The Biden administration is annoyed by the fact that Donald Trump, former president of the United States, has had some serious meetings with national leaders. As is usual during presidential campaigns, these meetings are not unusual. However, Donald Trump has his way of doing it.
In less than two months, Trump hosted Polish President Andrzej Duda, Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban, and former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso. He also hosted David Cameron, the British former prime minister, who is now the U.K. foreign secretary. He has also spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, among others, by telephone.
It’s common for a party candidate to meet with foreign leaders — usually overseas, and with those below the rank of president or premier. Trump has made it a point to bring these dignitaries into his home — Mar-a-Lago in some cases, Trump Tower in others — and to treat them to the trappings that come with a state visit. Three people who are familiar with the situation say that this particular issue has irked some Biden aides.
This is an important distinction. Trump loves to host meetings at his Mar-a-Lago property, including high-profile events. It’s not surprising; as an ex-President, Trump still has a Secret Service team and they prefer to keep him in an environment where he can control who enters and leaves.
It also has a psychological component. It’s all about optics. These leaders are not coming to Trump but rather the other way around. While Trump may not have power, he certainly has influence.
The message is also a strong one from the Trump campaign. Trump has been hammering this theme hard, “We’re still not done.”
I believe that the biggest factor in this is the fact that leaders and nations around the world are just as capable of analyzing polls to determine who will sit at the Resolute Desk come January 2025. Some of them don’t seem to be too enthusiastic about it, but they do understand that they won’t have a say.
When foreign leaders don’t contact the former president, they work through unofficial and official channels to set up their meetings. A diplomat from the country said that at least six people had offered to be a liaisons after Trump met with a top U.S. ally recently.
This is exactly what an incoming president would do. This is not surprising; it is not uncommon for presidential candidates, including Trump, to meet with foreign leaders. It is also notable that Trump already served one term as president, and that the odds of him winning the election in November are very good.
It is easy to see why these foreign leaders want to lay the groundwork. By the way, they can also see the President’s continued physical and mental decline and Joe Biden won’t last long. They’ll have to deal with a new American president in no time.
What is the most likely successor? Donald Trump.
