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POLL: Will Trump's Presidency be positive for Europe?
Wednesday, February 1, 2017 @ 1:19 PM

The 45th President of the United States is Donald J. Trump. Few commentators expected things to play out like this, and most had dismissed Trump’s chances as vanishingly small. In the event, Trump lost the popular vote by a margin of over 2%. Yet he won the White House, and now he’s moving into the oval office.

The Trump victory will have a huge impact on global politics. It will also affect us here in Europe. But will the incoming president be good for Europe? Much ink has been spilled over Trump’s bromance with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It’s also widely-known that Trump feels America’s NATO allies should be doing more to pull their weight in the world. He’s also been highly critical of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s handling of the refugee crisis, and he very much supports Brexit and is dismissive of the European Union.

What does this mean for Europe? Could Trump force Europe to close ranks, and to look to itself for security and stability? Does this mean the end of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the EU-US free trade agreement which Trump has been so critical of? Will he herald a new age of protectionism, and tit-for-tat trade wars?

Will Trump’s presidency be good for Europe? or now that the UK is leaving the EU will it be able to capitalise on Trump's Presidency? Does he have the temperament to make a great leader? Will he pursue an isolationist agenda, turning his back on foreign policy?......

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16 Comments

Grahaminspain said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 8:53 AM

Good old Donald telling it how it is. For too long we have bowed to our aggressors who are trying to interrupt our way of life. Now is the time to fight back and win our freedom. A bit of a winding but a breath of fresh air.

DJF42 said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 10:48 AM

Spot on Grahaminspain, couldn't have put it better myself.
It's about time all those who are still sulking because the vote didn't go their way realised that this is it, suck up and get positive about the future.
They have got to trade with us or they go down as well and it will not be the un-elected dictators that will decide, it will be indutry and commercial leaders.

Defier said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 11:08 AM

The man is a conceited oaf who knows nothing about politics. His ill-conceived bluster (you will note he makes outrageous statements and then revises them within a day) demonstrates that he acts before he thinks. That's just downright dangerous for everybody. Stirring up hatred is never going to lead to a successful outcome

john gerring said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 11:43 AM

Thank goodness for a breath of fresh air in the US, the vocal left wing liberals are the only ones complaining. this is what Europe needs, a lead in looking after itself.
Regarding NATO all countries should pay their share,

Cmt said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 11:45 AM

DJT "is a breath of fresh air" no he is not! Was Hitler, Stalin, Idi Amin breaths of fresh air? He is a narcistic despot in the same vain. Elected by the minorities of the rich, the disaffected, the opportunistic, the stupid and the greedy.
Fortunately his presidency will come to an end, probably, if we are lucky (and I mean really lucky!) in a whimper more than a bang.
May even be only one term, now that's something to look forward to!

Mark Alder said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 12:08 PM

Sorry for the 'not sure' but I am really unclear as to what will happen. It's not only the Trump issue, it's Brexit too. Ideally, both the EU and Britain will distance themselves, certainly politically, from the US. As far as trade is concerened, apart from Apple, Fender and Gibson guitars and the odd few poorly conceived and built motor vehicles, what other high volume products do we buy form America.

My vote would be to break the UK's 'special relationship' immediately and concentrate the best minds on bringing about a mutually beneficial Brexit. America can then fester it's way through the next four years, taking time to realise that they aren't any different from any other nation and certainly not even approaching the greatest.

What is plain to see from the US and UK vote is that people are severely disaffected but this is the fault of the respective county's politicians and their appalling decisions, not any other country or union.

Given time the people will speak but it takes bravery and conviction not wealth and self interest - until then we must fall in line with our masters wishes lest we become too troublesome.

