Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, is facing challenges in his foreign policy after losing two key allies in Serbia and Brazil. The recent elections in these countries indicate victories for leftist parties, which could negatively impact Trump's position on the international stage.
Victory of Leftist Parties in Serbia and Brazil
The election results in Serbia and Brazil are particularly concerning for Trump. In Serbia, Alexander Vučić, the resigning president who was known as a close ally of Trump, has stepped down from power following the recent elections. Meanwhile, Luiz Inácio "Lula" da Silva has regained the presidency in Brazil, which is seen as a setback for Trump, as he had hoped that the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, Flávio Bolsonaro, would win.
Political Consequences for Trump
Trump had openly supported Bolsonaro and Flávio Bolsonaro, and now with their defeat, his position in Latin America has weakened. Lawrence J. Haas, a U.S. foreign policy expert, has stated that Trump's relationship with Lula has cooled due to the defeat of Bolsonaro and corruption allegations against Flávio Bolsonaro. Additionally, Flávio Bolsonaro is under investigation for corruption and money laundering and has fled to Florida following the electoral defeat.
In Serbia, Vučić, who has been president since 2017, was elected as prime minister after this election. He had previously spoken about his alignment with Trump, and even Trump's eldest son, Donald Jr., had visited Belgrade. Meanwhile, the recent Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which is closely associated with Trump's "MAGA" movement, was supposed to be held in Belgrade, but with the recent political changes, the future of this event is uncertain.
On the other hand, Trump seems to be leaning more towards Moscow. His special envoy, Steve Biegun, recently described Putin as a "humanitarian," and Trump himself has mentioned in an interview that he connects better with Putin than with Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine.
With Vučić's loss, Trump has lost one of his few allies in Europe. Additionally, Lula's victory in Brazil means the continuation of a president whose views are misaligned with Trump's in that country. This situation could impact Trump's prospects in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.
Analysts believe that these changes in Trump's foreign policy will not affect the midterm elections, and American voters will primarily vote based on domestic and economic issues. This comes as Trump is facing the lowest approval ratings in presidential history on the eve of these elections.
