If Trump Is Victorious, Here’s How Foreign Leaders Should React
A former president of South Korea shares a book that offers five strategies for engaging with Trump.
TroibNews 
Foreign leaders, particularly those on the center-left, are preparing for the potential consequences of Donald Trump’s return to power — a resurgence of unpredictability, trade disputes, and dramatic verbal confrontations that could swiftly alter the global landscape.
However, confrontation with Trump isn’t necessarily inevitable. Take, for instance, the rapport he developed with former South Korean President Moon Jae-In, a soft-spoken advocate for human rights who famously described their relationship as having “good chemistry,” according to Trump.
Moon prioritized the peaceful denuclearization of North Korea during his presidency, working alongside Trump to attempt to reinstate ties between the U.S. and North Korea. While those negotiations ultimately faltered, they did achieve a historical milestone: Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korean leader.
This accomplishment is something that has drawn admiration from other global leaders. In Moon’s words, “Angela Merkel even asked me ‘Man, Trump and Kim Jong Un, how did you get those two tough guys to sit across each other? What’s your secret?’”
The insights into his strategies are outlined in his post-presidency book on defense and foreign relations, released earlier this year. In this book, Moon candidly critiques Trump’s America First policies, noting, “In my view, it’s not a desirable change, it’s a step back,” yet he also details how he found genuine success in engaging with Trump.
Here are five key takeaways from Moon’s reflections on navigating a relationship with Trump:
1. **Embrace the transactional nature of the relationship**
Moon recognizes Trump’s diplomatic style, noting that the former president is straightforward in asking for what he wants. However, Moon argues that this transactional geopolitics can be less complicated than dealing with those who are disingenuous. He wrote, “Some say he is rude and aggressive, but I liked him because he was honest.” Moon appreciated the clarity in their interactions, stating, “We may have had clashes on issues… but we were never offended by the other person.” He pointed out that other Western nations often exhibit similar behaviors disguised by lofty language.
2. **Take advantage of Trump’s ego**
Understanding Trump’s desire to be viewed as the best and the first, Moon approached him with flattery when seeking his support for a meeting with Kim Jong Un. He conveyed to Trump that successfully achieving peaceful denuclearization would secure him a legacy unlike any president before him, particularly in regard to receiving a Nobel Peace Prize.
3. **Don’t be afraid to play hardball**
Many leaders may feel intimidated by Trump’s bully-like reputation, but Moon emphasizes that it’s crucial to stand firm without fear of retribution. He recounted how negotiations for defense cost sharing saw no progress initially due to Trump’s excessive demands, but this did not damage their relationship. Moon realized he needed to prioritize Korea confidently, asserting, “Even among allies we’re clashing for the benefit of our own countries.” He related a story in which he skillfully countered Trump’s complaint about trade imbalances involving LG TVs, turning the conversation in his favor.
4. **Appeal to American patriotism**
Moon understood that Trump values respect, particularly towards the military. During his first official visit to the U.S. in 2017, Moon visited the National Museum of the Marine Corps, where he spoke about the Chosin Reservoir campaign in the Korean War, sharing the personal story of his mother being one of the evacuated refugees. Moon noted, “By having Korea’s new president sing praise about the Chosin Reservoir campaign… I wanted people to once again recognize the strong allyship between Korea and the U.S.” This gesture helped foster goodwill during their subsequent meeting.
5. **Hire a Wharton graduate to be on your team**
Aware of Trump’s affinity for his Wharton credentials, Moon found that having alumni on his team could be beneficial. During an early visit to the U.S., Moon’s chief of staff mentioned his Wharton background, prompting Trump to enthusiastically affirm, “Oh! Wharton, a good school!” This connection, Moon noted, helped break the ice and foster a friendlier atmosphere.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
However, confrontation with Trump isn’t necessarily inevitable. Take, for instance, the rapport he developed with former South Korean President Moon Jae-In, a soft-spoken advocate for human rights who famously described their relationship as having “good chemistry,” according to Trump.
Moon prioritized the peaceful denuclearization of North Korea during his presidency, working alongside Trump to attempt to reinstate ties between the U.S. and North Korea. While those negotiations ultimately faltered, they did achieve a historical milestone: Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korean leader.
This accomplishment is something that has drawn admiration from other global leaders. In Moon’s words, “Angela Merkel even asked me ‘Man, Trump and Kim Jong Un, how did you get those two tough guys to sit across each other? What’s your secret?’”
The insights into his strategies are outlined in his post-presidency book on defense and foreign relations, released earlier this year. In this book, Moon candidly critiques Trump’s America First policies, noting, “In my view, it’s not a desirable change, it’s a step back,” yet he also details how he found genuine success in engaging with Trump.
Here are five key takeaways from Moon’s reflections on navigating a relationship with Trump:
1. **Embrace the transactional nature of the relationship**
Moon recognizes Trump’s diplomatic style, noting that the former president is straightforward in asking for what he wants. However, Moon argues that this transactional geopolitics can be less complicated than dealing with those who are disingenuous. He wrote, “Some say he is rude and aggressive, but I liked him because he was honest.” Moon appreciated the clarity in their interactions, stating, “We may have had clashes on issues… but we were never offended by the other person.” He pointed out that other Western nations often exhibit similar behaviors disguised by lofty language.
2. **Take advantage of Trump’s ego**
Understanding Trump’s desire to be viewed as the best and the first, Moon approached him with flattery when seeking his support for a meeting with Kim Jong Un. He conveyed to Trump that successfully achieving peaceful denuclearization would secure him a legacy unlike any president before him, particularly in regard to receiving a Nobel Peace Prize.
3. **Don’t be afraid to play hardball**
Many leaders may feel intimidated by Trump’s bully-like reputation, but Moon emphasizes that it’s crucial to stand firm without fear of retribution. He recounted how negotiations for defense cost sharing saw no progress initially due to Trump’s excessive demands, but this did not damage their relationship. Moon realized he needed to prioritize Korea confidently, asserting, “Even among allies we’re clashing for the benefit of our own countries.” He related a story in which he skillfully countered Trump’s complaint about trade imbalances involving LG TVs, turning the conversation in his favor.
4. **Appeal to American patriotism**
Moon understood that Trump values respect, particularly towards the military. During his first official visit to the U.S. in 2017, Moon visited the National Museum of the Marine Corps, where he spoke about the Chosin Reservoir campaign in the Korean War, sharing the personal story of his mother being one of the evacuated refugees. Moon noted, “By having Korea’s new president sing praise about the Chosin Reservoir campaign… I wanted people to once again recognize the strong allyship between Korea and the U.S.” This gesture helped foster goodwill during their subsequent meeting.
5. **Hire a Wharton graduate to be on your team**
Aware of Trump’s affinity for his Wharton credentials, Moon found that having alumni on his team could be beneficial. During an early visit to the U.S., Moon’s chief of staff mentioned his Wharton background, prompting Trump to enthusiastically affirm, “Oh! Wharton, a good school!” This connection, Moon noted, helped break the ice and foster a friendlier atmosphere.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
