The 2016 U.S. presidential election has been the cause of countless controversies in respect to the infamous businessman, politician, and TV personality, Donald Trump. Trump, notorious for his wild facial expressions and flagrant choice of verbiage, has undeniably earned his share of the spotlight. Often described as a man with a flare for the dramatic, he is thought to also perpetuate a sense of egotistical reverence towards himself and by doing so he simultaneously shows a complete disregard for others, namely those who belong to minorities or lower socioeconomic classes. It is without a doubt that the majority of Americans are familiar with the persona that Trump displays and its surrounding skepticism; however, the majority of Americans are not familiar with his reputation around the globe. Trump, although the center of attention in the United States, has also been the topic of discussion for many people living internationally.

The majority of people across the world share a similar opinion in regards to Trump: he is a narrow-minded, ignorant politician who along with discriminating against and maintaining a certain air of prejudice towards those of other cultural backgrounds, cannot be taken seriously. According to Paul Thomas from the New Zealand Herald, who explores the extent of Republican semantics in his July article, “Trump personifies everything the rest of the world despises about America: casual racism, crass materialism, relentless self-aggrandizement, vulgarity on an epic scale.” Thailand’s The Nation published an article sharing similar sentiments: “Few things are more frightening than the thought of Donald Trump being president of the US.” Both articles, which are representative of several international articles published as of late, highlight a common theme: Trump would be the cause of irrevocable damage if elected into office.

Nonetheless, there are those who consider themselves diehard supporters of the Republican candidate. Vladimir Putin, current President of Russia, told journalists, “He is a bright and talented person without any doubt. He is the absolute leader of the presidential race.”

Korea Times agreed, “But say this for Donald Trump: He is a brilliant salesman. It is a useful talent to have in politics. The man himself may have had his share of financial and professional challenges, but the Trump name endures as a distinctively American brand of gaudy luxury.” Student Hanna Streitzel shared, “In Germany he is mostly popular for is risky statements and his opinion about immigrants. There are some supporters, but… I think his success is more based on entertaining attributes than his politics.” As stated by the aforementioned sources, some view Trump as the risk-taker who dreams big and can make America a success again. He embodies wealth, power, and confidence, some of the few attributes that the rest of the world respects about the U.S.

Regardless of how he is received by others, Trump continues to command the attention of large audiences globally. Although the vast majority of the world agrees that Trump is a pompous politician with a dramatic edge, there are some who regard Trump as a modern-day representation of the American dream.