Donald Trump’s advisers are engaging with foreign officials at the United Nations General Assembly, where U.S. allies are curious about the implications of a potential Trump victory in the upcoming election. It remains unclear which advisers have met or plan to meet with foreign officials, as well as the topics of discussion. Trump, the former Republican president, held office from 2017 to 2021.
The campaign, in response to inquiries, did not comment on the meetings between foreign officials and Trump’s advisers. Similarly, a spokesperson for Mike Pompeo, who served as CIA director and secretary of state under Trump, did not provide any comments.
Opinion polls indicate a close race between Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, and Trump in key battleground states. Despite this, a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey shows Harris leading by 7 percentage points nationally.
One former Trump national security adviser revealed that he receives numerous meeting requests from foreign officials, particularly from central and eastern Europe. Trump has limited his interactions with foreign leaders in recent weeks, with some advisers advising him to prioritize campaign activities and avoid negative publicity.
While Trump had planned to meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda, the joint appearance was canceled by his campaign. Additionally, anticipated meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had not yet taken place.
During a rally in Pennsylvania, Trump mentioned that Zelenskyy preferred the Democrats to win the upcoming election. This statement raised concerns in Central and Eastern Europe, given Trump’s previous criticisms of U.S. aid to Ukraine. Despite this, Trump’s allies believe in his ability to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin for a potential peace agreement.
In a campaign statement, Trump referenced his past remarks about being the only one capable of resolving the conflict in Ukraine. The uncertainty surrounding Trump’s foreign policy approach continues to be a topic of interest for U.S. allies and foreign officials.
