In the lead-up to the 2024 election, members of the leftist media and their Democratic friends backing Vice President Kamala Harris repeatedly claimed Donald Trump couldn’t be president again because world leaders don’t respect him.
And yet, within moments of his historic victory on November 5, leaders from across the globe jumped to issue their congratulations on social media, with phone calls and official statements.
Wasting no time getting down to business, Trump started issuing tariff threats against a number of countries, including neighboring Canada.
"On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders," Trump said on Truth Social.
The remarks prompted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to hop on a plane from Ottawa to Mar-a-Lago for a meeting, knowing tariffs would crush his economy if he couldn’t make a deal.
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"It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There's no question about it,” Trudeau said about the trip.
He left the meeting with a suggestion from Trump that if he couldn’t keep his end of the deal, Canada could become the 51st state.
“Before nibbling on crab cocktail and slurping down oysters, the issues of tariffs, border security and trade deficits were front and center. According to two people at the table who heard the discussion, Trump, while cordial and welcoming, was very direct when it came to what he wants from his counterpart to the North,” Fox News reported about the details of the meeting. “Paraphrasing the discussion, Trump told Trudeau that Canada has failed the U.S. border by allowing large amounts of drugs and people across the border, including illegal immigrants from over 70 different countries. Sources say Trump became more animated when it came to the U.S. trade deficit with Canada, which he estimated to be more than $100 billion.”
During his recent trip to France for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, dozens of diplomats, officials and heads of state clamored to shake Trump's hand. They also hoped to be caught in press photos in his proximity.
"The president-elect is in Paris on Saturday not as a punchline but as a guest of honor for the reopening of Notre Dame," the Washington Post reported.
"Social media users were quick to point out the pomp and circumstance – including a red carpet – that was rolled out for Trump in a way typically reserved for a sitting president," Yahoo News added about the grand event.
The private sector is also paying attention.
Days after the Trudeau meeting, Japan’s Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son also made his way to the White House and vowed to bring 100,000 new jobs to the U.S. with a $100 billion investment.
“My promise is $100 billion, but he's asking to do more! He’s a great negotiator,” Masayoshi said during a live press conference, during which Trump urged him to double the deal. “I would really like to celebrate the great victory of President Trump. And my confidence level in the economy of the United States has tremendously increased with his victory.”
"President Trump is a double-down president," Son continued. "I'm going to have to double down."
All of this and Trump isn’t officially president yet. He is respected on the world stage by both friends and foes. More importantly, he demands foreign leaders respect the hard work and dollars of the American people.
