World leaders ranging from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted to President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
While some leaders issued a warm welcome to Trump following his inauguration, other countries responded with less enthusiasm about a second Trump term.
“I believe that working together again we will raise the US-Israel alliance to even greater heights,” Neytanyahu said in a video message posted to X.
Meanwhile, Putin signaled interest in taking up peace discussions with Trump amid the conflict in Ukraine.
“We see the statements by the newly elected President of the United States and members of his team about the desire to restore direct contacts with Russia,” Putin said, according to a Reuters translation.
“We also hear his statement about the need to do everything possible to prevent World War III,” he added. “We of course welcome this attitude and congratulate the elected President of the United States of America on taking office.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also extended his congratulations to Trump and Vice President JD Vance, claiming that working together with NATO could deliver “peace through strength.”
“With President Trump back in office we will turbo-charge defense spending and production,” Rutte said in a post on X.
Other leaders, including those from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom, also congratulated Trump following his inauguration.
But Trump’s comments vowing to “take back” the Panama Canal, which the U.S. fully handed over to Panama in 1999, prompted Panama President José Raúl Mulino to push back on Trump’s sentiments.
“The Canal is and will continue to be Panama’s and its administration will continue to be under Panamanian control with respect to its permanent neutrality,” Mulino said in a statement.
Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
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