Phone Calls with Macron, Bin Salman, Starmer, Netanyahu, and Others
"Building Personal Relationships Leads to More Favorable Outcomes"
On July 27 (local time), the U.S. political media outlet Politico reported that President Donald Trump of the United States has been communicating with world leaders through his personal mobile phone rather than official diplomatic channels.
A source familiar with President Trump's phone calls said, "He is talking to far more leaders than people might think," and added, "Most of these calls are about specific issues, meaning practical business, but there are also informal and personal conversations."
According to this source and two other informants, the foreign leaders who speak with President Trump by phone include French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Politico also reported that he frequently speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
These informal phone conversations are not much different from President Trump's often spontaneous style in public settings, but sources describe them as impressive.
A source familiar with the calls between President Trump and President Macron noted that the two leaders seemed to joke when addressing each other. The source said, "It was amusing. President Trump would say, 'Emmanuellllll,' drawing out the 'L' sound, and President Macron would reply, 'Donaldddddd,' extending the 'D' sound. They went back and forth like this."
Senior officials from foreign governments stated that, because their personal relationships have improved, they have been able to adapt to President Trump's freewheeling style, which has resulted in more favorable outcomes. A European official said, "In some cases, friction has decreased and cooperation has become more active. This phenomenon stems from many leaders approaching President Trump more proactively and being more attentive to him in private."
In Canada, Senator Kevin Cramer even urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to resolve issues by calling President Trump directly.
When President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting at the White House ended in disaster in March, Prime Minister Starmer sent a message to President Trump via the WhatsApp messenger to help resolve the situation. In addition, Prime Minister Starmer revealed that in May, while watching a soccer match, he received a call from President Trump and finalized a tariff reduction agreement.
Foreign leaders have been trying to win President Trump's favor in various ways, such as playing golf with him, accompanying him with PGA players, and inviting him to state banquets. However, Politico pointed out that some leaders, well aware of President Trump's emphasis on personal relationships, have been building deeper bonds through private calls and text messages.
President Macron is one of the few leaders who openly expresses opinions contrary to President Trump. For example, when asked about President Macron's announcement on July 25 that France would recognize Palestine as a state, President Trump responded, "He is a really good person and I like him," but dismissed the remark by saying, "But that statement has no impact."
A source familiar with the calls between President Macron and President Trump said, "Because the two have been interacting for quite a long time, there is a certain level of comfort, which sometimes allows them to speak more candidly."
White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told Politico, "President Trump has established excellent relationships with foreign leaders. As a result, he has held 23 bilateral meetings in just six months, far surpassing his recent predecessors."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
