"The Ugly American," was a 1963 Marlon Brando movie about an American diplomat who travels to a foreign country on the brink of civil war and is only able to perceive the matter in its most simplistic, black and white terms, as a struggle between communism v. democracy. After the release of the movie the term "ugly American" acquired a secondary meaning, and is defined in the dictionary as "an American who behaves offensively when abroad," offensively in this context meaning behaving in a loud, arrogant, ignorant and ethnocentric manner, somebody who might shout for a Big Mac in Bejing. Does this sound like anyone we know?
The New York Times wrote about diplomats preparing for Donald Trump's first trip abroad as president:
After four months of interactions between Mr. Trump and his counterparts, foreign officials and their Washington consultants say certain rules have emerged: Keep it short — no 30-minute monologue for a 30-second attention span. Do not assume he knows the history of the country or its major points of contention. Compliment him on his Electoral College victory. Contrast him favorably with President Barack Obama. Do not get hung up on whatever was said during the campaign. Stay in regular touch. Do not go in with a shopping list but bring some sort of deal he can call a victory.
“If you were prepping people for Donald Trump, the two or three points would be: one, bear in mind this is still a guy who focuses on wins,” Peter Westmacott, a former British ambassador to the United States, said. “He likes to have wins for America and wins for himself from bilateral meetings.”
“Secondly,” he continued, “he is a deal maker, a pragmatist. Third, this is a guy with a limited attention span. He absolutely won’t want to listen to visitors droning on for a half-hour — or longer if they need an interpreter.”
PoliticusUSA had a great take on these "diplomatic guidelines:"
Trump can only handle one point in a very short conversation, and he needs his ego flattered and a slide show.
Donald Trump’s trip isn’t an international visit overseas by a president. It is a global babysitting operation to give American a break for its perpetually needy, corrupt, and scandal-plagued toddler.
The White House’s “rules” for meeting Trump aren’t diplomatic guidelines for international diplomacy. They are a list you leave on the fridge for the babysitter before you both head out to catch a movie.
In the movie "The Ugly American" the title character, played by Marlon Brando, has no sense of discretion and discusses strategy with a Chinese friend in front of the man's servants. Of course, it turns out that the servants give all of the information to the Russians.
Hollywood once again has presaged a Donald Trump-like character in "The Ugly American," which was a highly controversial book due to its theme of governmental incompetence. Not for the first time in the Trump administration, life is imitating art.