American embassies in Europe are saying "non" to election night watch parties in major cities this year. Embassies in Paris, London, Berlin, and Brussels have decided to forego the fetes, which traditionally brought together diplomats, journalists, and officials for live updates.
However, many embassy officials are still reeling from Donald Trump's shock victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 and are leery of something similar happening this year.
One Europe-based senior diplomat said, "I don't think there was appetite to watch another Trump victory," adding that the 2016 embassy events were "calamitous."
Diplomats have practical reasons as well. Any delay in counting votes could stretch well past election night, making a big party premature.
With candidates polling so closely in battleground states, it could take much longer to call the winner, and narrow victories could result in recounts.
A spokesperson from the U.S. Embassy in London said it "appreciates the long-standing energy and excitement around U.S. presidential elections, which have been carried out over nearly 250 years of democracy," but added that "Election Day does not end on election night. Time may be required to count votes and let the electoral process work."
Critics argue that canceling the events weakens the United States' diplomatic mission at a critical time, suggesting that embassies are reluctant to face another Trump victory publicly.
In Rome, however, U.S. Ambassador Jack Markell plans to keep up the tradition.
Kate McManus ✉
Kate McManus is a New Jersey-based Newsmax writer who's spent more than two decades as a journalist.
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