Come the revolution...

karisy said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 12:24 PM

The fact he knows or cares little for playing politics is his biggest strength IMO. I’ve long said that governments would be better run by successful corporate businessmen rather than career politicians whose only ambition seems to be to get their nose as deep into the trough as possible, both during & after their term of office. They mostly have very privileged backgrounds & know or care little about the vast majority of ordinary folks they are supposed to represent. I would love the UK to have a successful businessman at the helm of UK PLC rather than a, lily livered, liberalist career politician. My personal verdict on Theresa May is still out but I do hope she shows some guts & won’t be bullied by the Brussels elite like our last PM. He needs to be tempered but I think his new approach will blow a chill wind through many conventional establishments including Brussels. He will play hardball for sure & will only be good for the EU if Brussels reciprocate & on their current performance, I don’t see much chance of that.

Bruce said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 1:35 PM

His protectionist policy will probably benefit America from an economic point of view only in the short term, and will be bad for Europe because he is blinkered and does not care about anybody or anything other than his own shortsighted goals.
At the end of the day, he will not be good for America, nor will he be good for the rest of the world.

Rob DJ said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 3:02 PM

@Grahaminspain " For too long we have bowed to our aggressors who are trying to interrupt our way of life" : isn't it the other way round? Look at the history of the middle east or Africa ffor the last 2 centuries, you will see that it is the playground of, at first the europeans (and UK mainly) and then the USA. Even now, there are that many countries which are independent politically (either attached to the US or the russians).

rubencito said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 5:32 PM

Will UK be USA's lap dog again?

Chaneloo7 said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 6:12 PM

Iam not a huge Trump fan. But i got to say, that he has been Brave to speak his mind. I think he is better than other ideologist american adminstration, he is more open to listen to other ideas and opinions and he is a business man, ready to negotiate. Businessmen are ready to sit , listen and speak and tell it it likemit is without sugra coating, which i personally think is better! Europe needs a patriotic leader,brave enough to be a president for his own nation and not president for others....diversity and globalism is good but there should be a balance...look at .Germany !

Grahaminspain said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 6:17 PM

Anybody who will fight terrorism (and you all know who the terrorists are) gets my vote. Sort email out don't whimper. They are a threat to my way of living. As for talking about 2 centuries ago carry on let's talk about the crusades. We know that was wrong but that was 2000 years ago. I am not racist but there is one thing threatening my life and if D. TRUMP wants to sort it then he gets my vote

Christine said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 7:24 PM

I am horrified by some of these comments. A breath of fresh air? Do you know the number of hate groups that have come forward and been empowered by his divisive rhetoric. Bannon a lead advisor founded Breitbart news an alt right publication that white supremacist endorse. The US is more divided than ever. Our new President has a cabinet full of 1% who have no experience and trying to push through their agenda no matter what. Members a of the Republican party are on tape saying one thing and suddenly it is the Emperor's New Clothes. This isn't just a your party lost get over it situation and to think that way is sheer ignorance. Do you know a majority that oppose ACA didn't even realize they benefit from it and now have buyers remorse. Do some research on Trump and then come back, he flips to win not concern of country.

karisy said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 7:48 PM

"to think that way is sheer ignorance" sounds like a career politician to me; they also think anyone that doesn't share their opinion is ignorant!

Christine said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 8:46 PM

I want to be clear that my comment about "sheer ignorance" was directed at the narrative people are just upset because the party lost, not the idea of having a difference of opinion.

karisy said:
Saturday, February 4, 2017 @ 9:50 PM

But surely the fact things didn't go the Democrat, "as planned", route & they lost is precisely why they are now upset; it's the same with Brexit!

"Members of the Republican Party are on tape saying one thing and suddenly it is the Emperor's New Clothes". - That's politics for you; in the end a win is all that matters, politicians frequently change their mind when it suits & even flip political values, it can help to keep their nose in the trough! Trump may truly be wearing “An Emperor's New Clothes” if given the chance; on the other hand he could turn out to be a naked turkey! IMO, it's too early to judge if his radically different approach will be bad or a good thing, which I personally believe it will. He is the democratically elected President but if he really does turn out to be a total disaster, there are processes in place to deal with this. In the meantime, folks should stop being in denial & giving him such a hard time, let him get on with it & see what happens!