politics
March 17, 2026
From ‘America First’ to global confrontation: How Trump’s strategy is changing US power
Trump once promised restraint and dealmaking. Now wars, sanctions and regime-change rhetoric signal a more aggressive phase of American power.
TL;DR
- Donald Trump's initial goal was to prioritize the US, then the Western Hemisphere, followed by China, with a focus on geo-economics and domestic issues.
- The second Trump presidency began with a tariff offensive, distancing from Western Europe, and a strike against Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
- Direct talks with Moscow led to a summit with Putin in Anchorage, creating an understanding on resolving the Ukrainian conflict, termed the 'spirit of Anchorage.'
- Progress stalled as Trump failed to gain European allies' support for the peace framework, suggesting domestic political establishment discomfort with a non-victory scenario.
- Instead of easing sanctions, the US tightened them, and ignored Russia's proposal to continue New START treaty limits, leading to degenerated trilateral talks on Ukraine.
- US foreign policy became more aggressive with operations in Venezuela, attacks on Iran, and discussions of regime change in Cuba and Iran.
- Trump appears to have shifted towards a traditional global agenda, influenced by domestic political pressures and alignment with neoconservative and Israeli lobby groups.
- The US is now seen as pursuing global instability to dominate within the chaos, making it a geopolitical adversary for Russia.
- Russia rejects US global domination claims and must rely on its military capabilities and cooperation with partners like China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea.
- The collapse of strategic arms control necessitates new deterrence models and limited economic cooperation due to sanctions, requiring Russia to focus on domestic development and non-Western partnerships.
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