The storm has indeed passed, but the calm will be short-lived. The week that began with a US threat to seize a European territory has ended with the promise of negotiation, but that's a delusion. A week ago, we thought we'd seen it all – Donald Trump's latest gambit to upend international order – and yet, here we are, with a new low in the book.
The fact that Trump made this threat at all confirmed what was already obvious: under his presidency, the US has become an unreliable ally. What was once considered unthinkable – the US backing down from its threats – is now a reality. But it's not just Trump; the world should be worried about the reliability of the US itself.
Trump's remarks on Nato allies being "a little off the frontlines" in Afghanistan were despicable, and his latest venture, the "board of peace," is an attempt to supplant the UN with a members' club where America holds sway. The logo says it all – an edited version of the UN badge with a hint of gold, as if to say that only America matters.
For years, the US's allies have comforted themselves with the hope that Trump would eventually leave office and return to normalcy. That delusion has been shattered. Over the past 12 months, Trump has shown that the formal restraints holding him in check are easily swept away. This means it's not just Trump who is an unreliable ally – it's the US itself.
There are lessons to be learned here. One key takeaway is that Trump will keep pushing boundaries unless he meets resistance. His former adviser Steve Bannon told the Atlantic this week that Team Trump's strategy is "maximalist," aiming to go as far as they can until someone stops them. When domestic disapproval prompted a stock market plunge, Trump backed down – but it won't always work out that way.
The essential lesson for longtime US friends, however, is that they cannot rely on the US alone for protection or economic benefits. They must take responsibility for their own defense and create a new arrangement, one where they're no longer dependent on America's whims. As Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at Davos, "The old order is not coming back... We shouldn't mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy."
This plan requires increased defense spending to remould the politics of countries that have enjoyed a peace dividend since the end of the Cold War. It will also reshape Britain's relationship with Europe and force both parties to move beyond Brexit delusions.
The world we knew has indeed been shattered, but something new is taking shape – a constellation of European democracies working together, standing firm against the whims of American strongmen like Trump. For Labour leader Keir Starmer, there's an opportunity here to break free from his party's past and present a more robust foreign policy, one that combines tax rises with closer ties to Europe.
The time has come for Britain – and all nations in the democratic West – to create a new path forward, one that rejects the old world of institutions and rules in favor of strongmen and deals. It won't be easy; it won't happen overnight. But if we don't take this step now, it may never happen at all.
The fact that Trump made this threat at all confirmed what was already obvious: under his presidency, the US has become an unreliable ally. What was once considered unthinkable – the US backing down from its threats – is now a reality. But it's not just Trump; the world should be worried about the reliability of the US itself.
Trump's remarks on Nato allies being "a little off the frontlines" in Afghanistan were despicable, and his latest venture, the "board of peace," is an attempt to supplant the UN with a members' club where America holds sway. The logo says it all – an edited version of the UN badge with a hint of gold, as if to say that only America matters.
For years, the US's allies have comforted themselves with the hope that Trump would eventually leave office and return to normalcy. That delusion has been shattered. Over the past 12 months, Trump has shown that the formal restraints holding him in check are easily swept away. This means it's not just Trump who is an unreliable ally – it's the US itself.
There are lessons to be learned here. One key takeaway is that Trump will keep pushing boundaries unless he meets resistance. His former adviser Steve Bannon told the Atlantic this week that Team Trump's strategy is "maximalist," aiming to go as far as they can until someone stops them. When domestic disapproval prompted a stock market plunge, Trump backed down – but it won't always work out that way.
The essential lesson for longtime US friends, however, is that they cannot rely on the US alone for protection or economic benefits. They must take responsibility for their own defense and create a new arrangement, one where they're no longer dependent on America's whims. As Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at Davos, "The old order is not coming back... We shouldn't mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy."
This plan requires increased defense spending to remould the politics of countries that have enjoyed a peace dividend since the end of the Cold War. It will also reshape Britain's relationship with Europe and force both parties to move beyond Brexit delusions.
The world we knew has indeed been shattered, but something new is taking shape – a constellation of European democracies working together, standing firm against the whims of American strongmen like Trump. For Labour leader Keir Starmer, there's an opportunity here to break free from his party's past and present a more robust foreign policy, one that combines tax rises with closer ties to Europe.
The time has come for Britain – and all nations in the democratic West – to create a new path forward, one that rejects the old world of institutions and rules in favor of strongmen and deals. It won't be easy; it won't happen overnight. But if we don't take this step now, it may never happen at all.
. I keep thinking about my kid's school and how they're learning about international relationships and cooperation in class. It's heartbreaking to think that some countries can't trust each other anymore 
. The US is supposed to be a beacon of stability, but now it feels like just another player on the world stage 
️. We need our leaders to take responsibility for their actions and work together to build a more peaceful world 
. It's time for Britain and other countries to take charge and create a new path forward 
. I mean, who else can say that a US president is threatening to seize a European territory and think anyone will just roll over? 
It's like he thinks he's some kind of superhero or something 
.
. I mean, we've all known that they're unpredictable and erratic for years now, but this is just ridiculous 
. Can't anyone in Washington see that they're losing their grip on reality? 
. We need to move on from the idea that the US will always bail us out and start taking responsibility for our own defense 
.
. We need someone who can stand up to Trump and the US system, not just toe the line 
. Bring it on! 
. 
. And don't even get me started on Nato - if Trump thinks they're not doing enough, maybe he should take a seat 
.
. So instead of relying on America to protect us, our friends in Europe need to start taking responsibility for their own defense 
. And let's be real, Brexit has made things a lot more complicated 
. We need to take action and create a new path forward, one that doesn't rely on strongmen like Trump 
. It won't be easy, but I'd rather see us try now than never at all 
. But if we don't take this step now, I'm afraid we're gonna keep seeing more of the same old behavior from countries like the US.
. But until then, I guess we'll just have to keep pushing for change and hoping that someone comes along who's actually willing to listen 
.
.
. Like, can't we just have one moment of stability and sanity with our leaders? Is that too much to ask? 
. It's like he's trying to make everyone else do the heavy lifting for him 
. It's not going to work out that way, though - we've seen it with his domestic policies too 
. And honestly, I think it's time for the rest of us to take responsibility for our own defense 
. We can't rely on one country (or person) to keep us safe anymore 
... and neither will the US be an unreliable ally forever 
. We can't just keep following the same rules and expecting everything to work out 
.
they're just making things worse with these threats and whatnot #USReliabilityIsAProblem #GlobalStabilityMatters
rather than relying on strongmen and aggressive posturing #DiplomacyOverMuscle
. It's about time! We can't keep relying on the US alone for protection or benefits - it's just not sustainable.
.