Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso made a strategic move by meeting with Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York as part of efforts to rebuild connections between Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the former U.S. president. Aso, who is currently serving as the vice president of the LDP, engaged in discussions with Trump, who expressed his respect for Aso and hinted at conversations regarding Japan-U.S. relations and other topics during the visit.
This meeting between Aso and Trump was significant, especially as Trump mulls over the possibility of challenging President Joe Biden in the upcoming election. Aso, who previously held positions such as deputy prime minister and finance minister under the government of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has a history of close interactions with Trump, including accompanying Abe on summit meetings and golf outings during Trump's presidency. Aso's visit to the United States to meet with Trump follows his earlier attempts to arrange a meeting with the former president, which did not materialize at that time. The meeting between Aso and Trump in New York came amidst Trump's ongoing hush-money trial related to the 2016 presidential election campaign, showing Aso's effort to engage with Trump amid the political landscape. Trump's recent engagements with global political figures like Aso, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, and Polish President Andrzej Duda are seen as part of his strategy to increase visibility and potential political support for possible future endeavors.