Global Strongmen Eye Closer US Ties From Trump Win

Donald Trump’s return to the presidency signals a potential shift in U.S. foreign policy away from its traditional approach of engaging with liberal democracies and international organizations including the United Nations, IMF and World Trade Organization. Instead of taking this internationalist road, with Trump’s election victory, America could find itself aligning more closely with populist and authoritarian leaders worldwide.
As Trump reclaims the White House, leaders including Hungary’s Viktor Orban, India’s Narendra Modi, and Argentina’s Javier Milei see opportunities to strengthen their positions and push agendas that diverge from traditional democratic norms.
This anticipated realignment could recalibrate America’s relationships with authoritarian-leaning allies and adversaries alike, as Trump’s second term may place less emphasis on human rights and democratic values, instead prioritizing transactional alliances and nationalist interests.
Here are the leaders who might stand to benefit most from Trump’s new diplomacy:
Trump has avoided publicly criticizing Putin and has consistently spoken warmly about him.
“There is clearly that sort of authoritarian-minded chemistry,” between them, said Nigel Gould-Davies of the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London.
That chemistry aligns with Trump’s admiration for other authoritarian leaders, some of whom were elected by systems that were once democratic, Gould-Davies said.
Trump has claimed that he will bring an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine “within 24 hours,” an assertion welcomed by the Kremlin, which currently holds an advantage on the battlefield and roughly 20 percent of Ukrainian territory.
Moscow may hope that Trump will sow dysfunction in NATO given Trump’s demands that other members of the alliance meet agreed military spending levels, and his warnings that Russia could “do whatever the hell they want” to those who fail.
Gould-Davies observed before the election that the Kremlin would welcome Trump’s victory because of his apparent desire for the war in Ukraine to end on terms favorable to Russia.
Modi is both widely admired and deeply polarizing within his country. Under Modi’s leadership, Hindu nationalism—a movement once on the fringes of Indian politics—has moved to the forefront, with the 74-year-old leader as its primary advocate. While some argue that Modi’s policies have united India under a common identity, others believe his approach has intensified divisions, particularly along religious lines.
Modi has faced criticism for his rhetoric, especially toward India’s Muslim minority, with accusations of hate speech surfacing during the final phase of this year’s election campaign. To his supporters, however, Modi is a political outsider who disrupted the country’s dynastic political traditions and has championed Hindu-first policies that resonate in a nation where 80 percent of the population identifies as Hindu. His appeal also lies in his promises to revitalize India’s economy.
Critics, on the other hand, argue that Modi has undermined democracy and India’s secular fabric. They point to an increased suppression of media freedom and free speech, concerns that have only grown throughout his decade-long tenure.
Just days before the U.S. election, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban made a bold prediction on state radio: “Donald Trump will be president again, and that means by the end of the year, pro-peace political forces will be in the majority in the West.”
Orban, a controversial figure within the European Union, faces accusations of eroding Hungary’s democracy by controlling media outlets and cultivating a network of supportive oligarchs.
His close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has also raised concerns among Western leaders.
Orban’s vision of “illiberal democracy” involves restricting civil society organizations and LGBTQ+ rights, favoring a firm grip on power even at the expense of traditional alliances.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei, known for his brash, Trump-like style, has taken a confrontational stance toward multilateral institutions including the United Nations and has shown disdain for traditional diplomatic protocols, even avoiding meetings with leaders of long-standing allies including Brazil and Spain.
For many, the most troubling similarity between Milei and Trump lies in Milei’s claims that last year’s Argentine presidential election was rigged against him, coupled with his efforts to downplay the brutal military dictatorship that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983, raising alarm about his potential affect on democracy.
Following Trump’s election victory, Milei posted a congratulatory message on Instagram, sharing a photo of the two leaders embracing against a backdrop of their national flags. “You know you can count on Argentina to carry out your task,” Milei’s caption read, followed by, “Now, Make America Great Again.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press