Trump’s Making the World Safer for Autocrats

(Bloomberg) --

For some of the world’s most authoritarian leaders, the Group of 20 summit was a time to shine — thanks in large part to Donald Trump.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, basked in Trump's attention, humor and respect, Nick Wadhams writes.

The U.S. president capped it all yesterday with a historic stroll into North Korea with Kim Jong Un that was a public-relations coup for the reclusive leader, providing the recognition on the world stage that he craves.

But U.S. officials were unable to articulate how Trump’s gambit would move Kim any closer to giving up his nuclear ambitions, and, for many critics, the key question about Trump’s whirlwind diplomacy is: to what end?

As Craig Gordon and Mark Niquette explain, one answer is political. With his 2020 re-election campaign kicking into high gear, Trump can point to gestures such as those made over the weekend as signs of his diplomatic prowess — even if they don't result in an immediate or even an eventual deal.

For Trump, that may not be the primary aim.

Global Headlines

EU snag | German Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing a mutiny after her plan to give the post of head of the European Commission to a Dutch socialist ran into opposition from her colleagues in the center-right European Union People’s Party. Now time’s running out for the 28 leaders gathered in Brussels to reach an agreement – with the bloc's credibility at stake.

Proxy war | Erdogan is looking at another foreign adventure following his military's excursion into Syria. Turkey warned that forces linked to Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar would become targets if six kidnapped Turks aren’t released immediately, threatening to drag NATO’s second-largest army deeper into the Middle East’s latest proxy conflict.

Hong Kong unrest | Protesters broke down the door of the city’s legislature and thousands more marched in opposition to its China-backed government, the latest in a month of rallies that have brought parts of the Asian financial hub to a standstill. The latest developments came after embattled leader Carrie Lam made her first public appearance in more than a week to mark the anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule, vowing to be more inclusive. 

Paradigm shift | Joe Biden — who’d made his bid for the Democratic nomination almost exclusively about running against Trump — is now confronting the reality that there’s a long fight ahead to become the party’s nominee. A prime-time debate bruising at the hands of freshman California Senator Kamala Harris has shaken the former vice president’s perch at the top of polls, leaving the front-runner playing defense.

Detainees’ diets | Immigrants housed in a federal detention center in Texas were fed frozen sandwiches, cold burritos and potato chips – and detained children and young mothers have complained of hunger to attorneys. Details gleaned from government procurement data reflect what a nutritionist and two doctors described as a highly processed, unhealthy menu for families in five Texas facilities, Deena Shanker and Polly Mosendz report.

What to Watch

• Venezuela’s government said it will investigate the death of a 49-year-old navy captain held on charges of treason, sedition and the attempted assassination of President Nicolas Maduro.
• Stocks from Nestle to Swatch Group ventured into uncharted territory as Switzerland’s never-before-tested provisions to safeguard liquidity kicked in following a showdown with the EU.
• The just-concluded U.S. Supreme Court term showed that the road to fulfilling long-held conservative goals will feature some speed bumps — despite the arrivals of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. 

And finally ... Venice is dying, and locals are pointing the finger at the throngs of tourists that flood into the centuries-old city built on water. The paradox is that in the short term visitors are the financial lifeline keeping the “Serenissima” afloat, but in the long run the city’s delicate ecosystem simply can’t sustain it. The resident population has slumped to below 60,000 — about a third as many as 50 years ago — while vacationers number close to 5 million a year. Once the Mediterranean’s paramount city state, Venice today seems powerless to arrest the trend.

--With assistance from Benjamin Harvey, Kathleen Hunter, Karen Leigh, Flavia Krause-Jackson, Gordon Bell and Caroline Alexander.

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.