ABU DHABI // UAE residents have expressed their shock and disappointment at Donald Trump’s US presidential election victory.
“We’re all struggling for words,” said Hana Salama, 31, a Canadian who lives in Abu Dhabi. “I’m very surprised and shocked, I guess I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was confident Hillary would win and I knew it would be a close election but it seems not for Trump because he won by a large margin.”
She said Trump was not the candidate she had hoped to see in office. “I hope he won’t have isolationist policies,” said Ms Salama, a freelance consultant for humanitarian organisations in Europe and the US.
“It’s particularly interesting to me because I work at the United Nations level and how the US will interact with other countries on that level on international issues is something I’m concerned about. Let’s see what his policies will be, if there will be any change at all or if it will be a continuation of the current foreign policy that exists right now.”
Her other concern was the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), which was signed by the US, Canada and Mexico in 1994. She felt it could be hard for Trump to renegotiate such a long-standing treaty. “It could be disastrous if he does want to attack it.”
She felt Trump’s relationship with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau would be one to watch because “we have perhaps what we would call the polar opposite in Canada with Justin Trudeau so it will be interesting to see”.
Ms Salama was, however, not concerned about his policies towards the Middle East.
“I think he talks a lot of talk but I’m not sure he will walk the walk because this region is very important in terms of natural resources so I’m hoping that he’s going to handle it well,” she said. “If the UAE leaders aren’t concerned then I don’t see a reason to be concerned.”
A 32-year-old Iraqi who lives in Dubai was disappointed that a majority of Americans elected Trump to their highest office.
“He is unqualified and inexperienced,” he said. “One can only hope that the rule of law, public institutions and the other branches of the US government can sufficiently check the powers of the US President and ensure that Donald Trump does not implement the miscalculated and ill-advised policies that he has touted during the election campaign.
“I believe that we are headed for a lot of uncertainty in the coming few years and that worries me deeply.”
American expatriates had various reactions to Trump’s success.
“I had a mixed reaction,” said Ramzy Nasser, 29, from Abu Dhabi. “On one hand, I was definitely shocked since Trump isn’t your ideal or typical presidential hopeful. With little experience and questionable, unpredictable intentions, I think not only the Middle East but everyone in the world could be left reeling from a Trump presidency.”
His election, however, was a true testament to democracy. “Throughout all the negative press and celebrity denouncing, he was able to overcome what seemed to be insurmountable odds and clinch the nomination,” Mr Nasser said. “That’s something you have to admire regardless of his character.”
Frank B, a lawyer in Dubai, was less enthusiastic. “I keep thinking this is a just a very vivid nightmare I will wake up from,” he said. “I’m surprised and disappointed of the outcome but the voters have spoken and now we’ll see what kind of president Trump will be.
“I hope he will conduct his presidency like he said he would in his victory speech and maybe in one, two or four years, we can look back and say this worked out OK rather than ‘I told you so’.”
He did have concerns about Trump’s foreign policy agenda.
“His general demeaning posture towards Muslims and Arabs certainly doesn’t reflect well for how he will conduct his relations with leaders in the countries here but I want to try to be optimistic and hopeful.”
Sabahat Khan, senior analyst at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis in Dubai, said relations between the UAE and US would continue to flourish under Mr Trump’s presidency, as both countries shared deep ties that were multi-faceted, time-tested and genuinely strategic.
“The Trump campaign has faced a lot of negative media coverage,” he said.
“But when it comes to business, the new Trump administration will be serious and informed and could well bring the decisiveness many feel has been lacking with president Barack Obama on key international challenges.”
cmalek@thenational.ae
