Britain could afford to learn from Trump’s approach to diplomacy
SIR – Donald Trump may have made himself unpopular, but he is consistent because he is driven at all times by his philosophy of “America first”, which the American people must love.
I would like to know what philosophy is driving our Brexit negotiators. A few possibilities spring to mind: “Germany first”, perhaps, or “Why give an inch when you can give a mile?”
Mr Trump has demonstrated how to do things. We should try his approach, as ours has been totally ineffective.
Mick Ferrie
Mawnan Smith, Cornwall
SIR – Referring to his meeting with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un in Singapore, President Trump said: “People are going to be very impressed. People are going to be very happy.”
I’ll curb the urge to jump for joy until I find out precisely what has been agreed.
Stuart Flitton
Woking, Surrey
SIR – People are trying to pick holes in the Trump-kim agreement with the same enthusiasm that they praised the Iran nuclear deal, which we all know has been ignored by Iran.
They also ask how Mr Trump can deal with a regime like North Korea – given that Iran, by contrast, is a nation full of moderates who welcome differing opinions and would not dream of engaging in unfriendly activities in other countries.
Philip J Honey
Retford, Nottinghamshire
SIR – While the G7 excludes Russia from its meetings, creating nothing but further uncertainty and distrust, Mr Trump has achieved the opposite through his meeting with Kim.
There will be no quick fixes, but at least the journey has begun. The G7 should take note that little, if anything, can be gained by its stance on Russia. Lt Col Jeremy Prescott (retd) Southsea, Hampshire
SIR – I am sure that any fleeting sense of isolation Mr Trump may have felt at the recent G7 meeting will have been offset by the thought: “With friends like these, who needs enemies?”
When it comes to our EU “allies”, Mr Trump, like Brexit Britain, is finding this out the hard way.
Tony Stone
Oxted, Surrey
SIR – Interesting that Mr Trump gets on famously with a despotic thug from a rogue state, yet falls out with Justin Trudeau, the urbane and articulate leader of a stable, generous nation.
Frank Barnard
Shapwick, Somerset
SIR – One wonders if Mr Trump and Kim shared hairdressing advice.
Alyson Persson
Henfield, West Sussex
SIR – Why can’t photographers switch off the shutter noise on their cameras, which ruins every historic occasion?
Steve Cattell
Grantham, Lincolnshire