Overview

• Gabon’s President Brice Oligui Nguema and Mauritanian leader Mohamed Ould Ghazouani formally nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize this week following Pakistan’s similar bid in June.
• Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva responded to a threatened 50 percent U.S. tariff with matching duties and framed the dispute as a defense of national sovereignty.
• Diplomats from at least six nations have shared best practices to strike the right balance between ego-boosting gestures and measured pushback during Oval Office meetings.
• Petro-wealthy Gulf states continue to deploy lavish gifts, red-carpet welcomes and investment deals to capitalize on Trump’s preference for family-style governance.
• Analysts warn that leaders who confront Trump directly risk punitive consequences, driving a fierce competition to flatter the president more effectively.