As Donald Trump’s election odds grow, US allies in Europe and Asia reassess China strategy

Analysts say Trump victory could put new pressure on EU, Japan and South Korea when it comes to defence costs and trade

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Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick J.D. Vance (right) has been vocal about calling for an end to US aid for Ukraine, which may raise alarms in the EU, analysts say. Photo: AP

Dewey SimandFinbarr Berminghamin Brussels

Published: 4:00pm, 18 Jul 2024Updated: 9:00pm, 18 Jul 2024

The attempted assassination of former US president Donald Trump over the weekend may have given his campaign a boost and raised his chances of a re-election. But it might have also raised some eyebrows among Washington’s allies.

According to diplomatic observers, the increased odds of a Trump victory in the November election are likely to prompt US allies – from those in Europe to Asia – to assess the potential implications of that outcome and, in some cases, recalibrate their approach towards China.

Trump, who was confirmed as the Republican presidential nominee on Tuesday, was shot in the ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

While it remains to be seen if the incident will have an outright impact on the elections, support for the ex-president swelled after photos of a bloodied Trump pumping his fist were posted on social media.

“It will guarantee that every Trump supporter now will be a Trump voter … Trump’s voters are energised, Biden’s voters are demoralised,” Frank Luntz, a US pollster, wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, after the shooting.