on the international reaction to the election.
Amna Nawaz:
Donald Trump’s victory is Headline News across the world.
The president-elect and his team are vowing to dramatically change U.S. foreign policy.
Nick Schifrin’s here now. He’s been tracking international reaction to the election.
Good to see you, Nick.
Nick Schifrin:
Thanks, Amna.
Amna Nawaz:
We knew the world would be watching, so let’s start in Europe. What’s been the reaction there, and what could be the impact on Ukraine?
Nick Schifrin:
European officials in public put a brave face, but multiple European officials to me admitted today that they feared Trump will treat them as an economic foe, will undermine NATO, and will abandon Ukraine.
Trump has promised to end the war in Ukraine before inauguration, actually, and he’s given no details. But the vice president-elect has suggested that the plan could be Russia keeps territory occupied, create a demilitarized zone, and Ukraine gives up on its NATO aspirations. That is a nonstarter, of course, for Ukraine.
But President Trump will have enormous leverage over Ukraine. The U.S. by far is the largest military donor to Ukraine, and U.S. officials are telling Europe, essentially, today, hey, look, this is going to be your problem. You have to help Ukraine.
But there is no replacement for U.S. weapons on the battlefield, and Ukraine will really struggle without them. Now, in public, as I said, everybody’s saying nice things. Zelenskyy spoke to President Trump and said — quote — “congratulated him on his historic landslide victory. His tremendous campaign made this result possible.”
French President Emmanuel Macron X wrote: “Congratulations, President Donald Trump. Ready to work together as we did for four years with your convictions and mine, with respect and ambition for more peace and prosperity.”
But, Amna, as I said, the European concern goes beyond Ukraine. Trump has said he will not defend members of NATO that do not spend 2 percent of GDP on defense. And Trump has also vowed to put tariffs on European goods, and analysts say that Europe will actually reply to those tariffs and start a trade war.
Amna Nawaz:
Take us over to the Middle East now. You have been reporting on the conflicts there. What’s been the response in the Middle East?
Nick Schifrin:
Arab and Israeli officials tell me they’re actually optimistic, although they acknowledge that Trump is unpredictable.
There were no buts, however. In Netanyahu’s statement earlier today, he said — quote — “Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback. Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America.”
Now, like Ukraine, Trump has promised to end the war in Gaza before inauguration, even though he’s actually been publicly critical of the — quote — “very bad picture” of the destruction that Israel has caused. The Biden administration, as you know, Amna, has been working on a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, but both sides so far have been unwilling to do that.
But, today, an Israeli official told me this, that Benjamin Netanyahu knows that Trump wants to win the Nobel Prize, and that Netanyahu will try to help Trump win that by offering a — quote — “gesture” to Trump on Inauguration Day.
Now, what could that mean? If they try and do some kind of cease-fire in Gaza, or perhaps a little easier, a cease-fire in Lebanon, where, by the way, Trump’s son-in-law is from, U.S. officials tell me that the Biden administration has largely completed a cease-fire text from Lebanon, but Israel hasn’t agreed.
So there is a scenario, in fact, where all of the work that the Biden administration has done to try and get, at the very least, a cease-fire in Lebanon could actually be executed under a Trump administration.
Amna Nawaz:
So there’s willingness there of Arab and Israeli leaders to work with a president-elect Trump. Where does that trust come from?
Nick Schifrin:
It comes from their experience in the first Trump administration. They were very close to Israeli officials, very close to Saudi Arabia especially, and they were more focused on normalization deals than on Israeli and Palestinian peace.
For Israel, you will remember, Trump gave Netanyahu almost everything he wanted. Of course, Trump moved the embassy, the U.S. Embassy, from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. You see the exterior of the embassy there. Trump’s first foreign policy trip was to Riyadh, and he highlighted, including in that event right there, Saudi Arabia’s role across the region.
And he was very close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. You see, MBS, as he’s known, in the Oval Office. Now, a regional official tells me that Saudi Arabia is ready to normalize with Israel today, but Israel must agree to a day-after a plan in Gaza, announce intention to create a Palestinian state.
So far, those are steps Netanyahu has refused. In the meantime, of course, Amna, the war in Gaza, the war in Lebanon continues. We had a producer, Shams Odeh, out in Gaza, talking to Gazans about Trump today. Some were very skeptical, but at least one was optimistic.
Nayf Abu Muter, Displaced Gazan (through interpreter):
Trump could change things since he has different politics than Biden. He could end the war, and it could be to make himself look better, not because he likes us or wants to support us.
Nick Schifrin:
But cease-fires in the Middle East, Amna, are easier said than done.
Amna Nawaz:
Nick Schifrin, thank you very much.
Nick Schifrin:
Thank you.