World leaders who are speaking out against U.S. President Donald Trump and his bullying ways are garnering massive support in their home countries, according to a new piece in "The Morning" newsletter from The New York Times.
"It’s a phenomenon known in political science as the "rally ’round the flag effect," according to the article. "When a country faces a crisis, public support for the leader or the current governing party often rises."
That's because, according to Editor Lauren Jackson, "People don’t like to ditch their leaders in a crisis, research shows. The rallying phenomenon can shift the balance of power both within and between countries."
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Trump's insistence on enormous punitive tariffs, his expansionist threats, and his constant insults, "have infuriated voters in Britain, Mexico, Ukraine and elsewhere," the article read, and have caused citizens to gather round leaders "who take a stand against him."
Jackson described the enormous amount of international outcry Trump has fomented over his nearly two months back in office.
"Trump imposed global tariffs on metal and announced a 25 percent levy on all goods from Mexico and Canada. He fought with Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. Soon after, the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, welcomed Zelensky in London with a hug. Mr. Starmer has continued to back Ukraine," Jackson wrote. "In each of these cases, the leaders and parties who stood up to Trump saw a lift in their domestic approval ratings."
Jackson explained that "the world is dealing on Trump's terms now," since they're forced to react as the U.S. president forces his agenda.
"Opposing Trump is a delicate art. Still, liberal leaders who do it well are finding success," she wrote adding, "That may not last: The rally effect is sometimes temporary."
Read "The Morning" newsletter via The New York Times here.