Poland's Right-Wing Leadership Excited for Trump Visit

He'll likely get a warm welcome from populist government
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 5, 2017 11:22 AM CDT
What to Expect From Trump's Stopover in Poland
President Trump waves as he boards Air Force One with first lady Melania Trump for a trip to Poland and Germany on Wednesday at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.   (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The G20 summit may not be much fun for Donald Trump, what with the angry protesters making noise between his possibly difficult meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin. But he'll have a bit of a buffer beforehand as he first visits Poland, where he's expected to receive a warm welcome from the country's right-wing, populist government when he arrives late Wednesday, reports the BBC. It's no surprise why: The governing Law and Justice Party is in line with the Trump administration on major issues, "from immigration to global warming and coal mining," reports the New York Times. The party also sees Trump's visit as "tacit approval for its policies," which have been heavily criticized by the European Union, per USA Today.

While Poland is taking a conservative approach to abortion and gay rights, it's the country's apparent attempts to curb opposition—by using state-owned media as a government puppet and pushing a law that would alter how judges are selected—that have most irked critics. To prevent an assumption of Trump's endorsement, critics hope Trump will reference these concerns during a speech in Warsaw on Thursday. So far, however, there's no indication he will. National Security Adviser HR McMaster says Trump will "celebrate Poland's emergence as a European power" and discuss "America's future relationship with Europe." Also Thursday, Trump will meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda and other Central European leaders at the Three Seas Initiative summit. (More Donald Trump stories.)

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