President Nicușor Dan’s trip to Washington is the most watched and commented foreign policy action of his term.
There are numerous controversies surrounding the event. Donald Trump, with a low public approval rating, is heavily affected by the Epstein scandal.
The Peace Council he founded is viewed with suspicion by many important leaders from Europe and around the world, especially those of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
The decision of the Romanian president to participate in this council has generated many criticisms from experts in the country.
Additionally, Nicușor Dan's mode of travel to Washington sparked discussions, as he flew on a private plane, rented from a company owned by billionaire Ion Țiriac. The operation reminded of the luxurious trips of Klaus Iohannis, which have damaged his popularity in the latter half of his second presidential term.
From the perspective of the goals he set, Nicușor Dan can consider the visit a success.
He caught the attention of Donald Trump, who introduced him at the conference, complimenting Romanians and calling him prime minister. The American president often mistakes the names, positions, and countries of the leaders he comes in contact with.
The Romanian president delivered a speech and engaged with top representatives from the participating states in the Peace Council.
- Peace Council: Trump talked about "Prime Minister" Dan and "fantastic" Romanians
- Romania's Offer. What Nicușor Dan proposed to Donald Trump at the Peace Council (Video)
- Nicușor Dan received a MAGA hat from Rubio, but they only discussed "polite matters." What he says about Trump's gaffe towards him (Video)
- Nicușor Dan explains why he didn't go to Davos and Munich, but chose Trump's Council
Nicușor Dan says he can rebuild the police in Gaza
"...Mr. President Trump, thank you for convening this very important meeting and for your involvement and leadership in the Gaza peace plan, a comprehensive and stable peace plan, as well as for your efforts and results in other parts of the world," said the President of Romania in his speech.
"...I believe that most importantly, we also have a certain expertise, we can help in the reconstruction of institutions, such as the police, justice, public administration. We have done this in other parts of the world, so we have a certain expertise. We can contribute with experts, with trainers," Nicușor Dan added.
The above excerpt from the speech could backfire on him. Referring to the experience regarding the reconstruction of institutions - police, justice - in other countries has a negative echo for public opinion in Romania, with a large portion of citizens dissatisfied with how these institutions function in the country.
Nicușor Dan and those who wrote his speech have spoken of the sword hanging over the heads, as they say.
For now, it's hard to say what political effects the trip to Washington will have on the president's term. However, it can be observed that through the visit to the US, the head of state has managed to capture the attention of the entire nation.
Without peace and security, there can be no prosperity for our citizens. In this regard, Romania supports the efforts of the US and the international community to resolve global conflicts, including in the Middle East, and our presence as an observer in the Peace Council allows us to be part of the discussions and negotiations...
Nicușor Dan, President of Romania, speech at the Peace Council, Washington, USA
Supporters of Călin Georgescu and AUR hoped that Donald Trump or J.D. Vance would make references to the annulled elections of November 2024. A series of conspiracy messages have circulated on social networks in recent days.
On the other hand, many of Nicușor Dan's voters have shown disagreement with the diplomatic move of the Cotroceni Palace, considering it a mistake and a sign of weakness for Romania.
Certainly, in these days, our country does not have the power to remain indifferent to the cooling of diplomatic relations with the US. Therefore, Nicușor Dan's decision is a calculated risk, which may turn into a mistake over time, especially if Donald Trump loses influence or a more serious situation arises.
The President's Political Strategy
On the other hand, the hybrid warfare waged by Russia against Romania in recent years has surprisingly created a somewhat favorable opinion towards Vladimir Putin.
Only "54.9% of those surveyed believe that Russia is guilty of triggering the war (compared to 71.2% in May 2022 and 49.8% in November 2023)," according to a sociological study conducted by INSCOP.
Caught in this vortex of opinions and opposing positions, Nicușor Dan seeks to build his own political platform to avoid losing USR's support, counting on a sentimental connection with the party he founded, while also aiming to attract a segment of more moderate, religious, and patriotic AUR voters from the middle class who have fallen into the trap of the populism promoted intensively by George Simion and his party members.
It's a difficult, complicated project that has little chance of success unless institutional measures are taken to deter hybrid attacks.
The political development of AUR has relied to a large extent on manipulating social networks by operators and entities interested in creating a strong, anti-European party friendly to Moscow in Romania.
Nicușor Dan cannot adopt a populist attitude similar to George Simion's. He cannot be as noisy and with such an aggressive discourse. His personality is introverted, his messages are based on rational, boring constructions. His way of communicating is not bombastic, spectacular, or sensational.
The Strategic Partnership Remains Adrift
The current president hopes to achieve a political coalition solely through actions like the visit to the US, through positions or decisions such as the one regarding the extremism law he refused to promulgate, and by expanding the role of mediator, as provided in the Constitution, as seen in the discussions with magistrates hosted at the Cotroceni Palace.
Nicușor Dan's visit to the US conveys to the Romanian public that the strategic partnership has remained adrift after a period of uncertainty, that the American administration cares little about Georgescu or Simion, and that Trump's supporters in Romania would do well to join the president's political camp.
In this complicated equation with many unknowns, one is decisive: What will Nicușor Dan's voters, those who sent him to the Cotroceni Palace, do? Many of them show signs of unhappiness.