“My advice to European leaders? Call him!” – The Express

A leading personality, California Republican Kevin McCarthy was a member of the House of Representatives for seventeen years until October 2023. Then “speaker” of the House (equivalent to president of the National Assembly), he was dismissed by the right wing of his party during a fratricidal war led by the ultraconservatives of the Republican Party under the leadership of the very controversial Florida MP, Matt Gaetz. A first in the history of the American Congress.

Withdrawn from political life since then but still present behind the scenes, McCarthy today savors the fall of the man who had sworn to his downfall. In November, the “ultra” Matt Gaetz had to resign from Congress after multiple accusations against him (embezzlement, purchase of sexual services, drug use). Which did not prevent Donald Trump from nominating Gaetz for the post of Minister of Justice…

Interviewed during the 17th World Policy Conference organized in mid-December in Abu Dhabi by Thierry de Montbrial and the French Institute of International Relations, Kevin McCarthy gives L’Express the “how to” for Donald Trump’s second term which will begin on January 20. And he formulates this paradox: according to him, the disruptive character of the next president is a guarantee of stability.

L’Express: How will Donald Trump govern? What are the differences with his first mandate?

Kevin McCarthy: This time, he won’t need an apprenticeship period: he already knows the job. And, as he knows he will not have a second term [NDLR : la Constitution américaine limite à deux le nombre de mandat]he won’t waste a minute. Look at how he has managed the transition period since his election at the beginning of November: he acts with more speed than most of his predecessors in the same situation. He is better prepared than last time. He surrounds himself with quality people and, above all, he knows what he wants to do from the first day of his presidency.

For two months, he has been preparing the ground. With one objective: to keep his campaign promises, in particular securing the border with Mexico. He has already discussed the problem (and solutions) with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. He also spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau since illegal migrants also come from Canada. Regarding fentanyl entering America from China via Mexico, he will also take strong action. He has already warned China against this scourge. This is a huge topic for our country because fentanyl is the leading cause of death among Americans ages 18-45.

Domestically, America will be stronger thanks to the deregulation of the economy which will contrast with the overregulation of the Biden years. This new economic framework will allow small businesses to meet the challenges facing them. The presence of financial professionals, such as investor and hedge fund manager (hedge fund) Scott Bessent, appointed Treasury Secretary, is also likely to boost the economy. While being disruptive, Donald Trump will bring stability to the United States.

How can we reconcile these two notions: “disruption” and “stability”?

The stability comes from the fact that he has already been in the White House and knows many foreign heads of state. He will save time, because unlike a novice president, he will not take months to establish connections with Xi Jinping, Macron or others. He already knows the foreign leaders and they know him. In many cases, the bridges exist and, on both sides, each side knows how the other operates. This will avoid the usual round observation. Domestically, the fact that the Republican Party controls the White House as well as both houses of Congress and the fact, also, that Trump won both the popular vote and that of the voters, makes his victory indisputable. This also constitutes a factor of stability. In Congress, it will be possible to legislate more quickly.

What about Trump’s disruptive style?

Trump is disruptive in the sense that he is not afraid. He is an intuitive who does not look at details but sees things in a broad, macro way. Also, he is not afraid to do things that have never been done before. Certainly, he expresses himself in a way that is sometimes unusual for a head of state, but it is his style and, above all, it is an advantage. On the one hand, this unbalances its partners; on the other, it creates opportunities. For example, when during his previous term he referred to Kim Jong-un as “Little Rocket Man”, many interpreted this as a declaration of war. In reality, far from angering him with the North Korean leader, this arrest made it possible to establish contact with him. Eventually, the two men met and the North Korean suspended its missile tests (which resumed under Joe Biden). Moreover, it is not excluded that Trump and Kim will resume their dialogue.

In fact, every time Donald Trump makes a statement that seems excessive – and which shocks Europeans so much – it is an opportunity to open a discussion. Yes, it creates tension. But at the same time, 9 times out of 10, this leads to a negotiation. In short, it’s a method. Additionally, the issues raised by Trump are often relevant. Frankly, wasn’t he right when he said eight years ago that the Europeans needed to increase their defense budget? And wasn’t he right to strangle Iran financially? When he was president, Tehran produced 400,000 barrels of oil per day; under Biden, it was 3 million… This strengthened the mullahs who, under Biden, financed their “proxies” in the Middle East (Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis) and destabilized the region. I also recall that Donald Trump negotiated the Abraham Accords, which constitute progress and a basis for resuming peace efforts.

Let’s talk about his appointments, also… “disruptive”. The very controversial Matt Gaetz was accused of having had paid sex, notably with a 17-year-old girl. He had to voluntarily relinquish the post of Attorney General (Minister of Justice). The appointment of Pete Hegseth, a simple commander in the army and former presenter on Fox News, to the post of Minister of Defense is also causing a lot of ink to flow. Your opinion?

Matt Gaetz had no place in the administration or even in Congress [NDLR : dont il a démissionné fin novembre]. He did the country a great service by resigning from the House of Representatives. Regarding Pete Hegseth, this is a good choice because the Pentagon needs to be shaken up. It needs a disruptive personality at its head. This is how it will evolve. The army must reform and modernize in order to better adapt to the realities of contemporary warfare. The Pentagon must be leaner, more efficient, more accountable, less bureaucratic.

However, Pete Hegseth is an intelligent person who studied at Princeton University, one of the best in the United States. He is also a veteran who served his country. And he defended it not while sitting in the Pentagon, but on the front lines, in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s very important to have people like him who know the reality experienced by Americans. Note that so far, Trump’s appointments have received a very positive reception among Americans. Polls show it. For the first time in his political career, the rate of favorable opinions of Donald Trump exceeds the rate of negative opinions. He is more popular than ever.

Why the Ministry of Defense [NDLR : Departement of Defense ou Pentagone] would it need to be “shaken”?

The Pentagon’s budget is nearly $900 billion. We cannot spend such sums without thinking about the wars of tomorrow. It is inconceivable to continue buying $10 million missiles to shoot down $1,000 drones. What we need at the Pentagon is someone who puts their foot down, but in a constructive way, like Elon Musk who is also a disruptor. Before Musk, America had all but stopped sending rockets into space. Now, thanks to him, we have once again become a world leader in the sector. Elon also took on the old automobile industry to imagine and develop what became the best-selling electric car in the world. This is the type of profile we need.

With Trump, it will not be business as usual. It’s going to shake. The Pentagon will still be there to protect America, but differently. It will not rely on 20th century software, but on the “tech” companies Anduril and Palantir which represent the future. With Elon Musk and his company SpaceX, the emphasis will also be placed on war in space. I remind you that the US Space Force was precisely created during Trump’s first term. The latter understood that the technological and spatial superiority of the United States must be overwhelming. In the 21st century, America will remain strong if it uses every technological opportunity at its disposal.

How to describe the Trump-Putin relationship?

Vladimir Putin respects Donald Trump more than Joe Biden. Or rather: Putin fears Trump more than Biden. Moreover, since he arrived at the Kremlin in 1999, Vladimir Putin has invaded countries under all American presidencies (Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden) except one, that of Donald Trump. In fact, the planet was a safer place under the latter’s first term. Those in Europe who complain about him should analyze the facts more objectively rather than focusing on his sometimes grandiloquent style.

Your advice to European leaders?

Call Trump more often! He loves it. I find it easier to speak to him directly than to contact members of his entourage. So call him out, even if you disagree with him and challenge his positions. He loves contradiction.