Former President Donald Trump, currently facing a criminal hush money trial, hosted former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso at Trump Tower in New York. The meeting, which was disclosed by anonymous sources, is part of a recent string of engagements Trump has had with foreign leaders. These meetings highlight Trump’s continued international influence despite the ongoing legal challenges he faces.
Taro Aso, the former Japanese Prime Minister, is the vice president of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party and has served as deputy prime minister and finance minister under the late Shinzo Abe, with whom Trump shared a close relationship. The meeting with Aso comes after Trump’s recent encounters with Polish President Andrzej Duda, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Trump’s meeting with Aso is particularly noteworthy given his past threats to impose broad new tariffs if elected to a second term. Earlier Tuesday morning, he took to his Truth Social platform to express his concerns about the rising value of the U.S. dollar against the Japanese yen, labeling it “a total disaster for the United States.” The strengthening of the dollar has made it more expensive for Japan to import goods, while benefiting its exports.
While President Joe Biden recently hosted Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House for talks and a state dinner, Trump’s meeting with Aso suggests his continued engagement with Japan. The meeting underscores the ongoing importance of U.S.-Japan relations, particularly in light of shared concerns about North Korea’s nuclear program and China’s growing military assertiveness in the Pacific.
