The Financial Comet
  • Business
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Investing
  • Business
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Investing

The Financial Comet

Politics

Fairways, friendship and a $6 billion deal: How Finland’s president found a partner in Trump

by admin October 10, 2025
October 10, 2025
Fairways, friendship and a $6 billion deal: How Finland’s president found a partner in Trump

When President Donald Trump and Finnish President Alexander Stubb sealed their latest trade agreement on Thursday, it wasn’t just a handshake for 11 rugged ships. 

It was another sign of a friendship that’s quickly turning into strategy.

Where other European leaders have tried to win Trump’s respect through policy and persuasion, Stubb chose the fairway. In March, the Finnish president — once a national golf team player — turned up at Mar-a-Lago not with briefing notes, but with clubs, challenging Trump to a round and earning something rarer than a trade deal: rapport.

Presentation matters to Trump, and Stubb — 6-foot-3, fit and sharply dressed in a double-breasted coat — seemed to meet the moment. When the two last met at the White House in August, Trump told him he ‘looked better than ever’ and introduced him as ‘a young, powerful man.’

That personal chemistry, maintained through frequent text exchanges, has quietly opened doors for the Finnish president, a longtime marathoner and triathlete with a competitive streak. What’s more, it’s translating into real policy — from defense contracts to Arctic cooperation — elevating the once-quiet Nordic nation to new prominence in Washington.

It’s an unlikely rise for a country better known for saunas and serenity than for summits. Stubb hails from a nation of 5.6 million that routinely tops the world’s happiness index, where forests blanket nearly 75% of the land and lakes glint by the hundreds of thousands.

Finland — slightly smaller than the state of Montana and wedged between Sweden and Russia — has long had its security outlook shaped by geography, a position that now places it on the front line of NATO and Arctic strategy.

The trade deal signed Thursday, for 11 ships valued at roughly $6.1 billion, is the latest sign of how that alignment is taking shape. Under the deal Trump approved, three of the ships will be built by Davie in Galveston, Texas, and four by Bollinger Shipyards in Houma, Louisiana, a setup that aligns with his ‘Made in America’ credo and emphasis on creating U.S. jobs, injecting billions of dollars into the maritime industrial base.

And when it comes to icebreakers, Helsinki is firmly in its element: Finnish companies design roughly 80% of the world’s fleet.

Finland’s expertise has made it more than just a supplier. It’s turned Helsinki into a trusted player in Trump’s Arctic strategy, a region increasingly defined by military competition with Russia and China, melting sea routes and access to critical minerals.

That partnership cuts both ways. For Finland, the agreement deepens defense cooperation with the U.S. and elevates it from NATO newcomer to strategic partner, a bridge linking Washington to the fast-changing Arctic frontier.

‘We are very pleased with the fact that we have so much training going on with American soldiers right now. They are getting experience from our Arctic conditions, and we are integrating our militaries together,’ Stubb said during a meeting in the Oval Office Thursday. 

For now, Stubb’s rapport with Trump has turned the fairway into a diplomatic fast track. Whether that personal chemistry endures amid shifting politics remains to be seen, but, for Finland, the gains are already tangible. 

Stubb has learned what some other global counterparts haven’t. With Trump, a well-timed drive can travel farther than any policy memo. And, so far, that lesson is paying off for both men.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

previous post
Senate advances 2026 defense bill after weeks of delay as shutdown drags on
next post
Top insurance CEO in the hot seat after scathing ad campaign exposes China ties

Related Posts

Trump foe Letitia James leading charge on new...

May 6, 2025

Soros v Trump: Socialists targets conservatives in upcoming...

April 17, 2025

GOP triggers nuclear option in Senate to break...

September 12, 2025

LGBT activists mobilize to challenge Trump’s ‘extreme gender...

February 2, 2025

Former Iraqi refugee living in Texas pleads guilty...

March 11, 2025

Jasmine Crockett rips Trump ‘regime,’ vows ‘solidarity’ with...

July 12, 2025

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee indicates US...

June 20, 2025

Department of Justice freezes all civil rights division...

January 23, 2025

JD Vance honors his mother at White House...

April 8, 2025

Trump teases running for a third term: ‘Not...

March 31, 2025

    Join our mailing list to get access to special deals, promotions, and insider information. Your exclusive benefits await! Enjoy personalized recommendations, first dibs on sales, and members-only content that makes you feel like a true VIP. Sign up now and start saving!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Editors’ Picks

    • 1

      Trump re-designates Iranian-backed Houthis as terrorists: ‘Threaten[s] security of American civilians’

      January 23, 2025
    • 2

      DeepSeek hit with large-scale cyberattack, says it’s limiting registrations

      January 28, 2025
    • 3

      Universal’s ‘Wicked: For Good’ creates a unique marketing challenge

      January 27, 2025
    • 4

      UnitedHealthcare taps company veteran Tim Noel as new CEO following Brian Thompson killing

      January 27, 2025
    • 5

      Bank of America CEO says financial industry will jump into crypto payments if regulators allow it

      January 23, 2025
    • 6

      FDA officially authorizes Zyn nicotine pouches for sale following health review

      January 23, 2025
    • 7

      Lara Trump to host weekend show on Fox News

      February 7, 2025
    • About us
    • Contacts
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Email Whitelisting

    Disclaimer: thefinancialcomet.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.


    Copyright © 2025 thefinancialcomet.com | All Rights Reserved