Political analyst Radu Magdin argues that the US policy toward Romania will not change following the recent presidential election in the US, but a more pragmatic approach, much closer to the transactional business style of Donald Trump will become visible.
“I would say that Romania and other NATO member states will have to reach their promised 2-percent defence spending, but nothing else in the US policy toward Romania will change, because there is no reason to change. We should not worry. One of Trump’s key promises at a global level was trying to keep corporations at home in the US. The truth is Romania has kept on waiting for US commercial investment; we cannot say we have had any huge wave of it and that such wave could return to the US. We could rather see American companies coming home from Asia, Africa and Latin America rather than from Eastern Europe”, Magdin told AGERPRES on Wednesday.
He added that Republican Donald Trump’s election was a result of both a clearer campaign message, the fact that he emoted more than Hillary Clinton, and also thank to the “help from the FBI ” when the FBI decided to reopen investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails.
“My opinion is that the turning point in Trump’s victory on the finish line had to do with the FBI announcement, which, even if later retracted, confirmed all the doubts in the voters’ minds over the things Trump would say about Mrs Clinton. I would say that the coup on the finish line was this positioning of the FBI on reopening the case regarding the investigation of Mrs Clinton’s e-mails. Besides, Trump generally emoted more and had a clearer message, whereas Mrs Clinton was more rational, coming up with arguments all the time. It is true that Trump did not always tell the truth or he told the truth less often according to the fact-checking by experts, but that did not matter, since some of his key messages resonated and helped him win in most of the states,” said Magdin
The analyst says he finds it interesting that Donald Trump managed to win over Latino voters as well, despite his positioning on Latino immigration that some see as hostile.
As far as local consequences are concerned, Magdin says there is a possibility of the US healthcare legislation being modified.
Globally, Magdin is expecting a major interest of the US Administration in climate policies as well as an intensification of trade negotiations – including the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, and the North American Free Trade Association.
About the relationship between the US and the Russian Federation, Magdin says Putin will not have a friend in Trump, as the US position on Russia will be broadly the same.
“In terms of foreign policy, I believe Trump will not be such a great pal to Russia as he may seem, given that the US nevertheless has to project the image of a super power. Even in the context of an increasingly multipolar world, the US will not afford, in its national interest, to project friendship with someone who is not a friend of international law. Besides an apparent easing of tensions following Trump’s election, I believe Mr Putin will not have a friend in the US president and it will be visible right from their first meeting that the big red lines of US politics remain the same,” concluded Magdin.
Article initially published by Agerpres.
