Absent Reciprocity: How Do Thinkers and Leaders View Trump's Political Behavior?

The American political thinker Francis Fukuyama summarized the leadership crisis in Washington by describing Trump as a 'president of chance' who lacks the ability to grasp the fundamental rules of international politics. Fukuyama believes that global stability cannot be achieved without a minimum level of mutual trust, a trust conditioned by reciprocity, which Trump failed to practice throughout his terms.

Fukuyama's criticisms went beyond administrative decisions to include the randomness and reckless adventures that characterized American policy, leading to a destabilization of global trust in the United States. This was not limited to external allies but extended to Americans themselves losing trust in their institutions and their ability to predict the course of their White House's decisions.

Trump's media strategy relies on principles he derived from a former mob lawyer, centered on filling the arena with noise and using platforms as a weapon for constant attack. This 'media hype' was accompanied by a barrage of claims that reputable journalistic sources raced against time to refute with numbers and facts as soon as they were issued, to counter the misleading impressions Trump tried to establish.

Recently, signs of a European rebellion against the 'appeasement' policy previously adopted by leaders to avoid direct clashes with the American administration have emerged. French President Emmanuel Macron was the first to inaugurate the phase of reciprocity, refusing to descend to the level of personal comments, and emphasizing that seriousness in politics requires refraining from making contradictory statements daily.

Macron stressed that major international institutions like NATO derive their value from mutual trust and silent work, not by turning them into material for daily chatter. He considered that excessive talk empties international treaties of their essence, advising Trump on the necessity of often remaining silent to preserve the dignity of the office and international commitments.

In a related context, the White House witnessed a quiet diplomatic confrontation when Trump tried to mock Keir Starmer, with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin defending the seriousness of European leaders. Sources indicated that leaders in Europe have begun to teach the American administration lessons in political sobriety, in response to attempts at belittling and sarcasm that even targeted global religious and sovereign figures.

Reciprocity is a virtue Trump never understood or practiced.