G20 leaders vie for meetings with Trump as Biden says goodbye

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, foreign leaders are jockeying for position to build rapport with the incoming administration. Many are trying to get on Trump’s good side before he follows through on campaign pledges that could strain America’s military and economic alliances. Trump has promised to put pressure on China and Europe through tariffs and has signaled his intent to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. Foreign governments are closely monitoring Trump’s national security team appointments to understand his approach to relations with their countries and institutions like the United Nations and NATO. There is concern in Europe that Trump’s divide and conquer approach may lead to fragmentation within the European Union as nations may agree to his terms individually. European leaders are also wary of Trump’s protectionist measures and threats to bully allies into changing their behavior to benefit the U.S. Biden, who is wrapping up his final appearance at the G20 Summit, is reassuring allies that the U.S. is a stable partner, despite Trump’s impending return to the White House. However, there is a sense of unease among European leaders, as they anticipate a shift away from multilateral approaches towards a more America-first stance once Trump assumes office. It is unclear how long Trumpism will last but the incoming administration feels it has a mandate to take the U.S. economy in a different direction from the Biden administration’s policies.

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