Trump’s stance may prompt China to expand ties with Latin America and Russia to continue its advance in Ukraine - WP
Since returning to power, Donald Trump has taken an aggressive approach to strengthening the US position in the world, using tariffs and political pressure on allied countries. Critics argue that this style could alienate allies and strengthen the positions of Russia and China.
According to Censor.NET, citing ZN.ua, The Washington Post writes about this.
Since returning to office last month, Trump has taken the approach of imposing American power on the world - the friendlier the country, the more leverage he has to cut ties, reduce trade, and force leaders to bend to his demands. Rivals and enemies in Moscow and Beijing have not faced the same threats, partly because Trump does not have the same power over them. On 1 February, Trump imposed tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China.
Trump administration officials say that this approach has yielded some quick wins, such as forcing Colombian President Gustavo Petro to back down last weekend and allow deportation flights to continue to his country.
Meanwhile, Danish leaders have announced a nearly $2 billion investment in Greenland security, a move that is unlikely to satisfy Trump's goal of taking control of the territory, but is an attempt to appease his aspirations, notes Michael Birnbaum, White House correspondent.
But critics warn that Trump’s "might-makes-right style" could easily backfire. China has a new argument in Latin America that it is a more predictable partner than Washington, some critics say.
And in Europe, leaders have been forced to focus on demanding territorial conquest from their closest ally and protector instead of strategising how to support Ukraine as Russia continues to make gains on the battlefield. Some European politicians also warn that if Trump hits them with tariffs, they will also be less inclined to cooperate on his China policy.
"This time, though, Trump is using tariffs as a tool of broader coercion — a tactic that critics say weakens Washington's principled arguments against other nations, like China and Russia, that have attempted to bully their neighbors into submission," the correspondent writes.
Furthermore, when it comes to Trump's intention to seize Greenland, some Danes say that such a hostile takeover would encourage Beijing's interest in Taiwan and the Kremlin's claims to Ukraine.
Critics of Trump's approach say that the president should maintain ties with allies, not use them to seize territory.
"We — Americans — do not want to now join [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in trying to pull apart a sovereign country. Not only would that embolden Putin’s claim in eastern Ukraine … but greenlight [Chinese President Xi Jinping]’s seizing of Taiwan. If we think we need Greenland for national security, Xi can easily argue that he needs Taiwan," Michael McFaul, an ambassador to Russia under President Barack Obama wrote.
As a reminder, on 1 February, US President Donald Trump signed executive orders imposing significant tariffs on imports of goods from Canada, Mexico and China.
