Trump’s Foreign Policy: Impact on Global Stability
Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House last month, America’s allies and adversaries are finding it difficult to keep up with the rapid changes, resets, and reversals in US policy. Talk of a watershed moment similar to 1989, when the collapse of the Berlin Wall signaled the end of the Cold War, is being fueled by Trump’s determination to both overthrow and control the current international system, particularly by eroding the transatlantic alliance that was formed after the war.
His actions have added to the widely held opinion among Western politicians, diplomats, and analysts that a new era of great power imperialism, fueled by authoritarianism, hyper-nationalism, and left- and right-wing populism, is taking shape, that the world is at a turning point, and that the UN-led, rules-based, multilateralist framework is falling apart.
How “America First” is Reshaping Trump’s Foreign Policy
This altered reality is reflected and solidified by Trump’s “America First” strategy, which is self-serving, transactional, blatantly commercial, and unconcerned with moral principles of justice, international law, and human rights. Problems inevitably occur when his ignorant, habitually irrational tendencies clash with the hard facts of particular global situations. One example is Gaza. Trump received no support when he imperiously directed the release of all Israeli hostages.
He then put in an unjust timeline, undermining the weak ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli far right is the only group that backs his illegal and unrealistic proposal for the US to occupy Gaza and evict the Palestinian people in large numbers. The situation is only made worse by his loud posturing. Every important issue is still unresolved.
Ukraine in the Crosshairs: Trump’s Approach to Russia and Zelenskyy
Trump’s view of Ukraine exposes once more his lack of clarity and breach of facts that define his plan of action. He vows that he wants to put an end to the conflict with Russia, which is a noble goal that most people agree with. Yet, the US president has turned on Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him a dictator and making fake claims that he benefits from the war, rather than backing neutral, independent mediation. This kind of projection is illuminating.
Zelenskyy’s rejection of a $500 billion mining deal that Trump seeks as “repayment” for US aid is a major source of Trump’s ire. At one point, he appeared to make a de facto threat: “Give me the money, or I’ll back Russia.” Under pressure, Kyiv is looking at the agreement as it faces a loss of US support. On the other hand, the fight is still going on.
The NATO Dilemma: US Relations with Europe Under Threat
To the surprise and dismay of NATO and European partners, an American rehabilitation of Russia is far more likely. Last week, Trump and Vladimir Putin held bilateral talks in Saudi Arabia, excluding Europe and Ukraine, after a 90-minute phone call. Russia’s international isolation, which had started three years ago after its unlawful and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, was essentially lifted on Monday as a result of this outreach. NATO and EU solidarity were torn apart by the volte-face. Putin has been significantly bolstered by him, and it is thought that he may now target Poland, Moldova, or the three Baltic nations.
Trump rises and falls like the old Duke of York due to his unpredictable and illogical policy blunders, which are fueled by narcissism, personal grievances, and mercenary avarice. He claims that Zelenskyy is unimportant one moment, and then he says that he and Putin need to have a conversation. Some politicians try to take a more reasonable, moderate stance, like Marco Rubio, the secretary of state. However, it seems that hard-right individuals with the president’s ear are outperforming them.
At this month’s Munich security conference, US Vice President JD Vance declared war on European ideals and governing traditions, allowing Europe to witness this firsthand. One specific target was Germany, where Vance supported the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) before this weekend’s national elections, displaying tremendous arrogance. Adding his tuppence-worth, Trump’s unlikely defense secretary Pete Hegseth warned Europe that it was no longer a strategic priority, demanded that it pay more to defend itself, and alluded to the possibility of US troop withdrawals.
According to polls, many people believe that the US is now an enemy rather than an ally as a result of these attacks, as well as Trump’s threats to impose fluctuating taxes on Europe and to forcibly annex Canada, Panama, and Danish Greenland. A gap is forming on the other side of the Atlantic. Vance, Elon Musk, and hard-right agitators like Steve Bannon envision a Europe governed by individuals like themselves—Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Germany’s Alice Weidel, France’s Marine Le Pen, and Britain’s Nigel Farage—rather than elected liberal-progressive alliances. even though the great majority of Europeans are against their numerous forms of racism, misogyny, and bigotry.
The Future of Western Alliances: What’s at Stake?
When Keir Starmer visits Trump in Washington this week, he must enter this volatile, toxic, and constantly changing world with trepidation. Perhaps the prime minister’s greatest desire is to try to make sense of everything and fix the damage that has already been done. However, he must be adamant in restating Britain’s position: Putin is the dictator, Zelenskyy is a democratically elected ally, Ukraine is the victim, and Russia is the predator. NATO must unite in resistance to Russian aggression, which threatens both Europe and the United States.
While Britain and the Europeans will spend more for their defense, the United States should not and must not abandon the fight. Sacrificing Ukraine would destroy the Western alliance, invite more serious and larger wars in Europe in the future, and encourage China and authoritarian governments around the world to imitate one another. It would truly be 1989 if we gave up to Russia.