Wajeeh Ullah

Is Europe undergoing a civilizational decline? Political pundits may disagree with the Trump administration's new National Security strategy, which states that Europe is in a civilizational decline and that the European Union is acting as a transnational government that is undermining European collective economic security, peace, and Development. Well, this article is not about Europe’s civilizational decline but about those who have reached this classic conclusion in less than one year in power. Mr. Trump and his politburo.

From his first day in office, President Trump has shown a hawkish stance unprecedented in America's 249 years of democratic history. Following his second term in office, Donald Trump is using every means to make himself the centerstage of every American-led breakthrough. From foreign affairs, economic affairs, and defence strategy to the internal governance of the state, President Trump has managed to inculcate his personal biases and preferences in every matter.

Giving free rein to DOGE cuts, implementing ICE rules in Los Angeles, and ignoring congressional approval, President Trump has proven to be the most unpredictable president in United States history. Political pundits are getting quirky as they figure out his loosely developed diplomatic and economic strategies. Some of which are as follows,

1.    Persistent claims to annex Canada and Greenland.

2.    Inflicting massive tariffs on countries like Brazil and India, which don’t align with his ego.

3.    Renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

4.    Brokering peace and ending eight wars in less than a year in his presidency.

5.    Abruptly cutting funding for USAID and WHO.

6.    Demanding that NATO allies raise their defense budget to 5% of their GDPs.

7.    Eager to replace the Federal Trade Commission chief.

Donald Trump’s second term in the presidency has been a challenging roller coaster ride for the world's nations. No country can be sure enough about the US's foreign policy towards it. Take, for example, Brazil, the US's largest trading partner in South America. The Trump administration imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods, mainly coffee and dark chocolate. These tariffs came amid the Brazilian judiciary's trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro on charges of unlawfully toppling the current democratically elected government following the general elections. The former president’s political ideology aligns with Mr. Trump's.

Furthermore, Donald Trump’s hostile attitude towards its European allies is being seen as very much favorable for the Russian great game. Europe has long relied on American security guarantees and the Arsenal. However, that free ride is now over. The Trump administration is continuously pushing its European allies to do more on tackling Russian aggression and the annexation of Ukraine. Alongside that, Europe is facing a rise in right-wing populism, which is being fueled by the Trump administration’s mismanaged, irresponsible actions. Vice President JD Vance met with the leader of the German Hard right, the AFD, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference this summer.

President Trump's second term in office has just started. In the last eleven months, every act of the presidency has been glorified as Trump's personal endeavour, which he himself enjoys the most. If it were all done through statesmanship, clear foreign policy objectives, and efficient governance, then nothing would be wrong with it, but most of the claims were bogus and had no profound impact.

The world needs a strong America. For this to happen, America and, most importantly, the presidency needs to act in a more composed and focused manner that is backed by a deep understanding of Global affairs and strategic manoeuvring.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of The Himalayan Research Institute Pakistan (THRIP)

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Wajeeh Ullah is a student of BS Political Science at Government College University Lahore, Pakistan.