Not So Fast, Shinzo Abe! Trump’s Tricky Bromance With Japan’s PM
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe “was Trump before Trump,” Steven Bannon once said, and he probably was right. That may be why the bromance between these two leaders has seemed to survive, while President Donald Trump’s other bromances have all burned out faster than an engagement to Ariana Grande. French President Emmanuel Macron was practically jilted.
But it is often a one-sided relationship between Shinzo and Donald, with Donald leaving Shinzo in the dust, or the sand-trap, if you will. Trump is the master and Abe is the clever lap-dog, but capable of human speech. Still, Abe’s apple-polishing, lavish gift-giving (gold-plated golf clubs, etc.), and kissing Trump’s Sumo-sized ass seem to have helped Japan avoid a trade-war with the U.S. for the moment.
Now that Trump has wrapped up his visit after a largely ceremonial sojourn, if Abe pursues his ambitions to be a peace broker between Iran and the U.S., little Shinzo may find that he is on a very short leash.
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