For those who seemingly have everything, what might the leaders of the United States, Russia and China want for Christmas? Pool Photo by Allison Robbert/UPI |
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Dec. 26 (UPI) -- For those who seemingly have everything, what might the leaders of the United States, Russia and China want for Christmas, either under the tree or in huge empty stockings hung in Mar-a-Lago, the Kremlin and Beijing? Let's see. One might be surprised.
For U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, the first answer is easy. He already has Elon Musk, the world's richest man, as his Christmas bauble, so as an avid golfer with a questionable handicap, Trump would love to be gifted a major championship on the PGA tour. But which one?
The Masters Tournament is the golf championship co-founded by Bobby Jones and held at the course he designed in Augusta, Ga. Of its many champions, Jack Nicklaus winning a record sixth Green Jacket at age 46 might be the most famous. Trump, at age 78, would break all records. Wouldn't that be appealing?
The British Open could have double value. If played at Trump's Turnberry course in Scotland, he would become the first winner and owner of an Open course -- quite a feat. And the Claret Jug presented to the champion would have a place of honor at Mar-a-Lago, or rotated between the other courses he owns. Whether the U.S. Open or the PGA Championship would have as much appeal is unknown.
Regarding Russian president Vladimir Putin, the question of a personal gift is much more difficult to answer. Despite being an avid Judo expert, winning a championship has no allure to someone who has ordered over 100,000 of his comrades to die in the despicable war he started in Ukraine. While no one knows for sure, Putin might even be richer than Musk. He already has a personal bodyguard in his presidential protection force of at least 25,000, so security is not on his list.
There is only one gift that might satisfy Putin's ego. When meeting with foreign leaders, including Trump and Xi, Putin is often at a notable disadvantage -- height. For all the pomp and circumstance at these meetings, Putin has to feel insecure about this gap and how it might be perceived. Putin must lust for another three, four or five inches of vertical help. That is probably the greatest gift he could receive.
Less is known about Chinese leader Xi Jingping. In Xi's youth, his father's fall from grace and the aftermath could have derailed his career. Xi Zhongxun was a successful general and governor of Guangdong Province until the Cultural Revolution. Zhou Enlai later resurrected and rescued Xi's father from ignominy. Reversing the elder Xi's fall might be an appropriate gift.
Or perhaps annexing Taiwan as part of the People's Republic of China, a long-held aspiration since Chiang Kai-shek and his party retreated to that island in 1949 after losing the Chinese Civil War to Mao Zedong and the communists. Xi does not have any known passions for sports or hobbies. And his private life remains unknown.
As a student, Xi did travel to the United States and stay with an American family in Muscatine, Iowa. California might be the best place to look for a gift -- Disneyland has often been an attraction for communist leaders, including Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, who so wanted to visit and to his fury was denied. Ironically, Xi's father visited Disneyland during his 1980 trip to the United States and met Mickey Mouse.
This must be Xi's secret wish -- instead of visiting Microsoft during a visit to the U.S. west coast, the lure of Mickey and his brethren must be on his bucket list. So let's grant Xi a Christmas gift: free passes to Disneyland and a photo-op with Mickey Mouse. Would this relieve some tensions between the United States and China?
As Santa Claus prepares his sleigh for his midnight global trek, perhaps he can figure out how to deliver these gifts to Don, Vlad and Xi. Winning the Open is tricky at best. Adding several inches to Putin's stature would be a medical miracle. But gifting Xi access to the Disney empire would be a done deal.
Santa might come up with other gifts for Trump and Putin. If so, his imagination will be tested. But if Trump is interested in improving U.S.-China relations after taking office, he might invite Xi to see Disneyland as his father did. For someone who also has Greenland and the Panama Canal on his wish list, this is a no-brainer!
Harlan Ullman is UPI's Arnaud de Borchgrave Distinguished Columnist, a senior advisor at Washington's Atlantic Council, the prime author of "shock and awe" and author of "The Fifth Horseman and the New MAD: How Massive Attacks of Disruption Became the Looming Existential Danger to a Divided Nation and the World at Large." Follow him @harlankullman. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
