PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former President Donald Trump told Breitbart News that recent international populist and conservative victories, from Javier Millei's victory in Argentina to Giorgia Meloni's victory in Italy, said the wave shows that the international populist-conservative movement is “more powerful.” than in 2016.
“This is essentially the MAGA-Trump movement,” President Trump said in a more than two-hour interview at Mar-a-Lago just before the end of 2023.
Around the world, conservative populists are desperate to win elections. The most recent surprising victory was Milley's victory in Argentina, and President Trump said that in a phone call after the win, Milley told him it was all thanks to him, but Trump never spoke to Milley before he was elected president of the South American nation. This is despite saying that it never happened.
“A guy from Argentina said the greatest man in the whole world is Donald Trump. He called me right after he won. I've never talked to him. He called me to thank me,” Trump told Breitbart News. “I said, 'Oh, why do you want to thank me?' 'Your policies paved the way for this,' he said. he has everything The night he won the election, he called me and thanked me very much. It's called “Make Argentina Great Again.” He's wearing a MAGA hat. ”
Apparently, the MAGA on Trump's hat represents Trump's famous slogan, “Make America Great Again.” But the former US president joked that it also stands for “Make Argentina Great Again.”
Trump's victory over Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2016 shocked the world, but it didn't happen out of the blue. Ahead of the 2016 uproar over President Trump's former first lady and former secretary of state in the Electoral College, conservative populists Posted A number of major victories were achieved around the world, accelerating the movement and leading to Trump's victory here. The most famous of these, of course, is the Brexit referendum, in which the British people voted to leave the European Union. But Trump's eventual successes included TV comedian Jimmy Morales' victory in the Guatemalan presidential election and, although he fell short of victory in the runoff, the Austrian populist right's surprising performance. There were also contributing factors.
In 2024, things look even better for conservative populists around the world. Clearly, Meloni is now firmly in the position of Prime Minister of Italy, and has been for several years. Millay's victory in Argentina this year was a powerful shot to his right arm. In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders' PVV party also came to the top. working now Establishing a coalition government with other political parties. That's already happening, but what's looming throughout this year is a global pandemic for conservative populists as they prepare for the rematch between President Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden scheduled here at home in November. Or at least it could become a major force in the Western world.
Italy's new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks to the media during a handover ceremony at Palazzo Chigi on October 23, 2022 in Rome, Italy. (Alessandra Benedetti – Corbis/Corbis, via Getty)
Foreign Policy Magazine Late December published In late December, it warned its Globalist subscribers with the headline, “Right-wing populism will sweep the West in 2024.”
The article, written by John Kampner, points out that in 2024, 41 percent of the world's population will vote in elections that could form new governments in many places. Kampfner points to several elections planned throughout the year, including in Europe, that bode well for conservatives. Portugal, for example, is scheduled to vote in March to replace a left-wing government with a right-wing one, and Austria is expected to follow suit in September. European Union representative elections will be held in European countries in June, but populists are on the rise in countries such as France, and there are high expectations for the results of Marine Le Pen's national rallies. “It is entirely possible that the various factions of the far right will emerge as a single, largest bloc,” Kampfner wrote. “While this may not lead to a change in the composition of the European Commission (the decline of the mainstream will still result in a majority), the rise of such extremists may change the overall power relations across Europe. It will change.”
Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right Party of Freedom (PVV), gestures during a party leadership meeting with Speaker of the House of Commons Vera Bergkamp, two days after Wilders won the most votes in the general election. . The Hague, Netherlands, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023 (Peter De Jong/The Associated Press)
In the summer of 2016, Trump called himself a “messenger of a movement” in an interview with Breitbart News and said the movement was “bigger than Brexit.” In the interview, he reiterated that it is his movement internationally, but that he hopes that others at home and around the world will recognize it after what he sees as his second term in the White House. He also said that he hopes that he will come forward to lead the project. that's all.
“Someone is going to stand up. There are some very good people,” President Trump said. “I want people to step up. I'm going to be here for a while if I can. I'm still hitting the ball as far as I've ever hit it.”
But for the time being, Trump said, there is no conservative populism, or Trump policies, without Trump himself. Steve Bannon, his former adviser and executive chairman of Breitbart News, has argued that President Trump cannot achieve his policies without fighting for him. listed.
Steve Bannon, former White House senior adviser to President Donald Trump, in Washington, DC, on November 8, 2019. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
President Trump said, “A man named Steve Bannon said there would be no Trump policy without Trump,'' and that during his term as president, he used strong-arm tactics to negotiate with Mexico and France on the America First policy. He talked about whether the negotiations were successful. “I don't think there are many people who would make that kind of negotiation. I mean, there are some people, like Steve and others, who said no. 'We like Trump's policies, but Trump is Some people say, “I don't like it.” But they said, “It won't work without Trump.” The answer is probably that it can. The policy is good, but the question is whether it can be implemented. ”
In other words, until conservative populists can garner the numbers they need to govern, both here in Congress and in governments around the world, President Trump will need to make sure that the people who want the policies don't have to be with him to carry out these policies. I'm saying we need someone who is just as proactive. Please fight for them.
La Libertad Avanza presidential candidate Javier Millay lifts a chainsaw during a rally in San Martín, Buenos Aires province, Argentina, September 25, 2023. (Thomas Cuesta/Getty Images)
Details of Trump's latest Breitbart News interview will be released soon.
