The return of Donald Trump at the White House sows panic in European stock markets which are in sharp decline, on the contrary Wall Street that grows. And it is this difference that defines the watershed of reactions between the Old and New continents.
There are, obviously, the “political” positionings, with the European right like the one represented by Orban or in Italy from League and Brothers of Italy who applaud to the republican en plein: Presidency, Congress, Senate and Supreme Court.
But everyone’s concern is linked to the specter of Trump’s neo-protectionist economic policy. The word “duties” is the most scary.
For an Old Continent in crisis, the hypothesis of greater difficulties in exports to the United States risks precipitating an economy that is already struggling and which, in some states, including Italy, will soon also lose its “gasoline” represented by Pnnr funds. The Trumpian strategy of the first mandate is worrying because the tycoon prefers to have individual states as interlocutors and not the European “moloch”. Ursula von der Leyen he knows it and his good wishes are quick.
As for Italy, it has a joker to spend Giorgia Meloni, which on the one hand has excellent relations with Elon Muskthe main economic supporter of the 47th President, and on the other he leads a party that is twinned, thanks to the European Conservatives, with the American Republicans. The other wild card is by Matteo Salvini which from the beginning he not only bet on The Donald but he never hid the fact that he was his “admirer”.
On the other hand, concerns prevail from the opposition.
“Those celebrating today will then have to take note of Trump’s protectionist policies,” he says Elly Schlein – and on the same positions they are also Calenda, Magi and Bonelli. Instead, he expressed more sincere wishes Giuseppe Conte which imagines, with Trump, a rapid conclusion to the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Elly Schlein, secretary of the Democratic Party (rainews)
Another scenario is that of the bloody war in Middle East.
Best wishes from Netanyahu they are the most enthusiastic of all. Trump’s words still resonate when he said that Israel was right to invade Gaza, even if he said “it must hurry” – an almost carte blanche to the Israeli leader against Hamas. Besides, Trump doesn’t mind at all the idea of a close Israeli friend – there were different Israeli flags the other evening at Mar-a-lago – capable of keeping at bay even Iran. It is easy to imagine that the new American administration will not insist like the previous one on respect for international law and will fail to ask for a reduction in civilian casualties.
The concerns are not of Europe but also of European and international institutions.
NATO, above all. The Atlantic Alliance, never questioned by Trump, is however seen as an institution to be reformed and financed in a different way – above all at the expense of European countries. Furthermore, some choices of the Biden presidency have often been contested by Trump. One above all the choice to finance heavily Ukraineto block the invasion of Russia. This is worrying Wolodymyr Zelensky.
Trump’s statements during the election campaign suggest a change in US foreign policy. And it is also for this reason that the signals coming from the Kremlin – although a Putin-Trump phone call is not on the agenda – are nevertheless of cautious openness. Even if there is no end to the hostilities in sight. And it will probably be like this at least until Trump takes office next January.
Xi Jinping Vladimir Putin (LaPresse)
Finally the China.
For Trump it is China and not Russia main economic “enemy”.. The one that risks bringing the American economy to its knees, thanks to its investment capabilities and the leadership role that, to all intents and purposes, it holds in the group Brics: Trump sees it as an economic force capable of countering US leadership. And therefore the announced tariff policy will undoubtedly and mainly hit China.
Beijing’s first reactions also seem to announce a perspective of non-aggression towards Trump’s new America. Between the lines, we seem to read the idea that “everyone takes care of the areas of the world in which they are leaders”, thus avoiding a direct clash. The thorny situation remains open Taiwan on which Trump will never be willing to give in.
