The News
World leaders began congratulating Donald Trump on Wednesday after he declared victory in the US presidential election.
In this article:
The View from Europe
France
French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated “President Donald Trump,” saying he was ready to work together with “respect and ambition” like “we managed to do for four years.” In a post on X, Macron said Trump and Macron’s relationship would take account of “your convictions and mine.”
Germany
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz congratulated Trump, writing on X: “Germany and the USA have been working together successfully for a long time to promote prosperity and freedom on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock said in comments to the media that “Europeans will now have to assume even more responsibility for security policy,” AFP reported.
Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Trump on his “impressive victory,” saying he appreciated his “peace through strength” approach to global affairs. “This is exactly the principle that practically brings just peace in Ukraine closer. I am hopeful we can put it into action together,” he wrote on X.
Hungary
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a longtime ally of Trump, wrote on social media: “Good morning, Hungary! On the road to a beautiful victory,” alongside a photo of him watching CNN’s election coverage on television.
UK
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer congratulated “President-elect” Trump, saying the “special relationship” between the UK and US would “continue to prosper” on issues including security and technology. “As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defense of our shared values of freedom, enterprise, and entrepreneurship,” read the statement.
Spain
Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, wrote his congratulations to Trump on X, saying the two countries “will work on our strategic bilateral relations and on a strong transatlantic partnership.”
Italy
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni congratulated Trump on X, saying: “Italy and the United States are ‘sister’ nations, liked by an unshakeable alliance, common values, and a historic friendship. It is a strategic bond, which I am sure we will now strengthen even further.”
The Netherlands
The Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders congratulated Trump, in all caps, on X: “CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT TRUMP! CONGRATULATIONS AMERICA!” He added: “NEVER STOP, ALWAYS KEEP FIGHTING AND WIN ELECTIONS!” with a series of emojis of a muscular arm and the US flag.
Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Trump on X and hailed the beginning of a “new period.” He said: “I hope that Turkey-US relations will strengthen, that regional and global crises and wars, especially the Palestinian issue and the Russia-Ukraine war, will come to an end; I believe that more efforts will be made for a more just world,” he wrote. He also described the US as “our friendly and allied people.”
The European Union
European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Trump on X, and urged the two bodies to work together “on a strong transatlantic agenda that keeps delivering for them.” She wrote: “The EU and the US are more than just allies. We are bound by a true partnership between our people, uniting 800 million citizens.”
The View From Russia
A Kremlin spokesperson said Vladimir Putin does not plan to congratulate Trump, since the US is an “unfriendly country,” and that the next US president would be judged on “concrete steps and concrete words.”
Meanwhile, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev suggested that a Trump win would likely be bad for Ukraine, but that it was unclear how much he would be able to cut aid to Kyiv. “As a businessman to the core, [Trump] mortally dislikes spending money on various hangers-on and stupid hangers-on allies, on bad charity projects and on voracious international organizations,” Medvedev posted on Telegram. “The question is how much Trump will be forced to give to the war. He’s stubborn, but the system is stronger.”
The View From China
China congratulated Trump on winning the election. “We respect the choice of the American people,” Beijing’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Earlier, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said she hoped for “peaceful coexistence” with the US. “We will continue to approach and handle China-US relations based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation,” she told a regular briefing. “Our policy toward the United States has always been consistent.”
The View From The Middle East
Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump “on history’s greatest comeback.” “Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America,” he wrote on X. “This is a huge victory!”
Qatar
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, leader of Qatar, which has been a chief mediator for a ceasefire deal in Gaza, said he looked forward to “working together again… in promoting security and stability both in the region and globally,” AFP reported.
Egypt
Egypt’s leader Abdel Fattah el-Sisi also congratulated Trump, saying that he hopes for peace and stability, according to AFP.
Jordan
Jordan’s King Abdullah II said he was looking forward to working with Trump again and bolstering the two countries’ partnership “in the service of regional and global peace and stability for all.”
Saudi Arabia
King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Trump on his victory.
The View From NATO
NATO chief Mark Rutte congratulated Trump, saying his leadership would keep the defense alliance “strong.” He added: “I look forward to working with him again to advance peace through strength through NATO.”
The View from Asia
India
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X: “Heartiest congratulations my friend... on your historic election victory.” He added: “As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration.”
South Korea
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol congratulated Trump, saying the future of the US-South Korea alliance would “shine brighter” under his “strong leadership.”
The View From Latin America
Brazil
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva congratulated Trump on X, saying that “democracy is the voice of the people and must always be respected.”
Meanwhile, the country’s former President Jair Bolsonaro, whose supporters stormed the Brazilian Congress after he lost reelection in 2022 — in what many saw as an echo of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol — said that Trump’s victory would empower right-wing and conservative movements across the world. “May Trump’s victory inspire Brazil to follow the same path,” he wrote on X.
Argentina
Argentina’s President Javier Milei, who was elected in 2023 after running a campaign that some say was inspired by Trump, congratulated him for a victory he described as “formidable.” Milei wrote on X: “Now, Make America Great Again. You know that You can count on Argentina to carry out your task.”
Mexico
Mexico’s newly elected President Claudia Sheinbaum was perhaps an outlier, saying she would wait to issue an official statement about Trump’s victory until all the votes had been counted. “There is no reason to worry” about US-Mexico ties, she said, defending Mexico’s recent efforts to reduce the influx of migrants at the border between the two countries.