The incoming Trump administration will likely adopt a more zero-sum approach to countering Chinese influence in sub-Saharan Africa that could find some success with close U.S. partners and resource-rich countries but will risk backfiring with many African states, which could in turn enable China to reinforce its influence on the continent. Since U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's victory in the Nov. 5 election, most African leaders have extended their congratulations and expressed their intent to continue strengthening bilateral ties with the incoming administration. However, these diplomatic overtures come amid broader concerns in many African capitals about Trump's return to the White House, as African leaders brace for renewed unpredictability in their relations with the United States. Moreover, Trump's first term was characterized by a deprioritization of U.S. outreach to Africa, derogatory comments by Trump regarding African countries, as well as a more transactional approach focused on countering Chinese and Russian influence...
