I never thought that the great post-World War II alliances between the United States and Europe and Canada would be undermined by a president who was inclined to coddle dictators while spitting in the faces of our best friends.
Of all the long-term damage President Trump is inflicting on this country (and the larger world), I think what is happening in this arena could prove to be the most seismic. Who knows how a new world order could shake out? You can start with climate change and then segue to a heavy-handed and bumbling handling of trade issues. But the end result is the same. Those countries that exemplify democracy, who champion responsible government, and who have been the bulwark of decades of global security (and moral leadership) are being told that all that history doesn’t matter. And they are getting the message that the values that we were all supposed to largely share, no longer apply to the United States – at least as President Trump and his enablers see our country and its destiny.
The hypocrisy of the President and his surrogates on this is all the more striking. It was Trump and many in the GOP who heavily criticized President Obama for his treatment of our allies. Go to Europe or Canada now and ask the vast majority of the people living there (never mind those in government) who they would rather have as president.
But of course, Donald Trump’s rhetoric is always a means to an end. It is about whatever serves his narrow self-interests – consistency, honesty, or reason be damned.
Have we had issues with our allies in the past? Of course. That is the nature of all great friendships. There can be points of disagreement, but in the end, you come back to the values you share, the struggles you have overcome together, and a knowledge that none of us can survive alone.
I wonder if Donald Trump has many friends because he doesn’t seem to understand the concept of friendship. My only hope is that our friends will not give up on the United States just because of who is in the White House.