MILWAUKEE — The Republican National Convention is attracting media coverage from around the world. If you walk anywhere near the RNC security zone, you will find journalists writing or reporting on television in a variety of languages.
Ryan Roberts, Director of the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Press Centers, told Spectrum News about 110 international journalists have used their press center. Many others are also on site at the RNC, though exact number is difficult to obtain.
The global impact of the RNC and the potential of a second Trump presidency seem to be driving forces behind the level of coverage from around the globe.
Pearl Matibe lives in Washington D.C. but writes for a number of newspapers in Africa. Matibe is a native of Zimbabwe and South Africa. Matibe said her readers in Africa are interested in the ever-changing political landscape in the U.S.
“The Trump political campaign has been evolving and the implications of the charges President Trump has been facing, anything to do with Trump, is very interesting to them,” said Matibe. "“From sort of the think-tank world, they would be looking to see what might a future return to the White House of a Trump administration look like should Biden not win the election?”
Guillaume Lavoie is a Quebec-based journalist, covering the convention for Canadian radio. He said the convention and upcoming election makes headlines on both sides of the border.
“U.S. news is news everywhere in the world,” Lavoie said.
Lavoie said there are a variety of reasons why U.S. politics resonate so much for his listeners.
“In Canada, there is the serious side of things, we are the number one trading partner, tariffs on Canadian products, be it aluminum or electricity or lumber is a huge issue, and that is normal. There is also the fun side of it, it (the election) is big, boisterous, a lot of money in American politics, way more than Canadian politics,” said Lavoie.
The high number of journalists makes it clear that a uniquely American convention resonates around the globe.