Trump’s Inauguration: The World Reacts
The Lookout Report brings you the complete picture of how the world reacted to Donald Trump's inauguration.
In line with our mission to enrich your analysis of world politics, the Lookout Report’s editors and reporters have been trawling through newspapers worldwide, compiling the overview of how each continent reacted to President Donald J. Trump’s inauguration yesterday. Some countries are concerned, some relish in what they view as new opportunities, while oters reluctantly prepare for the worst.
Africa - Josh Schlicht, Reporter and Co-Founder, Washington D.C.
Headlines in Africa on January 20th, 2025
In Trump’s inaugural address, Africa went unmentioned, and, is likely far down the list of priorities for Trump at the moment.
While Trump did not acknowledge Africa today, Africa certainly acknowledged him.
Nigeria’s main news outlets did not perceive the President’s inauguration speech in a particularly positive light. The Vanguard responded to the speech by drawing focus on the 47th Presidents’s past criminal convictions and his porn star hush money payment. The new American leaders’ “Golden Era” speech was not lauded by other Nigerian outlets either, such as The Nation or the Guardian Nigeria who covered the proceedings with a distinctly dry, matter-of-fact tone.
In South Africa, where the ANC continues to reign over the post-apartheid state, Trump’s inauguration received a critical response from ANC-sympathetic papers. The ANC, and South Africa in general, share an especially anti-colonial disposition amongst African states and have attached significant value to international organizations such as the UN and ICJ – in which they sued Israel on claims of genocide – and are thus unlikely to appreciate Trump or his consistent bashing of said institutions.
South Africa’s Times Live covered that President Cyril Ramaphosa would not be attending the American President’s inauguration - a tradition at this point. 2025’s inauguration also departed from the typical, in that several heads of state – Argentina’s Milei, Italy’s Meloni, and China’s Vice President Han Zheng were invited and attended. With such a select grouping invited however, it is unlikely that Ramaphosa will take the lack of invitation as a slight. He is expected to meet with Trump in November for the G-20 Summit in Johannesburg.
An ANC critical paper, the Daily Maverick, highlighted Trump’s important contribution to achieving the Hamas / Israel ceasefire. However, author J. Brooks Spector said the new president’s speech “careened down a dangerous highway at a high speed, without restraints”. In reference to Trump’s more radical proposals, ie. mass deportations, seizing overseas territory, and sending astronauts to Mars. Despite the overall skeptical coverage, The Daily Maverick’s highlighting of Trump’s peacemaker role in the Middle East could win him fans in South Africa and across the continent. In today’s speech he touted that his presidency will be one of the “peacemaker”. If Trump is inclined, perhaps he could help settle some of Africa’s horrific ongoing conflicts in Sudan, the DRC, and in the Sahel among others.
In Kenya’s Nation newspaper, Trump’s speech was covered in a fairly balanced manner. However, one article did point out that Trump’s vow to end birthright citizenship would conflict with the Constitution and that the President’s January 6th antics and invoking of a riot cast a shadow on today’s event.
The overall consensus among selected African papers seems to be one of light skepticism and detachment. There is little emotional pull as offered by European papers who feel that Trump has a major stake in their continent’s future. The American President certainly has a role in Africa, and could change things for better or for worse, but is far from a kingmaker.
Trump’s projected maneuvers to cut back foreign aid, to reduce US military presence abroad, to undermine climate treaties, to raise tariffs, and to deport undocumented immigrants will leave several challenges for African leaders to contend with. The gap left by America may provide space for African governments to emerge with greater responsibility, or perhaps it will push the continent further into the embrace of Putin and Xi.
East Asia, Felipe Branner, Editor-in-Chief, Rome
Headlines in East Asia on January 20th, 2025
In China, the suprising attendance of Chinese Vice President Han Zheng at Trump’s inauguration, and Zheng’s post-inauguration meeting with US Vice President JD Vance, has served to instill some optimism in the Chinese newspapers that a diplomatic solution to the troubled US-China relationsship is still possible. Global Times, which is regarded by many as the official voice of the CCP on foreign policy, highlighted how Trump has expressed desire to visit China in his first 100 days, and underscored how China-US cooperation can be possible as long as the two parties show mutual respect, strive for peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. The journal concedes that the relationship between the US and China is still at best cold, but calls this version of Donald Trump more “sophisticated” and mentions the limited possibility to exert pressure on Trump from “aggressive” Democrats, as a new positive development in US-China relations. The People’s Daily also highlights a fruitful call between Xi Jingping and Donald Trump, writing that the two leaders reached many an important consensus in different areas. Paradoxically, or atleast contrary to how many typically describe Trump, The People’s Daily seems to perceive Trump as a new driver of stability in the relationship, or atleast describes the transition of power as a potential for a “reset” in relations.
