When you look closely at visits from Netanyahu, Starmer and others to Washington, they all have one thing in common.
These leaders are terrified of their charm offensives going wrong and receiving a Trump tantrum in return.
Zelensky, who is visiting the US today, has already fallen victim to Trump’s bad side, being labelled ‘terrible’ and a ‘dictator’ in a social media outburst.
What presidents and prime ministers have been using to placate the 78-year-old instead is gifts – big sparkly gold ones.
Starmer gave Trump the most high-profile gift of all: an invitation from King Charles for an historic second state visit.
The PM also lavished presents on Trump and his family behind the scenes.
The US President received some Downing Street golf balls and a set of crystal glasses.
Melania Trump was given a Liberty scarf, a book about Chequers, the PM’s countryside retreat, and a No.10 candle.
In return, Starmer got lavish praise, with the President calling him a ‘special man’, and he got positive noises about avoiding mega Trump tarrifs.
Trump also returned the favour with a US soccer shirt with Number 10 on the back.
The PM was following the playbook of other world leaders, who stroked Trump’s ego with grand presents.
Israeli leader Netanyahu gave Trump a golden pager, in recognition of the deadly attack on Hezbollah operatives.
Alongside the pager is a plaque which reads: ‘To President Donald J. Trump, Our greatest friend and ally. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.’
Japan’s PM Shigeru Ishiba presented the US President with a intricate golden samurai helmet.
In return, Trump gave Ishiba a book with Trump’s own face all over it.
It was a picture book called Save America, featuring a cover photo of the assassination attempt against him.
Trump is now a big fan off all these statesmen who have given him a large goody bag, but other countries are still scrambling to avert a Trump temper tantrum.
Mexico is a one example, as they try to avoid a devastating wave of 25% US tariffs which Trump has been threatening since his inauguration.
In an unprecedented show of co-operation, Mexico handed over 29 cartel figures over to the US, including an FBI most wanted drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero.
Others are also queueing up to kiss the proverbial ring in order to a keep Trump happy.
Australia’s Ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, has deleted all his critical tweets about the US President on X.
Rudd says he did not want those posts to be ‘misconstrued as reflecting his positions as Ambassador’.
Rudd also knew that an insulted Trump might have levied huge tariffs against the island nation.
Leaders are seemingly aware that Trump mood swings might upset their own country back home.
The State Bank of India said in a report in January that a ‘Trump Tantrum’ could hurt the country’s currency the Rupee.
Modi quickly jetted over to Washington earlier this month and established another ‘bromance’ with Trump.
He also offered crucial cuts to India’s own tariffs in order to side step retaliatory action from the US.
Zelensky meets Trump after the US President threw his toys out the pram over US funding of the war effort.
The Ukrainian is now in Washington to return those toys to the pram and sign a deal over Ukraine’s exceptionally lucrative rare earth minerals.
The US has however reportedly dropped Trump’s demand for $500 billion in revenue from Ukrainian resources.
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