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New York (CNN) - If the Trump administration has captivated the world, a familiar saga of unexpected power, triggered by geopolitical tension and market turmoil, the last turn has international observers suspicious and anxious as Democrats seek an investigation of political judgment to the president.
After nearly three years of turbulence that includes presidential tweets that insult foreign leaders, abrupt withdrawals from international pacts and policy changes while US officials say one thing and Trump emphatically says another, observers are almost accustomed to chaos.
But current and former diplomats tell CNN that this chapter stands out, both for what is at stake within the United States and for the possible consequences worldwide.
"There is always something with this administration," said a European diplomat, "but this feels different."
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Distract attention?
CNN spoke with current and former special envoys based in the United States, as well as with diplomats from around the world for the 74th edition of the United Nations General Assembly to hear the opinions and concerns of their countries as the drama of political judgment.
Some said the turmoil could mean that the global leadership of the United States, seen as waning under Trump, will fade further. Others argue that the president can try to draw attention to his domestic problems by making a splash on the global stage, although few see a war scenario that distracts attention.
Some worried about the effects of the shockwave: that their leaders' call transcripts with Trump could also be published or that global markets could destabilize. Several said they see the battle of political judgment ultimately strengthening Trump, while others marveled at how far political discourse has fallen in the United States and how quickly.
"It is fascinating to see in two years that the level of American political discussion has collapsed today," said Gerard Araud, former ambassador of France in the United States.
Referring to Trump's discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that are at the center of the scandal, Araud said that, “two years ago, what he said would constitute an important crisis… now there is a new and new falsehood story every days".
More than half of the US House of Representatives now supports a political trial investigation amid growing controversy after the White House published a transcript of Trump's July 25 call with Zelensky.
The president delayed aid to Ukraine before pressuring Zelensky to investigate the son of former vice president Joe Biden, Hunter Biden. There has been no evidence of irregularities by Joe or Hunter Biden. Senior White House officials struggled to hide the call records, according to a reporter's complaint.
Araud said Trump's apparent quid pro quo lawsuit in the call with Zelensky is "totally scary." He added that it also means that foreign leaders now know that "whatever they say to Trump can be made public."
What the complaint about Trump, Ukraine, the 2020 elections and others reveals
“Foreign governments are now more than ever convinced that you have to be cautious with Trump, because he will make the call public. And it's totally unpredictable, ”said Araud.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made it clear Friday that his country believes that the publication of the transcript is totally unacceptable.
"When my mother was raising me, she told me that reading other people's letters is inappropriate and indecent," Lavrov said in response to a CNN question at a press conference. "Letters from two people chosen by their nations to be at the helm of the country, its traditions, its manners, including diplomatic customs that involve a certain level of confidentiality."
'Be so vociferous'
“Bringing all the problems to the public, being so vociferous, saying that this or another administration, if they don't show a certain note, a note to family members, to some partners, then this administration will be kneeling… what kind of democracy is that? ”Lavrov asked. "How can you work in such conditions?"
Many envoys said they now expect foreign policy to go to the background. "They will be totally distracted: foreign policy priorities will not be in their minds," said the European diplomat.
A diplomat from an allied government fears that "if Trump is distracted, he cannot make decisive decisions on important issues such as nonproliferation." That envoy said his government hoped that the United States would focus its attention on the country - "the distractions would have come anyway due to the 2020 campaign" - but now they will arrive earlier and last longer.
An Asian Pacific diplomat hinted that his country would not care if the United States were less involved in international affairs.
Trump "introduced himself as a kind of peacemaker ... but we don't think he achieves anything in North Korea, we are very unhappy with the course of things in Iran," said the diplomat. "We believe that US policy has exacerbated tensions with Iran and we don't see how the United States or Israel are safer than they were before."
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While some envoys raised the possibility of Trump turning his attention to the United States, a Western diplomat suggested that the president could try to change the issue by looking abroad.
"At some point, it could focus on foreign policy, as a distraction," said the diplomat about Trump, ruling out the possibility of an intentional conflict.
"Sometimes there may be people who like to create tension, be combative, go to war to divert attention," said the diplomat. “This is not that president. He has shown in three years that he is reluctant to go to war. I could try to make a breakthrough with North Korea, or try to do something with Iran. ”
Publicly, senior foreign officials have been circumspects about Trump's problems. When Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was asked, if Iran's best hope was to see Trump accused or defeated in next year's elections, he offered a careful response.
"Our best hope is that the US government will follow correct policies, whatever the person is leading the executive branch or from anywhere," Rouhani said Thursday.
'A great impact'
Several diplomats from smaller countries said they saw little immediate impact, but noted a danger to economies of all sizes.
"Domestic turmoil in the United States here has very little impact," said Mari-Cruz Evuna, general director of International Organizations for Equatorial Guinea. “But at the end of the day, if there is a big world drop in markets or in oil prices, it could have a big impact. That is especially true for small countries like us. ”
Many of the planned dismissals will become a long and prolonged struggle that will eventually serve Trump.
"Trump's accusation will last forever," said the envoy of an allied government, adding that he believes that the president's Democratic opponents "don't have the numbers in the Senate" to succeed, "but they can use it to harm him through the bell".
The Western diplomat said that his country thinks that “it will really strengthen the president, this is our reading. Let's go back to the 1990s, (former President Bill) Clinton was charged and then re-elected. It will stimulate your base and win and continue doing what you want. ” While Clinton was charged after being re-elected in 1996, Democrats won seats in the 1998 midterm elections and the Clinton approval rating increased.
Joe Biden Political Judgment Political Judgment to Donald Trump
