About Trump fans: SPD politician Hakverdi at the Republican Party Convention

interview

Mr. Hakverdi, you are at the Republican Party Convention in Milwaukee. Why do you put yourself through the multi-day Trump festival?
To have discussions, to deepen existing networks and to establish new ones. I want to get an impression of the Trump movement. Who are our contacts if Trump is re-elected as US President? That is not a desirable scenario, but foreign policy is not a fun event. We have to cultivate German-American relations.

To put it bluntly: How comfortable do you feel as a social democrat among rows of right-wing populists – who Germany could become quite important?
In fact, I am the only SPD member of parliament here. But there are also nice people at the party conference who understand something about international politics – and not just irradiated Trumpists. But of course there are those too. It is clear that I don’t have to have a political debate with them. Nevertheless, I try to talk to as many people as possible in order to understand what drives them and what fascinates them so much about Trump. These conversations are not easy, but they are important.

Who exactly are you talking to – and why?
We don’t know who could become a minister in a Trump cabinet. But there are many Republicans at this convention who are hoping to get a position on his team – and I’m talking to them. For example, with Elbridge A. Colby, who is being considered as Secretary of Defense in a Trump cabinet. Here you can feel the pulse of the Trumpists like nowhere else.

So you want to be better prepared than you were when Trump won his first election in 2016. What did German politics neglect back then?
We are already much more connected today than we were in 2016. In recent years, we have greatly intensified our contacts in US politics, including in the states. We have learned this lesson. Would that make us better prepared for a second term? I cannot tell you. Trump is and remains an erratic, unpredictable man. Even good contacts are of no use in this case.

“There is no guarantee with Trump”

Keyword: erratic. What do you see happening if Trump becomes president again?
I try to approach the idea by seeing Trump as what he once was: a real estate agent from New York. A businessman who seeks his own advantage. Not interested in partnerships, alliances or value-based cooperation, at least not primarily. Trump wants to benefit from deals, from a transaction. So we need to do two things.

Namely?
Firstly, we need to have a good product – to stay with the metaphor. Secondly, we need a good negotiating position. For us, this means, in a figurative sense, that Germany and Europe must act as a strong voice so that we can convince Trump, for example, why aid to Ukraine must not be stopped.

You think this will work?
That will be the trick. There are no guarantees with Trump. In foreign and security policy, erratic decisions, for which he is notorious, are always problematic. But I believe that we can at least contain this situation a little by not forgetting the businessman in him and actively addressing him.

What chances do you give Trump of returning to the Oval Office?
It is far too early to say. We don’t even know who the Democratic candidate is: Joe Biden has not yet been officially chosen as the presidential candidate, so a lot can still happen. Moreover, according to the current figures, the race is quite close. If it stays that way, a few thousand votes in one of the contested states – the so-called swing states – will probably decide who wins the race.

What do you expect from Trump’s speech on Thursday?
I recently sat down with leading Republicans who, like you and I, can only speculate. Virtually nothing has leaked out from the Trump team. But two things are expected. First: a long speech, around an hour and a half. Second: a more moderate, conciliatory speech. At least that’s what my interlocutors told me. I think it will turn out differently.

Why?
Trump’s candidate for the vice presidency, JD Vance, is a very talented rhetorician and agitator. A speaker who can inspire an audience. He will also speak at the convention, before Trump. I cannot imagine that Trump will hold back after his vice candidate has whipped up the crowd and sent them into a frenzy of cheers. If Trump does moderate his tone, he will be back to his old self after the convention. Then he will be on the campaign trail in Michigan. The man will not change.