As it became obvious that Donald Trump had won the US presidential election, many guests were visibly shaken. However, the result did not sour the mood as Americans and Luxembourgers and members of the international community watched Trump’s acceptance speech on a television feed.
Among those attending the breakfast were local politicians including prime minister Xavier Bettel and former cabinet minister Alex Bodry, representatives of the diplomatic corps, including British ambassador John Marshall and Irish ambassador Peadar Carpenter, the heads of businesses and institutions including Amcham’s Paul Schonenberg and dean of Miami University’s John E. Dolibois Center, Thierry Leterre.
No nation can forge ahead alone
Earlier in the morning, as a defeat for Hillary Clinton seemed more and more likely, host ambassador David McKean addressed guests in a sombre mood. He said that the election had exposed some genuine discontent among the American electorate and that although the road ahead would be filled with many challenges, McKean appealed to American leaders to work towards healing the wounds and bridging the divides in the country. “Our country is going to have to demonstrate real character, we’re going to have to demonstrate real humility and all Americans are going to have to embrace a willingness to compromise on some of these very difficult issues.”
As for the international impact of the election result, the ambassador said that no nation can forge ahead alone. “Our alliances and partnerships are going to be more important than ever. I’m confident that the United States will continue to both support and rely on its allies and friends, particularly in Europe.”
Hoping for the best
After watching Trump’s acceptance speech, a disappointed Democrat Abroad chairman Will Bakker said that the president elect was an “unknown quantity”, pointing out that some of the policies Trump had announced during the campaign to great applause were later reversed. “I don’t think uncertainty is good, but I hope that he will continue to treat the U.S. as a diverse pace that welcomes Muslims, immigrants and people who want to make a great life. I certainly plan on holding him to account.”
Bakker said he was not a fan of many of the people who joined Trump on his campaign and who might now be jockeying for position on Trump’s cabinet. “But again, we’ll have to wait and see whether he follows the norms of American politics, which involves building a cabinet that’s made up of people who will bring the country together. We will hope for the best.”
Prosperity and good times
James O’Neal, the chairman of Republicans Overseas in Luxembourg said that it is likely that many of those that Trump thanked during his acceptance speech, which included the likes of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, General Mike Flynn and his Republican Party primary opponent Ben Carson, would be included in the cabinet. “I think he’s going to have a very good talented team of experienced statesman, politicians and security advisors to make American prosperous and safe; and the world, too.”
O’Neal seemed as surprised as anyone at the breakfast by the nature of the result. “Given the huge opposition across the board of the establishment in all its forms…I consider this victory nothing short of a miracle.”
In the final analysis though, O’Neal says he thinks that many voters were disappointed by politicians over the last 30 years, both Democrat and Republican, for repeatedly breaking promises. “They’ve seen the middle class severely erode…they’ve seen unemployment sore and the amount of people on food stamps double from 20 million to 40 million. President elect Trump spoke to the people in language they could understand, and so now there is huge trust placed in him. I'm very hopeful that we’re going to see prosperity and good times like America hasn’t seen in a long time.”