The absence of Donald Trump from the World Cup has left British diplomats scratching their heads. While the former US president was never a fixture at global sporting events, his no-show at this year's tournament raises eyebrows in Whitehall. The spectacle of international football, with its soft power implications, is a stage Trump once relished.
Yet here we are, with the man who thrived on attention opting for a sullen retreat. Market analysts might call this a divergence from expected behaviour; a deviation from the norm that signals something amiss. Perhaps it's a reflection of his current legal battles or a simple lack of interest.
But for the City, this is just another variable in the unpredictable equation of global politics. Bond yields remain unmoved, but the cultural capital of such events is harder to quantify. Meanwhile, the UK continues its diplomatic dance, perplexed by the silence from across the pond.
The bottom line: Trump's absence is a footnote in the grand ledger of international relations, but one that reminds us of the volatility of the human element in an otherwise efficient market.
