‘A a lot wanted victory for the world’: Hungary PM Viktor Orban congratulates Donald Trump for ‘monumental win’ and Netanyahu praises ‘historical past’s biggest comeback’ as world leaders react
Donald Trump has been congratulated by world leaders including Benjamin Netanyahu, Volodymyr Zelensky and Sir Keir Starmer, as the Republican nominee appears set to become the 47th president of the United States.
Trump claimed victory in the contest after Fox News projected that he had defeated Democrat Kamala Harris, which would cap a stunning political comeback four years after he left the White House.
High-profile allies of the Republican nominee – as well as top figures who have a history of clashing with the former president – have hailed the result as a decisive Trump victory, even as most news outlets have still not officially called the race.
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban declared it ‘the biggest comeback in US political history’ in a triumphant post on X.
The hard-right politician – who is widely seen as being soft on Russian dictator Vladimir Putin – congratulated Trump on an ‘enormous win’ and labelled his success ‘a much needed victory for the world’.
Ukraine’s president Zelensky also shared his congratulations, saying on X that Trump’s ‘peace through strength’ approach could bring ‘just peace’ closer in the war against Russia.
France‘s president Emmanuel Macron said that he stands ‘ready to work together as we did for four years. With your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity.’
Addressing Trump as the ‘president-elect’, Britain’s prime minister Keir Starmer wrote on social media that he looks forward to working with him in the years ahead, adding ‘I know the special relationship will continue to prosper on both sides of the Atlantic for years to come’.
Meanwhile, Israeli prime minister Netanyahu shared a highly personal message, writing on X: ‘Dear Donald and Melania Trump, Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback!’
‘Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory!’
El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele shared a picture of himself shaking hands with Trump
India’s prime minister Narendra Modi offered his ‘heartiest congratulations’ to his ‘friend’, saying he looked forward to working together ‘for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity.’
El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele, one of the first to share his congratulations before the result was called by most outlets, shared a picture of himself shaking hands with Trump on X.
‘Congratulations to the President-Elect of the United States of America, May God bless and guide you,’ he wrote.
Far-right ministers in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s government celebrated on Wednesday as Donald Trump claimed victory in the U.S. presidential election.
‘Yesssss, God bless Trump,’ National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on X.
Bezalel Smitrich said: ‘God bless Israel, God bless America.’
Another member of the government, Culture Minister Miki Zohar, said: ‘We are looking forward to the next four years.’
Dutch politician Geert Wilders also shared his congratulations to both Trump and America, writing on X: ‘Never stop, always keep fighting and win elections!’
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that a Donald Trump win in the US election would probably be bad news for Ukraine, but said it was unclear how far Trump would be able to cut US financing for the war.
‘Trump has one useful quality for us: as a businessman to the core, he mortally dislikes spending money on various hangers–on and stupid hanger-on allies, on bad charity projects and on voracious international organisations,’ Dmitry Medvedev, a senior security official, posted on his official Telegram account.
He said that the Ukrainian authorities fell into the category of people Trump was likely to not want to spend too much money on and suggested the Ukrainian leadership would be doing what it could to console itself if it was confirmed he had won.
‘The question is how much Trump will be forced to give to the war. He’s stubborn, but the system is stronger,’ said Medvedev.
However most governments and world leaders have so far been cautious to declare a victory for Trump in the race.
Chinese officials simply said this morning that the country hopes for ‘peaceful coexistence’ with the US under a new president.
‘We will continue to approach and handle China-US relations based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation,’ foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular briefing.
