World reacts to Trump victory

Below is a smattering of reaction from leaders and ordinary people around the world to Donald Trump's stunning win.

Many leaders mouthed platitudes and soothing sentiments of congratulations.

Fox News:

"Russia is ready and wants to restore full-format relations with the United States. Let me repeat. We proceed from the fact that this will be an uneasy way but we're ready both to cover our part of the distance and do everything to return the Russian-U.S. relations to the steady development trajectory."

— Russian President Vladimir Putin

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"Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise. We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defense."

— British Prime Minister Theresa May

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"As a very successful businessman with extraordinary talents, you not only made a great contribution to the growth of the U.S. economy, but now as a strong leader, you have demonstrated your determination to lead the United States."

— Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

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"Congratulations to the new president of the United States Donald Trump and the American people, free!"

— France's populist, anti-immigrant politician Marine Le Pen

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"Germany and America are connected by values: democracy, freedom, respect for the law and for the dignity of human beings, independently of origin, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views. On the basis of these values, I am offering the future president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, close cooperation."

— German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Merkel's qualified congratulations will probably be echoed by other Euro leaders, who will accept Trump as long as he doesn't say or do anything nasty against minorities, gays, women, or liberals. 

Then there's the predictable reaction of our enemies:

"This is the American people's choice. But a person who is the president of the United States should have a correct understanding of the realities of the world and our region and face it realistically. America has accepted the nuclear deal as a multilateral international commitment and it will have to implement the nuclear deal."

— Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif

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"The U.S. presidential election results have shown that this country's sickness and civil instability will persist for a long time, and it takes a long time to solve these disagreements and internal problems."

— Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

"And so ends the influence of America on international affairs. Good luck America. You need it."

— Canadian climate scientist and British Columbia parliament member Andrew Weaver.

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"He should withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan, should not praise defeated generals as previous administrations have done, and also should refrain from harming American's dignity, economy or soldiers any further in this fight."

— The Taliban in Afghanistan, in a message to Trump

At least they're consistent.

The reaction of ordinary people reflects the extreme bias against Trump they were bombarded with in their media:

"His (Trump's) opinion about the nuclear deal was clear. Very extremist, very pessimistic. Hillary Clinton didn't see it that way. Although we don't have political ties, Ii think (Trump's election) will negatively impact the nuclear deal."

— Shirin Maleki, Tehran resident

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"The little we've advanced, if he reverses it, it hurts us. You know tourism will go down. If Donald Trump ... turns everything back it's really bad for us."

— Oriel Iglesias Garcia, Cuban taxi driver

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"I fear bad things for the world and Europe, both in the economic and in other areas affected by crises. He has announced a couple of things which send a shiver along the spine."

— Ralph Jönck, Berlin resident.

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"Today there is war on this planet and the United States is not innocent in these wars. Maybe in the end Trump will bring more solutions than problems, I don't know."

— Kamal Jaja, resident of Pantin, a Paris suburb

There will be a short, steep decline in world markets.  But the comeback will be swift once a Trump presidency is factored in and uncertainty becomes less uncertain. 

Trump may have won the American election.  But proving himself to leaders around the world is going to be one of his major challenges.

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