Elizabeth Morgan | For world leaders, the perils of visiting the current White House

The Golden Rule: ‘ Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’

New Testament, Matthew 7:12

The images of President Donald Trump’s acrimonious meetings with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa have gone viral. The media have termed these “White House ambushes” orchestrated to intimidate the invited heads of state or government and demonstrate the dominance of the United States of America.

Traditionally, bilateral meetings between heads of state and governments, whether state or official, are important events prepared for well in advance. Note that a state visit is at the invitation of the head of state and comes with all the attendant pomp and ceremony. An official visit is less formal being mainly a working visit to address specific issues. These visits are meant to strengthen relations between countries and to resolve problems. Preparations are made in advance involving the ambassadors, other senior officials, foreign ministers, and other ministers depending on the subjects to be covered. A draft of the outcome document might be prepared in advance as both sides have to agree on the text. These meetings are governed by the rules of diplomacy and protocol. They are customarily civil affairs. Discord would rarely be shown in public images, as it is important to keep the lines of communications open.

On the day of the meeting, the heads would greet each other, exchange pleasantries, and the media would be invited in for a brief photo opportunity. The heads may then give a summary of the agenda and the objectives to be achieved from their formal meeting. The media would be requested to withdraw after a few minutes. The delegations would then retire to the conference room for the formal meeting, in camera, for the serious discussions. At the end of the meeting, a joint press conference would be held to report on the meeting’s outcome. The media would then be invited to pose a few questions. It may be noted that the US media is frequently focused on their own domestic issues.

Given the place of the USA in the world, a visit to the White House in Washington, DC, to meet with the president would usually be highly appreciated. For many countries, these meetings do not happen often. For CARICOM leaders, there might be exchanges on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly or at the Summit of the Americas. An invitation to the White House would be considered an important opportunity for bilateral discussions.

A visit by the US President to the Caribbean is even more exceptional. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan visited Jamaica and President Barack Obama in 2015.

In March 2019, a select group of CARICOM leaders were invited to meet with President Trump at his Mar-a-Largo Club in Florida. Many might remember at least one image of this visit.

In the past, a meeting of leaders at the White House followed the usual customs of protocol and diplomacy.

CHANGING RULES IN THIS WHITE HOUSE

These days the treatment of government leaders visiting with President Donald Trump seems not to follow the customary rules of protocol and diplomacy. A change in approach was already evident when former Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, met with President-elect Trump at Mar-a-Largo. It appeared that the Canadian Prime Minister was mocked being termed the ‘Governor” of Canada, the US’ 51st state’.

Since his January inauguration, other visiting leaders have done the character assessment and found that they needed to engage in a process of appeasement. They had to come bearing gifts and engaging in ego stroking. With tariffs and other threats, they sought to avoid poking the crocodile.

The turning point came in the conduct of the White House meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February. The Ukraine president unwittingly stepped on the trap that was set for him, as the media photo opportunity was converted into the meeting. The US delegation, led by President Trump, jettisoned protocol and diplomacy, seeking to demonstrate to President Zelenskyy and the world, the might and power of the USA in words, volume and gestures.

It is assessed that this was a staged media event and media representatives felt licensed to intervene. After his public excoriation, the Ukraine president was escorted from the White House. This scene went viral and will certainly be entered into the annals of history.

This was not a one-off event. The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, walked into another orchestrated trap in full view of the media. This time audiovisuals aids and other props were employed to illustrate claims of genocide against white Afrikaner farmers in South Africa and the confiscation of their land by the government. The US has granted refugee status to white Afrikaners, who, it is claimed, are fleeing persecution and death. Reputable media sources have debunked these claims.

In fact, the US State Department’s travel advisory for South Africa issued in November 2024, speaks to the country’s very high crime rate, especially in the heavily populated urban areas. It makes no reference to specific crimes against white South Africans. The US CIA report acknowledges the imbalances in South Africa which are a legacy of apartheid.

Available information shows that the white population in South Africa is 7.3 per cent of the population of about 63.2 million. They own over 70 per cent of agricultural land, hold most of the top managerial positions in the private sector, and earn three times the wage of average South Africans. In 1994, when apartheid ended, white South Africans were about 5.2 million. In 2023, they numbered about 4.5 million. Many South Africans, of all ethnicities, have voluntarily migrated since 1994 going mainly to Britain, Australia, and the USA. These figures speak for themselves.

Should leaders continue visiting the White House?

So, now leaders visiting the White House, if not among those held in high esteem by President Trump and his team, and not bearing a lucrative tribute, can expect a significant part of their meeting to be held in the presence of the media, with their active participation, possibly with audio-visuals, and to be bombarded with false accusations with little opportunity to respond. This being the reality television show produced, directed and starring President Donald Trump.

If this is the new manner of conducting meetings in the White House, then as many are asking, why should leaders of countries, especially those of the Global South, accept any invitation to visit? Why should they expose themselves to international humiliation? Leaders should think carefully about this and assess what is to be gained. It seems, according to reports, that the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, so far, is one leader who has declined an invitation to the White House.

Yet, President Trump, as leader of the USA, expects that when he visits countries, the red or purple carpet will be rolled out and he will be treated with great respect.

The Golden Rule

Many in President Trump’s Republican Party and his administration are committed Christians, we are told. The Vice President, J.D. Vance, and the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, are practising Catholics honoured to meet Pope Leo XIV. Christianity is not just about opposing anything woke, nor is it about revenge and retribution. It is about building positive human relationships by willing the good of others. It is about building bridges.

There is a golden rule in the Bible’s New Testament that all need to recall and actually practise, no matter how wealthy and powerful they are. It is: ‘ Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’.

Elizabeth Morgan is a specialist in international trade policy and international politics. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.