The high-profile globalist and former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt (M) claims that both the Swedish economy and security situation risk deterioration with Donald Trump as the US president.
In an interview on Swedish public television’s Morgonstudion, Bildt, who also previously served as Sweden’s Foreign Minister, stated that Sweden and Europe are unlikely to see any immediate significant positive or negative effects from the election outcome, but that it could have considerable long-term consequences.
– It may impact, or will impact, the global economy. Trump has a program on tariffs and trade that, in my view, is destructive for global growth and global trade.
– It could simply weaken our economy. We Europeans, and we Swedes, are more dependent on a functioning global economy and global trade than many others are. So we also depend on the U.S. not suddenly moving in the opposite direction, becoming extremely protectionist, imposing trade barriers, and engaging in trade wars. That affects our economy and welfare negatively, he continued.
“Significant Concern”
According to the former Moderate Party leader, it is not just the Swedish economy that would suffer under Trump, but also Europe’s security situation, given that Trump is considered less interested than Harris in countering Russia and supporting Ukraine in the ongoing war.
– I am not among those who are enthusiastic supporters of Trump. I view both of these areas with significant concern, Bildt said.
Other reasons why Carl Bildt dislikes Trump include his perceived disinterest in global cooperation to combat alleged pandemics and climate change.
“Obsessed” with the U.S.
Bildt is also highly critical of the focus given to the U.S. election in Sweden, especially compared to other global events.
– We are somewhat obsessed; we probably rank among the top in terms of being interested in every detail of the U.S. election. Everyone has suddenly become an expert on the polls in Wisconsin, and so on.
– Do we give as much attention to the final stages of a Swedish election campaign? he asked, suggesting that one might get the impression that America is all that exists in the world.
