America’s Allies Displeased by Trump’s Boldness
The president's speech provides no relief for nations that have depended on Washington for an extended period.
TroibNews 
President Donald Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday night did little to inspire hope among America’s allies, reinforcing their feelings of despair.
In his first significant speech since reclaiming the presidency, Trump articulated a worldview that centers on the idea that America’s allies are primarily there to serve U.S. interests. Whether you term it transactionalism, gangsterism, or a call for people to stop taking advantage of the United States, it was clear that the notion of “allies and partners” — a phrase frequently touted by the Biden administration — is virtually obsolete as “America First” emerges, unapologetically and powerfully.
Before Trump took office, many officials from U.S. allied nations harbored the hope that they could navigate a second Trump term as they had the first — believing that he could be appeased, delayed, or persuaded. This optimism faded as Trump cut foreign aid, extended overtures to Russia, froze military support to Ukraine, and imposed tariffs on America’s key allies.
“This is realpolitik,” one Asian diplomat commented, fatigued, before Trump’s remarks. I granted him and others anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters candidly. “To different degrees, each and every country is now trying to adjust, not only with regard to the U.S. but also other big players.”
After the address, it was apparent that officials and diplomats were finished trying to spin Trump’s confrontational style positively.
“The U.S. seems to be an inward-looking country for years to come,” the same Asian diplomat texted me.
I am not among those asserting that Trump has established a new world order characterized by strongmen or spheres of influence dominated by the U.S., China, and Russia. True world order requires, well, order.
What Trump has fostered, at least for now through this speech, is a climate of confusion. Washington’s allies and adversaries must adjust to a U.S. president who creates and alters his own reality without regard for actual circumstances, including significant shifts like plunging stock markets.
Trump’s remarks on Tuesday night intensified the feeling among foreign officials that their nations must prepare for bleak scenarios across the board, from security to trade. Particular dismay arose from Trump’s threats regarding the territorial integrity of regions like Panama and Greenland.
Such claims were deemed “shocking and unacceptable” by a Latin American diplomat, who noted, “the USA is looking increasingly like an unreliable partner and untrustworthy.”
Though much of Trump’s speech focused on domestic concerns, the segments addressing foreign affairs, although brief, were rife with his America First bravado — a rhetoric that seemed aimed at inciting tension even among allies.
He pressured Ukraine to engage in negotiations with Russia, advocating for a deal to share its mineral resources with the United States. “It’s time to end the senseless war,” Trump stated about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which he has consistently refrained from blaming on Russia. “If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides.”
Moreover, he boasted about America's withdrawal from key multilateral organizations: “I withdrew from the corrupt World Health Organization, and I also withdrew from the anti-American UN Human Rights Council,” Trump proudly proclaimed.
Additionally, he remained firm on tariffs, declaring, “Whatever they tariff us, other countries, we will tariff them,” after identifying several close allies he felt were taking advantage of U.S. trade policies.
Overall, Trump maintained a triumphalist tone throughout. “The American dream is unstoppable, and our country is on the verge of a comeback, the likes of which the world has never witnessed and perhaps will never witness again,” he insisted, as GOP lawmakers chanted “USA! USA!” drowning out Democratic dissenters.
Supporters of Trump have suggested that foreign leaders should simply acquiesce to his transactional demands. They argue that if one seeks something from Trump’s America, they must reciprocate. Some governments have begun to show radical acceptance, promising to invest billions more in the United States to curry favor with the administration.
However, few foreign officials believe that Trump will be satisfied with their initial concessions or adhere to even a written agreement. The tariffs imposed on Canada and Mexico followed a previous trade deal with those nations.
Certain countries and global alliances are visibly adjusting, seeking to bolster their military independence from Washington. European leaders are formulating plans to bolster their defense autonomy, with discussions among nations like Britain and France about potentially sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
Other nations are making quieter adjustments, some designed to protect themselves from future conflicts with the administration.
The Asian diplomat shared that his country has assured the Trump team it will quickly accept the return of its citizens whom the U.S. plans to deport. They aim to avoid the label of a “recalcitrant country” — a term applied to nations that do not accept deported individuals — as Trump intensifies his focus on immigration. In his speech, he accused migrants of contributing to the “occupation” and destruction of “beautiful towns” in the U.S.
For some governments, merely avoiding Trump’s wrath might be considered an achievement.
Past speeches have often let down African nations looking for increased U.S. engagement, and prior to the speech, an African diplomat expressed hope that the continent would not be mentioned.
Unfortunately for them, Trump did reference several African nations while discussing foreign aid cuts. He singled out Lesotho, stating, “nobody has ever heard of” it. My colleagues and I reached out to the Lesotho embassy in Washington for a response to the comment but did not receive an immediate reply.
Trump’s drastic domestic policies are likely to have global repercussions as foreign officials must pay close attention to his remarks on everything from U.S. fiscal policy to basic commodities.
His immigration restrictions have prompted other nations to establish facilities for holding deported migrants, potentially impacting their economies due to reduced remittances from citizens living in the U.S.
Moreover, Trump’s cuts to government staff might shape the U.S. unemployment rate, which in turn could influence the U.S. economy, with ripple effects felt in global trade.
Foreign officials are increasingly mindful that one individual seated behind Trump during the speech may wield more influence than many anticipated.
Vice President JD Vance’s criticisms of Europe, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy, and even U.S. allies in Afghanistan have often outdone Trump in their severity. The president has not curbed him, and Vance appears to savor the backlash from America’s allies.
If Vance intends to pursue a presidential run, it is unlikely he will fade from prominence in the next few years. A few years down the line, it could be President Vance delivering an address to Congress.
