The was more decisive than most pollsters and pundits had predicted. Now the world waits to see whether the election of Donald Trump as president will prove as destabilizing as many American allies fear.
Trump secured victory Wednesday when he needed to win. In a victory speech before the official declaration, he vowed to 鈥減ut our country first鈥� and bring about a 鈥済olden age鈥� for America.
Trump鈥檚 first term saw him insult and alienate many of the United States鈥� longstanding allies. His return to the White House, four years after losing office to President Joe Biden, has huge consequences for everything from global trade to climate change to multiple crises and conflicts around the world.
Trump has pledged to ramp up a the United States鈥� growing economic and strategic rival. In the Middle East, Trump has pledged, without saying how, to end the . He has also vowed to end the within 24 hours of taking office 鈥� something Ukraine and its supporters fear would be on terms favorable to Moscow.
Here鈥檚 how leaders and others around the world are reacting:
NATO is nervous and Ukraine is anxious
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte congratulated Trump, saying, 鈥淚 look forward to working with him again to advance peace through strength through NATO鈥� in the face of 鈥渁 growing number of challenges globally,鈥� including 鈥渢he increasing alignment of China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.鈥�
Trump was a during his first term, accusing its other members of failing to pull their weight. Earlier this year he said the United States that don鈥檛 meet defense spending targets.
Rutte emphasized the positive, praising Trump for his work persuading member states to ramp up defense spending and saying NATO was now 鈥渟tronger, larger, and more united.鈥�
America鈥檚 allies are 鈥� belatedly, some say 鈥� grappling with what to do if they cannot depend on the U.S. for their defense.
鈥淭he existential concern for Europeans has been , what happens to Europe鈥檚 security, what happens to America鈥檚 commitment to NATO?鈥� said Leslie Vinjamuri, director of the U.S. and Americas program at the think tank Chatham House. 鈥淲ill America be there for Europe?鈥�
The U.S. is by far Kyiv鈥檚 biggest military backer as it battles Russian invasion, though the Biden administration to do even more. Zelenskyy, like Rutte, said he welcomed Trump鈥檚 鈥減eace through strength鈥� approach.
鈥淭his is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer,鈥� Zelenskyy wrote on social media. 鈥淚 am hopeful that we will put it into action together. We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump鈥檚 decisive leadership.鈥�
No congratulations were forthcoming from Moscow, where President Vladimir Putin鈥檚 spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, declared that Russia-U.S. relations were at the 鈥渓owest point in history.鈥�
European congratulations mask deep divisions
European leaders rushed to congratulate Trump even before his victory was officially declared 鈥� some more effusively than others.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it a 鈥渉istoric election victory鈥� and said that 鈥渁s the closest of allies, the U.K. and U.S. will continue to work together to protect our shared values of freedom and democracy.鈥�
Like governments of U.S. allies around the world, has worked hard to forge ties with Trump and his team. Starmer had dinner with Trump at Trump Tower in September.
France鈥檚 centrist President Emmanuel Macron offered congratulations, 鈥渞espect and ambition.鈥� Social Democratic German Chancellor Olaf Scholz congratulated Trump and said he wanted continued close ties, even if 鈥渟urely many things will be different under a Donald Trump-led administration.鈥�
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, whose far right-led government is in some ways close to Trump politically, said Italy and the U.S. had a 鈥渟trategic bond, which I am sure we will now strengthen even more.鈥�
European leaders are keen to stress that the transatlantic relationship transcends individual politicians, but Trump鈥檚 protectionist economic leanings are causing concern. During his last term he slapped tariffs on European steel and aluminum, roiling the bloc鈥檚 economy.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that the EU and the U.S. 鈥渁re bound by a true partnership between our people, uniting 800 million citizens. Let us work together on a transatlantic partnership that continues to deliver for our citizens.鈥�
Europe鈥檚 populist politicians, meanwhile, welcomed the victory of a politician they consider a kindred spirit.
鈥淭hey threatened him with prison, they took his property, they wanted to kill him 鈥� and he still won,鈥� said , who will hold for some 50 European leaders on Thursday.
A Middle East in turmoil awaits Trump鈥檚 moves
During his first term, Trump pushed to remake the Middle East by reconciling Israel and Saudi Arabia, and all eyes now are on how he intervenes in the region鈥檚 raging conflicts between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon 鈥� and the chief backer of the two militant groups, .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump鈥檚 election win 鈥渉istory鈥檚 greatest comeback.鈥�
鈥淵our historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory!鈥� he wrote on social media.
Trump and 鈥� a fellow conservative nationalist 鈥� had a tight relationship during the former president鈥檚 first term, but the ties soured when Netanyahu congratulated President Joe Biden on winning in 2020.
Netanyahu鈥檚 inner circle hopes Trump will allow Israel free rein against its enemies, but the president-elect is famously unpredictable, and the Israeli leader faces strong opposition at home. On Tuesday he , a surprise announcement that sparked protests across the country.
Hamas issued a terse statement saying, 鈥淥ur position on the new U.S. administration depends on its positions and practical behavior towards our Palestinian people, their legitimate rights and their just cause.鈥�
Washington is one of the key mediators of so-far unsuccessful Gaza cease-fire talks and has publicly accused Hamas of turning down several deals. Hamas has denied this, blaming Israel for demanding last-minute changes to the proposals.
The challenge of China still looms
There was no immediate reaction from the Chinese government to Trump鈥檚 victory, but analysts were pessimistic, citing the likelihood of and an intensifying confrontation over Taiwan.
鈥淚t is not all dark, but there are more challenges than opportunities,鈥� said Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University in Beijing. 鈥淲e are clear about the challenges. As for opportunities, we are yet to see them clearly.鈥�
Long-seething in the South China Sea are a fault line in the U.S.-China rivalry in Asia and likely will remain a major foreign policy concern for the next American president.
Phillips O鈥橞rien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews, said Washington鈥檚 allies in the Indo-Pacific, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and even Australia, 鈥渃an no longer look for the U.S.A. to be a reliable partner in defense.鈥�
U.S. allies in Asia, apprehensive about China鈥檚 growing clout, clamored for Trump鈥檚 attention in congratulatory messages.
鈥淚 hope to closely cooperate with President-elect Trump to further elevate Japan-U.S. alliance and relations to even higher levels,鈥� Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters, saying he hoped to speak to the president-elect soon.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol wrote on X: 鈥淯nder your strong leadership, the future of the ROK-U.S. alliance and America will shine brighter,鈥� using the initials of South Korea鈥檚 formal name, the Republic of Korea.
Tensions between the Koreas are at their highest point in years as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has repeatedly flaunted his expanding nuclear weapons and missile programs, while providing Russia with munitions and troops to support its war in Ukraine.
