Barack Obama Warns of the Rise of 'Raw Nationalism' in the World

On Tuesday, November 16, during his first stop on his final foreign trip in Greece, U.S. President Barack Obama warned about the rise of 'raw nationalism' globally, while stating that world leaders must address the economic concerns of the people. In a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Obama stated, 'We must take a stand against the emergence of a type of immature nationalism or ethnic identity or tribalism that forms around 'us' and 'them.' He referred to Donald Trump's victory, saying that world leaders must pay attention to the real fears of people regarding inequality and exclusion from the global economy. The U.S. President said, 'The more effectively and decisively we address these issues, the less likely these fears will be directed towards unconstructive policies that may pit people against each other.' According to the Associated Press, Obama mentioned that Trump's election victory and the positive vote for Brexit reflect the necessity to take seriously 'the fear that people have that their children will not have a life as good as theirs.' He expressed doubts about the 'proposed solutions' to address the discontent and anger reflected in the U.S. elections and defended his eight-year record, stating that they had decisively tackled economic challenges and 'there is no doubt that the economic situation in America is much better today.' He added that some of the slogans raised during the U.S. elections are 'very concerning and do not necessarily relate to reality.' The Greek Prime Minister also stated that he prefers not to criticize Trump quickly, unlike some European leaders, and added that Trump's approach as President will likely differ from his 'confrontational positions' during the campaign. He predicted that in the short term, 'there will not be significant changes in the relations between the European Union and Greece with the U.S.' Obama also assured Greek leaders about America's commitment to NATO, stating that both Democrats and Republicans understand the importance of this alliance. Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos thanked Obama for his support of the Greek people during the economic crisis and expressed confidence that 'Donald Trump will continue this approach.' Trump's election victory has raised significant concerns among European leaders, especially given his comments about the possibility of the U.S. withdrawing from NATO. Obama's assurances regarding NATO's importance are an attempt to alleviate concerns about the future of the alliance, but it is unclear how effective they will be, as Obama had previously assured world leaders in private and public discussions that Trump would not win. This is the first visit by a U.S. President to Greece since 1999. During this two-day visit, strict security measures were implemented in Greece. Anarchist and leftist groups protested against Obama's visit on Tuesday afternoon, and an armed anarchist group promoted 'attacking and creating conflict' during this visit. Obama is scheduled to visit the Acropolis on Wednesday and will speak about democracy and globalization. He will then travel to Berlin and from there to Peru.