If he maintains his current trajectory, he may even seek to overshadow Trump in delivering confrontational messages to America’s allies.
However, by then, there may be fewer allies left to listen.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
In his first significant speech since reclaiming the presidency, Trump articulated a worldview that centers on the idea that America’s allies are primarily there to serve U.S. interests. Whether you term it transactionalism, gangsterism, or a call for people to stop taking advantage of the United States, it was clear that the notion of “allies and partners” — a phrase frequently touted by the Biden administration — is virtually obsolete as “America First” emerges, unapologetically and powerfully.
Before Trump took office, many officials from U.S. allied nations harbored the hope that they could navigate a second Trump term as they had the first — believing that he could be appeased, delayed, or persuaded. This optimism faded as Trump cut foreign aid, extended overtures to Russia, froze military support to Ukraine, and imposed tariffs on America’s key allies.
“This is realpolitik,” one Asian diplomat commented, fatigued, before Trump’s remarks. I granted him and others anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters candidly. “To different degrees, each and every country is now trying to adjust, not only with regard to the U.S. but also other big players.”
After the address, it was apparent that officials and diplomats were finished trying to spin Trump’s confrontational style positively.
“The U.S. seems to be an inward-looking country for years to come,” the same Asian diplomat texted me.
I am not among those asserting that Trump has established a new world order characterized by strongmen or spheres of influence dominated by the U.S., China, and Russia. True world order requires, well, order.
What Trump has fostered, at least for now through this speech, is a climate of confusion. Washington’s allies and adversaries must adjust to a U.S. president who creates and alters his own reality without regard for actual circumstances, including significant shifts like plunging stock markets.
Trump’s remarks on Tuesday night intensified the feeling among foreign officials that their nations must prepare for bleak scenarios across the board, from security to trade. Particular dismay arose from Trump’s threats regarding the territorial integrity of regions like Panama and Greenland.
Such claims were deemed “shocking and unacceptable” by a Latin American diplomat, who noted, “the USA is looking increasingly like an unreliable partner and untrustworthy.”
Though much of Trump’s speech focused on domestic concerns, the segments addressing foreign affairs, although brief, were rife with his America First bravado — a rhetoric that seemed aimed at inciting tension even among allies.
He pressured Ukraine to engage in negotiations with Russia, advocating for a deal to share its mineral resources with the United States. “It’s time to end the senseless war,” Trump stated about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which he has consistently refrained from blaming on Russia. “If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides.”
Moreover, he boasted about America's withdrawal from key multilateral organizations: “I withdrew from the corrupt World Health Organization, and I also withdrew from the anti-American UN Human Rights Council,” Trump proudly proclaimed.
Additionally, he remained firm on tariffs, declaring, “Whatever they tariff us, other countries, we will tariff them,” after identifying several close allies he felt were taking advantage of U.S. trade policies.
Overall, Trump maintained a triumphalist tone throughout. “The American dream is unstoppable, and our country is on the verge of a comeback, the likes of which the world has never witnessed and perhaps will never witness again,” he insisted, as GOP lawmakers chanted “USA! USA!” drowning out Democratic dissenters.
Supporters of Trump have suggested that foreign leaders should simply acquiesce to his transactional demands. They argue that if one seeks something from Trump’s America, they must reciprocate. Some governments have begun to show radical acceptance, promising to invest billions more in the United States to curry favor with the administration.
However, few foreign officials believe that Trump will be satisfied with their initial concessions or adhere to even a written agreement. The tariffs imposed on Canada and Mexico followed a previous trade deal with those nations.
Certain countries and global alliances are visibly adjusting, seeking to bolster their military independence from Washington. European leaders are formulating plans to bolster their defense autonomy, with discussions among nations like Britain and France about potentially sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
Other nations are making quieter adjustments, some designed to protect themselves from future conflicts with the administration.
The Asian diplomat shared that his country has assured the Trump team it will quickly accept the return of its citizens whom the U.S. plans to deport. They aim to avoid the label of a “recalcitrant country” — a term applied to nations that do not accept deported individuals — as Trump intensifies his focus on immigration. In his speech, he accused migrants of contributing to the “occupation” and destruction of “beautiful towns” in the U.S.
For some governments, merely avoiding Trump’s wrath might be considered an achievement.
Past speeches have often let down African nations looking for increased U.S. engagement, and prior to the speech, an African diplomat expressed hope that the continent would not be mentioned.
Unfortunately for them, Trump did reference several African nations while discussing foreign aid cuts. He singled out Lesotho, stating, “nobody has ever heard of” it. My colleagues and I reached out to the Lesotho embassy in Washington for a response to the comment but did not receive an immediate reply.
Trump’s drastic domestic policies are likely to have global repercussions as foreign officials must pay close attention to his remarks on everything from U.S. fiscal policy to basic commodities.
His immigration restrictions have prompted other nations to establish facilities for holding deported migrants, potentially impacting their economies due to reduced remittances from citizens living in the U.S.
Moreover, Trump’s cuts to government staff might shape the U.S. unemployment rate, which in turn could influence the U.S. economy, with ripple effects felt in global trade.
Foreign officials are increasingly mindful that one individual seated behind Trump during the speech may wield more influence than many anticipated.
Vice President JD Vance’s criticisms of Europe, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy, and even U.S. allies in Afghanistan have often outdone Trump in their severity. The president has not curbed him, and Vance appears to savor the backlash from America’s allies.
If Vance intends to pursue a presidential run, it is unlikely he will fade from prominence in the next few years. A few years down the line, it could be President Vance delivering an address to Congress.
If he maintains his current trajectory, he may even seek to overshadow Trump in delivering confrontational messages to America’s allies.
However, by then, there may be fewer allies left to listen.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