In South Korea, the inauguration of Trump is described by newspapers as both a crisis and an opportunity. This can be seen in an editorial, by major South Korean newspaper, Chosun, where on one hand, the editorial raises concerns about what a potential US military decoupling from South Korea could have for the country’s safety, especially in a time of leadership crisis. Nonetheless, on the other hand Chosun also remarks that Trump’s appeared openness to South Korea acquiring Nuclear weapons could be a step forward in reaching military independence for the country. While expressing worries about tariffs, the journal also argues that if Trump chooses to decouple economically from China, Korean manufacturing will be needed to supply the US with imports, presenting a huge opportunity for South Korean business. The Korea Times, repeats Choson’s worries about tariffs, and expresses doubt that we’ll see a new Trump-Kim bromance this time around, as the Kim Jong Un of today is a stronger and more assertive international player.
In Japan the reactions have been moderate. Nonetheless, in line with the Japanese experience of the last Trump presidency (when Trump sporadically withdrew the US from the new US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership, leaving Japan to pick up the scraps), major Japanese newspaper Nikkei, leads with an editorial saying that “We don't need a Trump "dynasty" - we need order”. The Yomiuri Shimbun focuses on the raw data, and features a poll showing that 72% of respondents said they feel uneasy about Trump’s America First policy, and raises doubts about the outlook of PM Ishida’s potential for building a relationship of trust with Trump, with 66% of respondents answering they saw it highly unlikely such a relationship could be built. Japan Today reiterates the need for Japan to be a leading player in securing stability in the region through arrangements like the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD). Japan Times foresees increasing US demands for Japan to ramp up its defense spending, and to cough up more cash for US protection, calling the election of Trump a “perfect storm” for the US-Japan relationship.
South Asia, Gabriel Lane, Reporter, London
Headlines in South Asia on January 20th, 2025
Headed to the South Asian giant of India, the Indian press reacted to Donald Trump’s return with a measure of concern and hope. “Ties will go through their share of challenges… [but] shared anxiety about China will continue to be the glue that brings Delhi and Washington together” assessed the Hindustan Times. On the whole, Indian commentators view the new president as “more powerful than ever before” with their focus centred around what the new administration’s approach could mean for the bilateral relationship as well as the Indian diaspora in the United States. The popular newspaper Dainik Bhaskar for instance notes that if Trump decides to raise tariffs against Beijing, New Delhi could be a beneficiary given their role in the global supply chain and as a member of the QUAD. This sense of opportunity was echoed by The Hindustan Times which argues that under Trump, India will have “many friends across departments in the administration on day-to-day functional issues”, feel politically and ideologically more “comfortable and aligned” (particularly given Trump and Modi’s supposedly good relationship) and maintain a “degree of trust” on security and intelligence issues.
The Indian press is less thrilled however about the implications of the new administration’s domestic policy with concerns over the continuation of the H1B visa programme (of which Indian’s is the number one recipient) aired by numerous outlets (despite Dainik Bhaskar’s insistence that “the US tech sector is dependent on Indian talent and Musk and Ramaswamy are in favour of India”). Questions are also raised about Trump’s promise to deport millions of illegal immigrants with Indians, according to Dainik Bhaskar, being the third largest group threatened by this potential future policy.
Ultimately recognising the transactional nature of Trump’s foreign policy outlook, a number of popular outlets conclude that the scale and depth of bilateral ties as well as America’s strategic commitment to the Indo-Pacific “will hinge on India’s ability to offer a robust case of what it brings to the table and Delhi’s utility for Washington”. With this in mind, The Hindustan Times argues that India’s approach will require “imagination and flexibility” as well as being able to articulate to the new administration why “made in India and made in America do not clash”.
Amongst the Indonesian press, there is very little discussion of the implications of the new Trump administration upon the country with many of the main newspapers like Suara Merdeka and Kompas instead solely focusing on the schedule and ceremonial aspects of the inauguration. The few articles that did analyze what Trump’s return to The White House means for Indonesia generally focused on economic ties between the two countries with The Jakarta Post arguing that the new administration’s ‘America First’ rhetoric and “quid pro quo approach” to trade could impact the Indonesian government’s efforts to agree on a free trade agreement with Washington. The success of this effort to pursue an FTA with the US, The Jakarta Post assesses, is dependent on “what Indonesia brings to the table” again highlighting the impact of Trump’s transactional approach to foreign relations. This dearth of media coverage perhaps reflects the view amongst Southeast Asian states that the new administration is not prioritising engagement with countries in the region; an outlook only reinforced by President Trump’s nominee for US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s inability to name a single ASEAN member state or recall the size of the regional bloc during his confirmation hearing last week.
Middle East, Felipe Branner, Editor-in-Chief, Rome
Headlines in the Middle East on January 20th, 2025
Probably the most divided region in terms of perceptions on the inauguration of Donald Trump, is the Middle East.
