Trump normalizes foreign election intervention ahead of 2020

[DonViejo]

Analysis: By jumping into the domestic politics of other countries, Trump appears to give a 'green light' to foreigners who want to influence his re-election effort.

June 3, 2019, 2:58 PM EDT

By Jonathan Allen

LONDON — When President Donald Trump endorsed Boris Johnson for prime minister of the United Kingdom over the weekend, it wasn't the first time he'd thrust himself into another nation's domestic political affairs.

Earlier this year, Trump rushed to recognize Israel's claim to the Golan Heights region as part of an apparent campaign to support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's re-election effort.

And ever since taking office, he's been a frequent commentator on the strengths and weaknesses of foreign leaders, sometimes using his bully pulpit to undermine them at critical junctures — as he did by poor-mouthing British Prime Minister Theresa May's "Brexit" plan last summer just as she was unveiling it.

On one level, Trump's brash lobbying in foreign countries is just another case of norm-busting for a president who often rejects the niceties of both domestic and international politics. But at a deeper level, Trump's moves help normalize a practice that helped him win in 2016 and could advance his cause as he seeks re-election in 2020.

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https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-normalizes-foreign-election-intervention-ahead-2020-n1013091?cid=public-rss_20190603