From the White House in December, Trump promised a huge 250th birthday celebration for America. He planned a big arch in his honor, a car race through Washington streets, and an MMA match on the White House lawn. To cover the costs, he had his diplomats overseas compete against each other to see who could raise the most money. This turned diplomats into fundraisers, asking for donations at fancy dinners and sending out fundraising forms like infomercial salespeople.
In Singapore, Ambassador Anjani Sinha hosted a fancy meal at a luxurious Capella hotel.
He offered to sing and dance for donations and told a group of business leaders directly, “I need your money.” He also boasted about another embassy raising $37 million and tried to shame the group by saying, “Singapore is a better country than that” and that “people here make more money.”
In Hong Kong, consulate staff sent out “America 250” donation forms to companies to compete with the embassy in Japan, which was reportedly raising tens of millions.
A former ambassador said Trump had made diplomacy into a competition, with ambassadors racing to raise the most money.
America’s representatives abroad are begging for funds, trading prestige for cash like used-car salesmen. This isn’t diplomacy.
It’s more like a global money grab where America’s representatives abroad are begging for funds, trading prestige for cash like used-car salesmen. Trump, the ultimate self-promoter, has his envoys pushing his ego project on foreign business leaders while claiming to restore America’s respect. Instead, he’s making the diplomatic corps look foolish and damaging America’s reputation with every awkward fundraiser.
It’s no wonder Trump fired at least 30 experienced ambassadors early this year and replaced them with people who just follow orders.
If watching America’s global image turn into a fundraising show makes you uncomfortable, like and share to spread the word.
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