As a conservative and a student of foreign policy for nearly 50 years, it grieves me, as it should all, to witness the Trump Administration rapidly dismantling America’s leadership role in the world. For over 80 years, generations of Americans poured their lives into building an American led global order, which we and allied democracies have been the beneficiaries of. Tragically, President Trump has abandoned that world order in an effort to dominate every relationship and win short-term transactional gains and power. Never before in the history of the world has a global power voluntarily chosen to walk away from its moral, joint security, economic and diplomatic power.
America, once generally perceived as the anchor democracy in the world and guardian of the rule of law, has become known not only as unreliable, but an authoritarian aggressor. President Trump has chosen to walk away from strength through shared values and responsibilities among allies, to grow the short-term wealth and sow fear among any who might even consider opposing him.
While America daily demonstrates its awesome military might, leadership requires more than the ability to threaten and attack others. President Trump’s coercive, go-it-alone style of managing challenges has led him to walk away from dozens of international organizations, rip up key security arrangements, like Trans Pacific Partnership, JCPOA nuclear control agreement with Iran, and nuclear nonproliferation agreements with Russia, and shake NATO, the foundation of security for western democracies, down through its foundation.
Unfortunately, President Trump began his second term by executing his “America First” mantra through significant tariffs on most countries around the world. He threatened and coerced our closest of allies, Britain and Canada, to such an extent that he forced them to hedge their risks by building stronger economic ties with China. His imposition of tariffs on the EU forced them to lessen their dependence on America and increase trade with India.
President Trump then went on to threaten to take Greenland and punish anyone that opposed him. The response among allies was alarm and efforts to rapidly shore up their defenses. Among our adversaries, they’re likely gleeful.
Tragically, President Trump blew up former President George HW Bush’s vision for putting an end to strong countries invading weaker neighbors. With little regard for the sovereignty of smaller nations, President Trump had the President of Venezuela kidnapped, withheld aid Ukrainians needed to defend itself, and pressured Ukraine to cede 20% of their country to Putin. Little does he seem to care that he’s laying the moral and military groundwork for China to take Taiwan.
President Trump then went on to launch an unprovoked attack on Iran. While President Trump and Israel have destroyed much of Iran’s military assets, and killed many bad actors, they’ve also emboldened hardliners in Iran, awakened terror cells, and started a war that’s spreading and one they can’t stop. The Straights of Hormuz closing is driving up the price of fuels, fertilizers and food worldwide. While we probably find the spike in prices difficult, it is hammering poor countries. With no end in sight, our President’s shortsightedness and hit-and-run tactics, are producing devastating consequences.
Beyond the destruction being done abroad, the world is watching the dismantling of democracy within the US with dismay. ICE agents, acting like secret police, are brutalizing, dragging away and imprisoning innocent people. Vote counts are being delegitimized and voter suppression through stringent restrictions are being pressed in law.
Tragically, President Trump’s approach to foreign policy, driven not by any moral code or strategic alignment, but arrogance and a passion for taking advantage of weaknesses in others, is rapidly dismantling the world order we’ve lived atop for 80 years. The tectonic moves currently underway will not be easily undone. With American leadership no longer committed to defending allies, and authoritarians emboldened, the risks of oppression and wars are growing. Tragically, America and all humanity will have to endure the consequences of the greed and short-sightedness of our current “leadership”.
George, you’ve provided a clear and compelling description of some of the tragedies that have come about due to Trump’s actions in 2025 . I think that those of us who agree with your conclusions need to give serious consideration to coming up with an answer(s) the question, What should I/we do next?” We certainly are “compelled to move forward” from today. We have no choice. Which direction is “forward”?
A few things President Trump can do are: send significant offensive and defensive weapons to Ukraine, impose sanctions on all Russian oil products, privately apologize to all the leaders he’s offended, reaffirm our commitment to NATO, reinstate an updated JCPOA, rescind many of the tarriffs he’s imposed, stop giving weapons to Israel, begin significant economic development of central American countries, restart USAID, and stop lying and trying grab the property of other countries. For We the People, we need to vote out every republican up for election this November.
Yes, we totally agree with one another on the things that Trump should do (and/or shouldn’t have done). If he were to do everything on your list above, do you think that that would restore the USA to its previous prominent position on the world scene?
I worry that that possibility is over, and that We the People will need to adapt to the new reality. I suspect that Democrat leadership would probably win in November if all they did was to declare that their platform was “We’re Not Trump”. He’s that bad! But I think that our country needs leadership that will lead us forward into (and beyond) the new reality that will ensue this after the November election. Without good leaders now, the cycle will continue to repeat itself.
I favor someone like James Talerico who’s running to be Senator from Texas. Check him out.