In a stark departure from historical norms, former U.S. President Donald Trump has engaged in a pattern of openly attempting to sway the outcomes of foreign elections, a practice experts describe as unprecedented for a modern American leader.
A New Era of Overt Influence
While the United States has a long and complex history of influencing political events abroad, traditionally through covert operations or diplomatic pressure, Trump's approach has been remarkably brazen. He has utilized public statements and his social media platform, Truth Social, to directly endorse preferred candidates, moving far beyond the shadowy realm of intelligence agency plots.
"I cannot think of a time when a U.S. president was willing to just openly state his preferences in foreign elections in this way, at least in modern history," stated Thomas Carothers, an expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. This shift represents a fundamental change in how American political power is projected onto the global electoral stage.
Campaigning in Latin America and Europe
Trump's efforts have been particularly visible in Latin America, a region with a fraught history of U.S. intervention. His most recent foray involved the Honduran presidential election. On Truth Social, he endorsed right-wing candidate Nasry Asfura, calling him "the only real friend of Freedom" and promising to collaborate. Asfura held a narrow lead following the vote on Sunday, November 30, 2025.
This follows a series of interventions across the continent. Trump's Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has publicly dismissed Colombia's left-wing President Gustavo Petro as a "lunatic." The administration also imposed sanctions on a Brazilian judge who prosecuted former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. In Argentina, Trump tied a promised $20 billion in economic support to the success of President Javier Milei's party in legislative elections, which it ultimately won.
"It's a consistent attempt to influence the politics, to reinforce what I think they see as already a shift towards the right that's gaining force across the region," analyzed Will Freeman, a Latin America specialist at the Council on Foreign Relations. In Venezuela, where no imminent election exists, Trump has even suggested using U.S. military force to remove leader Nicolas Maduro.
Extending Reach to European Polls
The strategy is not confined to the Western Hemisphere. Trump's team has also actively worked to tip scales in Europe. During a visit to Poland, his Homeland Security Chief, Kristi Noem, openly endorsed conservative presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, who subsequently won the election.
While an attempt to boost a far-right ally in Romania failed after a first-round vote was annulled, the pattern continued. Vice President JD Vance criticized German restrictions on the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Trump and his aides have also praised British anti-migrant figure Nigel Farage and criticized a French court ruling against far-right leader Marine Le Pen.
This open meddling occurs alongside accusations from the Trump administration itself. In November, it complained of foreign interference by Canada after the Ontario government funded anti-tariff advertisements in select U.S. states, highlighting the complex and often contradictory nature of modern electoral influence campaigns.
The cumulative effect of these actions marks a significant and troubling evolution in international relations, where the line between diplomatic preference and direct electoral interference has been boldly erased by a former U.S. president.
