Donald Trump campaigned on protectionist policies to favour Americans.
Photo: AFP / Jim Watsonn
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is warning against jumping to conclusions about Trump policies that might affect New Zealand.
Republican Donald Trump was projected to win the US election and had spoken on the campaign trail promising trade tariffs and protectionist policies to favour American manufacturers and farmers.
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Luxon congratulated Trump on a “comprehensive win”.
“I look forward to working with him and advancing the interests of our great countries.
“I know both sides of the aisle in Washington… I’ve got no doubt we’ll do everything we can to work constructively to move forward together.”
Asked about Trump’s campaigning on trade tariffs which could be bad for New Zealand, Luxon said we needed to wait and see what policies were actually introduced.
“This is the American people having a free and fair election, selecting a president.”
It was the government’s job to work with that person and Luxon had “every confidence” they would do that well, he said.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters told RNZ’s Midday Report that New Zealand’s diplomats were not surprised by the result and were ready to “hit the ground running”.
Peters offered his congratulations to Trump on X, formerly Twitter, yesterday, saying the two countries’ relationship would go from strength to strength.
He told RNZ the government would seek to make progress with the new administration across “a multitude of issues”.
“They are to do with trade, they are to do with a better relationship… we work in cooperation with every country we possibly can.”
Asked about the prospect of tariffs being slapped on exports into the US, Peters said the government was “prepared for that” but would make efforts to improve trading arrangements.
“We came so close (to securing a free trade deal) last time that I think we’ve got good grounds to pick up where we left off.”
Peters said New Zealand’s ambassador in Washington Rosemary Banks also held the role during Trump’s last term and so had “close links” with the Republican Party.
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