Exclusive — Ambassador Monica Crowley on Trump Diplomacy: World Leaders ‘Appreciate a Strong President’

Ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month, Ambassador Monica Crowley said Wednesday that foreign leaders value Trump’s direct approach to diplomacy and understand clearly where the United States stands under his leadership.

During Breitbart News’s Wednesday policy event titled “Celebrating American Greatness,” Crowley addressed Trump’s planned May meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and argued that the president enters the talks from a position of strength.

“He does hold all of the cards going into this meeting,” Crowley said. “That’s exactly where you want the American president to be going into a serious conversation over the course of two days with Xi Jinping, because he is realigning the entire global power structure.”

Crowley said Xi recognizes Trump’s position heading into the talks.

“Xi Jinping understands that as well, and that is why you have not seen a lot of agitation or complication coming out of Beijing with regard to what we are doing around the world, not just in the Middle East with Iran, but Venezuela, etc.,” she said. “You have not seen Xi Jinping openly complain about it or try to retaliate in any way.”

Trump announced in March that he planned to meet with Xi in Beijing on May 14 and 15 after previously saying his administration requested delaying the meeting “for a month or so” because of the ongoing Iran war. In a Truth Social post at the time, Trump said he looked forward to “spending time with” Xi and described the visit as a “Monumental Event.” Trump also said he and First Lady Melania Trump would later host Xi and his wife, Madame Peng Liyuan, in Washington, DC.

Crowley, who serves as chief of protocol, also spoke about her interactions with foreign leaders before, during, and after meetings with Trump.

“I will tell you, to a person, these leaders, even when there are serious policy, political, and ideological differences with him, his administration, and with America, they all appreciate a strong American president because they understand exactly where they stand with him and with this country,” Crowley said.

She said Trump’s direct communication style provides clarity for foreign leaders.

“President Trump does not leave a question mark over anything,” Crowley said. “He tells you exactly what he believes, exactly where he stands, and he will tell you the truth.”

Crowley continued by praising Trump’s candor in office.

“President Trump is, dare I say, apart from George Washington and maybe Abraham Lincoln, the most honest president we have ever had,” she said. “Now, you may not like what he’s telling you. The truth hurts. Sometimes truth can be really brutal. Sometimes, we all know that to be true. You may not like what he’s saying. You may not like the way he’s telling you the truth, but he will always tell you the truth.”

“And every leader around the world, whether it’s President Putin or President Xi Jinping, they all understand President Trump, and they know exactly where they stand with regard to him,” she added.