When I wrote a blog four years ago congratulating President Biden on his win and wishing him well I got some critical responses. I respect the democratic judgement of US voters, and the office of President . Today I offer my congratulations  to Donald Trump and wish him every success. I like his drive for peace in the world. I support his aim to lower taxes, reduce regulation and promote growth and greater prosperity.
Four years ago I was conscious I did not support some of Mr Biden’s  policies. I praised him for saying his aim was to unite a divided country, though said that would prove difficult. Unfortunately he did not carry it out.
It turned out he had as an aim preventing Mr Trump  from running again. He and his Administration tried all manner of allegations and lawfare tactics to stop him. The Democrats found it just made Mr Trump more popular with his followers. They failed in their self appointed main task, and deepened the divisions within the country by trying to say the main Opposition party’s views and policies were  unacceptable or illegal.
Today President Trump says  he will be a force for peace in Ukraine and Gaza. He will strengthen NATO, as the peace of the democracies  is secured by showing strong defence. He says he will lower taxes and cut the costs of government. That will reinforce faster US growth and should be an example to the UK and the  rest of Europe. He will liberate business sufficiently to boost jobs and investment. He will help the West by expanding output of gas, leaving us less dependent on Russia and the Middle East.
I wish him and the USA well. I urge the UK government to think again about how they work with our main ally. Keeping the Chagos and keeping our current Ambassador in post would start to correct the damage they have done to the relationship.
January 20, 2025
Both USA and the UK suffer the legacy of the Democratic party which has indulged its antipathy to the UK, and Labours vocal dislike of the Republicans.
The Democrats ” Get to the back of the queue”, and their running, unannounced , retreat from Afgahnistan clearly clarified their attitude to the UK. Labour’s stream of invective towards Trump, and their overt support for Harris during the 2024 presidential election leaves them with their metaphoric knickers round their ankles. Their choice of a chinophile ambassador only emphasises the fact, accompanied by the Chagos fiasco, to top it off. Both the Democrats and Labour are a threat to World stability. The welcome but questionable peace in Gaza, that everyone seeks to take credit for, seems to me, with Hamas still in place, a very fragile affaire. I hope Trump spells out to Iran and its proxis the consequences of any out of line reversion to their evil aims. I put the chances of a civilised relationship between Palastinians and Israel as at best slim.
There is hope that the insanities of Labour will learn something from a successful Trump presidency, but I doubt it. Paganism to the Pope is not in their DNA.
January 20, 2025
Donald is an Anglophile and probably truly appalled at what’s happening to our once proud country
The wokerati will be having fits of vapours at his thoroughly sensible agenda
Most of the developed world is heading to the right, Britain being an outlier having a communist inspired government. When MAGA kicks in and the USA economy bounces back, maybe just maybe the people of Europe will see what a blind alley they’ve been led down with their Net Zero, Mass immigration and other ruinous polices.
Just keep Nigel onside and the very best wishes to Donald.
January 20, 2025
The US economy has been doing fine compared to what has been happening this side of the Atlantic.
If you google for
“on a per capita basis, real disposable income has grown almost twice as much in the US as in the EU since 2000”
you will find that admission in the Foreword to “The future of European competitiveness” of September 2024.
https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/97e481fd-2dc3-412d-be4c-f152a8232961_en
Maybe this is going too far: “Europe’s economic apocalypse is now”
https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-economic-apocalypse/
but we have been too close to the EU and not close enough to the US.
January 20, 2025
John, do a piece on Paul Homewoods article on the Climate and Nature Bill getting its second reading on Friday.
Todays article in Conservative Woman gives a chilling insight into what is proposed by the CCA.
Maybe Trump will be the catalyst that destroys this agenda
January 20, 2025
agricola,
An excellent post!
Starmer’s appointment of Mandelson as US Ambassador is not only arrogant, but ludicrously detrimental to UK / US relations. Fortunately, Donald Trump, and his soundly based team, are more than capable of seeing off a third-rate appointee, of the leftist last century, in the very short term.
Let us hope that Trump’s highly sensible, non-woke approach will influence the direction of more and more of the leaders of the Western World, acknowledging, sadly, that Starmer will, even to his own oblivion, (which we hope will be sooner rather than later) resist.
January 20, 2025
Good morning.
Sir John, apart from the Chagos Islands I do not think President Trump gives a stuff about the UK and the EU. As for NATO I am sure he will push for his demand that they spend the 5% of GDP on defence expected as this will benefit USA defence contractors the most.
He needs to see and end to fighting elsewhere as China is currently building Invasion Barges – Go to H.I. Sutton (YT & Website) for more details. It is clear both China and North Korea are going to be the subject of USA attention for the rest of the century as Europe slowly descends into a political, economic and social backwater.
President Trump will be more interested in sorting out internal matters and those along the Canadian and Mexican borders. He wants to project strong leadership and a desire to reassert USA world hegemony.
Those here in the UK need to wake up to our ever diminishing role and position in the world, much like Spain has.
The one good thing however, is this administration may prove to be the much needed catalyst for root and branch change here in the UK. We need to recognise that the ‘Blair Reforms’ have done monumental harm to our country and we need to ditch the lot.
January 20, 2025
Well said; a rather more balanced view IMHO. Criticising another nation’s legal system in the manner above is treading on thin ice.