Egyptian newspapers are relatively moderate in their coverage of the inauguration. However, one of the biggest Egyptian newspapers, Ahram, states how the Arab message to the US must be unequivocal: "Although we do not oppose US support for Israel’s security, this support must not come at the expense of Arab states' security and sovereignty, including that of a future Palestinian state." Ahram also calls for the new president to revive comprehensive peace efforts, not small-scale normalizations such as the Abraham Accords.
In Israel, reactions to Trump’s inauguration have been overwhelmingly positive, with the exception being progressive newspapers such as Haaretz. The Times of Israel focuses on Netanyahu’s response, who has predicted “best-days” of the US-Israeli relationsship ahead, and also on the fact that Trump highlighted the grievances of the October 7th hostages in his speech at the inaugural parade, speaking with freed Israeli hostage Noa Argamani and her relatives standing right behind him. Haaretz on the other hand, expressed similar concerns as seen around the world at just how much Trump will upend the state of affairs in the US, and also about just how much the peace process in Gaza relies on the whims of one notoriously reckless president-elect.
In Iran the tone is, as one could expect, quite different. The Tehran Times mentions how allegedly, since November, American and Israeli media is zeroing in on Iran and its nuclear program. They’re convinced that Trump, the “ignorant president” as they call him, is being tricked by a zionist media conspiracy with one goal – to see Iran in shambles. Iran Daily, takes a more constructive approach, focusing on the Iran nuclear deal. The newspaper writes that it hopes for a more realistic approach to Iran by the new US President, based on international law.
Latin America, Felipe Branner, Editor-in-Chief, Rome
Headlines in Latin America on January 20th, 2025
Latin America’s coverage of Trump’s inauguration has been shaped by a spoonful of Latino flair, and major concern as the region stands to be one of the most affected by a new hemishperic MAGA “imperialism”. Satiric cartoons of Trump, at the limits of political correctness, and an uncanny degree of focus on Melania’s choice of clothing and an apparent kiss-gone-wrong between Trump and the new first lady, lets us atleast know that some things are staying constant in these fast-moving times.
In Mexico, to say that the country is worried, would be a gross understatement. Major Mexican journal, El Universal, describes Mexico as being “first in the line of fire” and expresses worries about the consequences that mass deportations, tariffs, and a strained bilateral relationship could have for the future of the country. El Universal also states that the seemingly hand-picked presence of especially two Latin American leaders at Trumps inauguration, Javier Milei and Nayib Bukele, shows a worrisome signal about which governments in Latin America, Trump deems worthy of support, leading the journal to speculate that Trump will seek a bukelization of Latin America, meaning supporting hard-right regimes, championing superprisons with sub-human conditions and harsh crackdowns on organized crime. Amongst other mildly scary satires, El Universal also featured a satire of a stuffy Trump dressed as Napoleon with a swastika instead of a French lily on his hat, standing on top of a globe (see above).
Argentina’s La Nación expressed optimism about Trump’s close links with the country’s president Javier Milei, who is poised to attend a whole rank of events in the MAGA universe these coming days. Clarin, one of the other major news outlets in the country, focused on a failed kiss between Trump and Melania, due to the latter’s extravagant and very wide hat.
In Brazil focus has been on Bolsonaro who was invited to attend the inauguration, but due to travel restrictions placed on him related to his ongoing legal proceedings, was unable to attend. O Globo, one of Brazil’s biggest newspaper’s argues that Brazil is not a priority for Donald Trump, which the paper calls “very good news”. Nonetheless the journal points out that the US’ withdrawal from the Paris agreement and a potential intervention in the Panama Canal could have disastrous long-term implications for both the Brazilian environment and businesses. And the journal also focuses on Melanias dress.
Europe, Jamilla Smith-Joseph, Europe Editor, London
Headlines in Europe on January 20th, 2025
Europe is in panic mode: fear and instability are apparent and abundant. Trump returns to the White House exactly as the US economy is projected to outperform the Eurozone twofold, and with tariffs looming, the EU is already looking to expand its trading options. However, the morning of, Europe’s shares appeared to stabilise - with hope that the trade storm could be weathered.
Security is another matter. Calls for European military independence persist amidst questions about Trump’s spending targets for NATO. Ukrainian media in particular has highlighted the need for Europe to plan for every possible eventuality; given that Trump may bypass Europe - and crucially, Ukraine - in potential peace negotiations.
Then there is Britain, whose ‘special relationship’ has arguably never felt less special. Starmer faces a plethora of challenges: from potential rejection of the UK ambassador to the US, to Labour’s domestic rivals aligning themselves with Trump. The question of the UK actively reorienting itself towards Europe has certainly been asked.
Interestingly, it has been argued that anxiety over the return of Trump is a uniquely European problem, but that the danger lies in automatic appeasement. If we turn that around, Trump could be exactly what Europe needs: a wake-up call, and an opportunity for Europe to stand stronger in its own right. Perhaps Macron’s dream of uniting Europe will come true; or is Trump the beginning of the end?