The Trump Doctrine: A New World Order?
In recent weeks, President Trump has made it clear that he is determined to dismantle America’s traditional alliances with democracies around the world and return to an era of raw power negotiations among great nations. The key question has been how far he would go in sacrificing Ukraine to achieve his vision of a new world order. The answer came during a dramatic showdown in the Oval Office, where Trump made it clear that Ukraine is an obstacle to his goal of normalizing relations with Russia.
The Oval Office Showdown: A Partnership Shattered
The meeting between President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Vice President JD Vance was a clash of titans. Trump admonished Zelensky, telling him, "You don’t have the cards" to deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Vance criticized the Ukrainian leader for being "disrespectful" and ungrateful. The exchange, broadcast to a global audience, laid bare the end of the three-year wartime partnership between Washington and Kyiv. The question now is whether this relationship can be repaired and whether a deal to provide the U.S. with revenue from Ukrainian minerals can be salvaged. But one thing is certain: Trump sees Ukraine as a hindrance to his broader goal of normalizing relations with Russia.
Trump’s Vision: A New Deal with Russia
According to a senior European official, Trump’s ultimate goal is to normalize relations with Russia, even if it means rewriting history, dropping investigations into Russian war crimes, or refusing to offer Ukraine long-term security guarantees. This vision was evident as Zelensky prepared for his disastrous visit to Washington. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, once a staunch defender of Ukraine, now aligns with Trump’s approach, arguing that it’s time to move beyond the war and focus on building a triangular relationship between the U.S., Russia, and China. Rubio believes that maintaining relationships with powerful nations like Russia and China is more important than punishing Moscow for its aggression or ensuring the security of smaller nations like Ukraine.
The End of the Post-WWII Order
Trump’s foreign policy represents a radical departure from the post-World War II system that Washington helped create. That system prioritized alliances with democracies, maintained international law, and respected national boundaries. Trump, however, views this system as a burden on American power, arguing that it gives smaller countries too much leverage over the U.S. He believes that alliances have led to unequal trade deals and that the U.S. has shouldered too much of the cost of defending its allies. Over the past five weeks, Trump has taken concrete steps to dismantle this system, from demanding that Denmark cede Greenland to the U.S. to pushing Panama to return the Panama Canal.
Ukraine: A Complicated Case
Ukraine has always been a more complicated case for Trump. Just 26 months ago, Zelensky was celebrated in Washington as a heroic leaderstanding up to Russian aggression. But this week, Trump and Vance made it clear that the U.S. commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty is over. Trump recently suggested that Ukraine “may be Russian someday,” and Vance failed to reassure Ukraine about its security at the Munich Security Conference. Instead, Vance aligned with the far-right in Europe, signaling a shift away from the Biden-era commitment to supporting Ukraine “as long as it takes” to deter Russian aggression.
The Fallout: A Fractured West and Emboldened Russia
The fallout from the Oval Office confrontation was immediate. European leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer tried to placate Trump by emphasizing Europe’s increased military spending, but Zelensky took a combative tone, warning that the oceans between America and Russia would not protect it forever. Trump responded by raising his voice, suggesting that Ukraine would be lucky to get a cease-fire and that Zelensky’s demands for guarantees were unrealistic. The meeting ended abruptly, with Zelensky leaving without signing the minerals deal or securing any commitments about Ukraine’s future.
The Uncertain Future of a Trump World Order
The world quickly retreated to its familiar corners. Macron and nervous Eastern European nations rallied to Ukraine’s side, while Russia celebrated its good fortune. Former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev thanked Trump for “telling the truth” to Zelensky and urged him to suspend remaining American aid. Rubio congratulated Trump for putting Zelensky in his place, praising him for putting “America First.”
But it’s far easier to dismantle the existing world order than to create a new one. The post-World War II system, for all its flaws, avoided great power war and fostered economic interdependence. Trump has yet to articulate a coherent vision for what he would replace it with, beyond vague promises to use American power to strike deals and keep the peace through minerals agreements and trade pacts. History offers little precedent for the success of such an approach, especially when dealing with authoritarian leaders like Putin and Xi Jinping, who are unlikely to be swayed by Trump’s brand of deal-making.
Judging by the events of the past week, Trump seems to believe that as long as he is in charge, the world will order itself as he commands. But the reality is far more complicated. The damaged relationships, the emboldened adversaries, and the fractured alliances may take years to repair, if they can be repaired at all. For now, the world waits with bated breath to see what the Trump Doctrine will look like in practice.