We know Trump’s driving instincts, and they are not benign. Being more unfettered than last time I think we can expect a ‘wild ride’, as one of his occasional supporters said.
January 20, 2025
I do think Trump and at least some senior members of his team do care about the UK but mainly out of self-interest of course. Post WW2 we have always been their most dependable ally. Nigel will be doing his best to ensure that continues. He certainly did a great deal to scupper the Chagos betrayal.
The EU is a different matter: it has been “taking the proverbial” over trade with the USA for decades, as well as its major members failing to pay even the minimum NATO contribution towards their own defence. That’s now going to stop. I’m going to enjoy watching the Kommissars howl with fury.
January 20, 2025
Putin will love the possible reduction in clear military support for EU, Trump reinforcing the call to pay up or be neglected.
Another cost on the EU strained budget.
This is the perfect time for UK to test muscles on the UK-EU relationship. We ought to be insisting on UK preferences not ‘reset’ noises. Friendly collaboration from Starmer is the wrong way to deal with the fixed mindset politicos via Brussels.
January 20, 2025
I wish him well. Thank God he survived so far, and got elected. It’s exciting, and will be fascinating to see whether he can diminish blob power. He’s not divine though, and is bound to make some mistakes along the way.
Meanwhile he’s got several hundred executive orders ready for signing today, to undo some the madness of the last administration (leaving the Paris accord, ending DEI in government, ending most of the gender nonsense etc). Such measures will be reminders of what fools we are in the UK and Europe.
I agree with others here: we are at best a peripheral interest for the USA who will get no favours, and we better accept and get used to it.
January 20, 2025
The American people have refused to “go quietly” into an authoritarian Socialist future. They voted emphatically for a New Dawn and to clear out their Deep State.
I hope we do the same at the next opportunity. We must vote to destroy the Establishment’s Uni-Party and elect a Government which will do what is necessary to dismantle Blair’s Socialist Settlement and will clear out The Blob.
January 20, 2025
@Donna +1
January 20, 2025
Trump was notably successful in foreign policy last time when he de-escalted the situation in North Korea (conveniently forgotten by his opponents) and ensured that Russia didn’t invade anyone (unlike under Obama and then Biden). Already just his threat to Hamas has ensured they have finalised a hasty peace with Israel in advance of his inauguration. Let us see what he can achieve in Ukraine. And also let’s see if EU and some other countries start to spend more on their own defence instead of relying on USA (mostly) and UK taxpayers to do it for them. Spending on defence as % GDP: Spain 1.3%, Belgium 1.3%, Canada 1.4%, Italy 1.5%, UK 2.3%, USA 3.4%.
Starmer is in Davos this week I suppose, amongst all his globalist open-border chums discussing how terrible Trump is.
January 20, 2025
Starmer is in Davos, Thieves is with him being studiously ignored. The world is turning right and we are out of step. Trump should rectify that. The uniparty blob has got to go.
January 20, 2025
Switzerland was on the side of peace during WWII. Sensible countries mind their own business efficiently, tend not to cause or attract enmity and stay on the safe side, away from invasion lists.
January 20, 2025
You say of Mr Trump ‘I support his aim to lower taxes, reduce regulation and promote growth and greater prosperity’ does this mean you loathe free trade and approve of tariffs?
Reply. No
January 20, 2025
I see the idiotic siddiq khan has made some fatuous comparison between trump’s return and – you guessed it – 1930s Germany. How has this inane individual got to his position and how does he stay there? There really must be a concerted effort next time to get rid of him. It’s a pity Rory Stewart didn’t stand, he would obviously have been a far better choice.
January 20, 2025
I understand there are some 200 executive orders coming later today to reverse many Biden initiatives. Good for President Trump.
He would be wise to appoint an Impeachment Counsel at once, to handle what surely will be coming. He should also recognize (as he no doubt does, better than anyone) that a 4 year term leaves little time to do things so he should get on with exacting as much revenge and retribution as he can get away with against those who tried to do him down by reprehensible, underhand means.
January 20, 2025
Just like Pritti Patel (and successors) President Trump has voiced a determination to control the borders to end illegal immigration. We shall have to wait and see if he does anything or, like Pritti, nothing at all of any effect.
January 20, 2025
I am deeply relieved President Trump is back in the White House. He is an authentic Conservative and his ethos of lower taxes, an efficient State, strong growth, strong defence, law and order and fairness are extremely reminiscent of Thatcherism, Reaganism and Trump1. This ethos has always worked. How much more empirical proof of that is needed before it is fully understood and re-adopted. God Bless President Trump.
January 20, 2025
Donald Trump’s pre-inauguration speech last night was overstated and repetitious yet he is poised for rapid change toward better.
Baroness Trumpington did great things for the UK.
We need more like them here.
January 20, 2025
The big takeaway from Trump becoming president is that he is for the USA and its People, he is indicating once more as has previously proven he is working with them and for them.
Now ask the UK Government with all there ideological terrorism and hate towards the UK and its People that have chosen to fight rather than work with where do the stand?
January 20, 2025
All I hear on the BBC is increasingly snidy remarks about Mr Trump (and some of his supporters).
As the BBC is well plugged-in to the Labour Party and the civil service, this does not bode well for our near-future relationship with the U.S.
This could cost us dearly. As a result, in time I can see some Labour MPs crossing the floor of the house or at least going independant.