We asked Tone Kajzer, former Ambassador to the USA and Denmark, about what the election of Donald Trump means for the future of transatlantic relations. He believes that the election of the new/old President is a sign of a functioning democracy in the USA and a wake-up call for Europe.
“The election of Donald Trump means that democracy is working. It was a close race, and the American voters have decided to choose him. However, it was not only the economic issues that proved decisive, but also the security issues, which I believe prevailed. Illegal migration and other anomalies have made security worse – and people always look at security first,” he said.
Today, many people in Europe and the USA are wondering how the election of Donald Trump will affect the future of the transatlantic relationship. Some point to potential pitfalls in the relationship, others to opportunities. Former Ambassador Tone Kajzer, for example, said the following about the election: “I try to look on the positive side. Europe needs a wake-up call, a reset, a consolidation, so that it can focus on the real problems that are piling up, such as illegal migration. In our own way, we can look at the election of President Trump as a positive signal for Europe.”
The future of Western civilisation lies in cooperation
The challenges in the West are mounting. The war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, tensions in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. Kajzer pointed out that cooperation between the United States of America and the European Union will be crucial.
“I would, first and foremost, like to see some reflection being done, and then a coordination of Europe and the USA in the geopolitical field. There are many challenges, not only the war in Ukraine, which is crucial, but also the situation in the Middle East and elsewhere. We need to work together. I believe that the future of Western civilisation, which includes Slovenia, lies in cooperation between the EU and the USA, as well as with other countries that respect democracy and are part of the democratic bloc,” the former Ambassador to the USA pointed out.
Part of this reflection will certainly have to include investment by European countries in their own security. All US presidents so far have called for European NATO members to reach the agreed level of investment in their own defence systems, i.e. two per cent of GDP. In the interview, Kajzer pointed out that the level of investment is already increasing, even in countries that until recently thought it would not be necessary and that they would be able to continue their journey under the security umbrella of the USA. “But in politics, things are moving a little slower, and I believe that the current President of the USA will speed up these processes in Europe, so that we can no longer dilly-dally and will have to make decisions faster. I remain optimistic,” explained our interlocutor.
Trump’s election is an opportunity for Slovenia
In Slovenia, opinion polls before the election recorded a fairly high level of support for the new US President, higher than in most other European countries. The difference was particularly noticeable when compared to the “core countries” or the Nordic bloc. We asked Kajzer whether this sentiment is justified – in other words, is Trump’s election a positive thing for Slovenia?
“It can certainly be positive,” he said, adding that in Denmark, where he currently lives, the results were met with astonishment by many of his fellow citizens. He believes that these results are a clear consequence of too little pluralism in the media, which did not adequately present all aspects of the candidates. “If the media are very supportive, then we see that a large part of the population follows them,” Kajzer noted.
“The results in Slovenia show a great polarisation. The Slovenian mainstream media has demonised President Trump quite a lot in the past, talking about what he will do and how things will take a turn for the worse. People are consequently worried. But let us remain moderately optimistic, the outcome of the US elections could be good for Slovenia. After all, when was the last time that so many Slovenians stood on the victory stage where the US President-elect was introduced?” asked Kajzer.
Former Ambassador to the United States also recalled the very strong roots Slovenia has in the USA. After all, there are more than 400 thousand Americans living there, who feel their Slovenian roots strongly. Kajzer believes that Slovenia should do more in this area. These links, as well as economic ones, he explains, represent potential that will remain untapped if they are not nurtured. “At the end of the day, everything is in our hands,” he concluded.
Finally, we asked Mr Kajzer about the relations between China and the USA. Rivalries on the other side of the world are getting tougher. We know that China is becoming more aggressively involved in the world order, there is more and more of the so-called “wolf warrior” diplomacy, and we wondered if we can expect continued friction in the future.
“Definitely. President Trump has made it clear in his first term already that he will not tolerate exploitation, hidden subsidies and the creation of privileged positions for Chinese producers. I expect a more coherent policy on international trade. It would be very good if Europe and the United States could find common ground in this area. After all, we now have a platform, the EU-US Trade and Technology Council, where many of these (potentially) problematic issues can be resolved at a technical level before they reach the political level,” explained Kajzer.
He added that he sees Trump as a practical man “who looks at the numbers at the end of the day. And it’s always good to look at the numbers before making a hasty decision.”
Ž. K.
