The two leaders used the phone conversation to deliberate on the strengthening of bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest
President William Ruto held a phone conversation with Donald Trump, President-elect of the United States (US) whereby he congratulated Trump on securing a second non-consecutive term at the White House.
Ahead of Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025, the two leaders used the phone conversation to deliberate on the strengthening of bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest, the latter key in maintaining Kenya’s 60-year-old relations with the US.
“I have had a telephone conversation with US President-Elect Donald J. Trump. I congratulated him following his election as the 47th President of the United States of America,” Ruto announced on his social media platforms on Friday evening, November 8.
“We discussed areas of mutual interest that are of benefit to the citizens of our two countries, including trade and investment, security and good governance.”
Donald Trump speaking during a past campaign rally. /NPR
The call reinforced longstanding ties between Kenya and the U.S., with both leaders affirming their commitment to bolstering economic and security collaborations, particularly as Kenya seeks to expand trade and attract more American investment.
Both leaders expressed hope in advancing similar economic partnerships, a move that Ruto emphasized would help boost both nations’ economies and create opportunities for their citizens.
Further, as was the case during his earlier phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the matter on the deployment of Kenyan police officers to Haiti also featured in Ruto and Trump’s phone conversation.
The US Department of State in a statement had revealed that Ruto had thanked Blinken for Kenya’s continued leadership of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to Haiti as it works with its Haitian counterparts to restore peace and security to the Haitian people.
“I briefed President Trump on the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti and possible areas of cooperation with the US government on this important conflict resolution initiative,” Ruto added.
The MSS is a peacekeeping mission launched by Kenya with the support of the United Nations to address violence and instability in the Caribbean nation. Kenya’s involvement reflects its increasing role in global peace efforts, and Ruto invited the U.S. to explore potential areas of collaboration in this initiative.
Both the call with Trump and the discussions with Blinken reflect a renewed focus on the close Kenya-U.S. partnership, with leaders on both sides emphasizing their shared commitment to addressing regional and global challenges, from peacekeeping efforts to democratic governance and economic development.
Following the victory, Trump has held “probably” 70 phone conversations with world leaders congratulating him for being re-elected to the highest seat in the American nation. Among them included Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Congratulations flooded in from around the globe as it became clear that Trump established an unassailable lead over outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris, and after the former president surpassed the 270 electoral college vote threshold needed to secure another term in the White House.
Leaders, some of whom criticized Trump’s foreign policy during his first term, all appeared to take a conciliatory approach in congratulating the man who will be sworn in as America’s 47th president in the new year.
Collage of US President-elect Donald Trump and Kenya’s President William Ruto. /VIRAL TEA KE.PCS