Why world leaders are calling Trump on his mobile phone

POLITICO reports that this style of communication has continued into the second cadence, with heads of state now increasingly choosing to call and text Trump to maintain good relations and address important issues.

A source close to the administration notes: "Trump talks to leaders far more often than is commonly thought. Often the conversations are about specific matters, but often move into more personal and informal conversations."

Such interlocutors include French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with whom Trump is set to play golf in Scotland.

In addition to business matters, these contacts often become a platform for a kind of "bro-bonding." For example, witnesses recall how, during phone conversations, Trump stretches the French leader's name: "Emmanuel", to which Macron responds with an equally friendly pull of "Donaldddddd". European officials say such directness facilitates co-operation and helps them reach mutual understanding on difficult issues.

A fresh example is June's NATO summit in the Netherlands, after which Trump unexpectedly softened his stance on the alliance, praising his colleagues as "great leaders." Soon after, he agreed to increase military aid to Ukraine on the condition that Europe would shoulder the financial burden.

Europeans are not the only ones adapting to the new style of communication: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, despite his tough pre-election statements, on the advice of Senator Kevin Kramer, directly contacted Trump by phone - and quickly resolved contentious issues.

And British Prime Minister Keir Starmer uses WhatsApp for informal talks, including on Ukrainian issues.

Contacts are not limited to the initiative of foreign leaders. Trump himself is also often the first to get in touch with a Saudi prince, Starmer or Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Once, in the midst of a dinner with Trump's spokesman Mark Burnett, Prime Minister Starmer received a call from the president right at the table, which was immortalised in a US embassy photo.

The high pace of personal diplomacy is also confirmed by the White House press office: according to Deputy Press Secretary Anne Kelly, "President Trump has remarkable relationships with world leaders, which is why he has already held 23 bilateral meetings in six months."

However, such an informal approach has a downside: the Finnish president even flew to Florida to play golf with Trump to strengthen ties, and some participants in the correspondence were surprised when the American leader published their private messages on his social networks.

For many leaders, especially those like Macron, the accumulated personal experience with Trump allows them to negotiate both on equal footing and with greater persistence. But most prefer to build relationships on loyalty and attempts to endear the American president to them - whether through compliments, gifts or invitations to state dinners.