In a period of 13 months, Trump has insulted Africans and Haitians, excluding the Haitians who work in his hotels and homes, and ignored the plight of Puerto Ricans although they are American citizens. He has permitted China to assume the primacy position in world economics, and watched Putin bring the Soviet Union (oops, Russia) back as a major player in world politics. He has been cool toward India, yet it is the other major power in Asia, which needs more support to counter Beijing. Trump has been condescending to Central and South America with his attacks on Latino and Hispanic peoples.
His condescension extends to Europe, which has enabled the EU to look for better relations with Moscow, and he forgets that NATO is a two-way system and plays an important role in America’s defense. He has also managed to damage the “special relationship” between Washington and London. And he has alienated France as a result of his threat to leave the Paris Agreement on the environment, and his disdain for the United Nations, which President Macron strongly supports. As for the Middle East, while Obama wisely stayed out of the fray, Trump clumsily jumped in and watched Moscow take control of Syria.
At the same time, Russia extended its influence in the region by supporting Iran and encouraging it to reach out to Iraq, a longtime enemy. As for Israel, the president’s recognition of Jerusalem as its capital has ended any hope of a Palestinian-Israeli reconciliation. To some, Israel is the tail that wags the dog.
Trump has done little to help the Mediterranean countries, (Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece) but that is not unusual for Washington. As for Turkey, a longtime ally of America has been sufficiently ignored by the president, to seek support from Moscow, a concept totally unacceptable since the end of the Cold War. Further, Turkey has ignored Washington’s calls to cease its attacks on the Kurds. And closer to home, Trump’s wall has won no support from Mexico, and his efforts to alter NAFTA have soured relations with America’s steadfast ally, Canada. Many of these developments are because the president does not support his Secretary of State in public. Further, he has failed to provide Mr. Tillerson with regional secretaries necessary to keep the White House and the State Department up to date on foreign affairs. AMERICA IS GREAT AGAIN, NO!!! AMERICA IS ALONE.
Dr. Joseph Harrington
Framingham State University.