‘We’re getting into an ugly phase’: Trump’s new tariffs are angering voters and US allies alike - POLITICO

Some Republicans fear the eye-popping new levies President Donald Trump threatened to slap on Canada and generic drug makers this week will aggravate Americans who were already blaming the tariffs for stubborn inflation ahead of a midterm election dominated by economic issues...

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/23/oh-crap-those-are-bad-things-trumps-new-tariffs-threatening-further-dampen-gop-midterm-enthusiasm-01008536 

U.S. allies turn their backs on Trump

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KkiDSbSvFAs

I was the US soft power czar. Our reputation may never recover from this

But I believe because of Donald Trump and his war in Iran, American popularity will descend to depths it has not seen this century and may never recover to the median levels that we saw with Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Forget Barack Obama numbers – they're out of reach. Confidence in Trump's ability to navigate global affairs was already around 30-40% before the invasion of Iran. That will be the new ceiling. "The world is watching," Trump said in his White House address on Wednesday. Yes, it is. 

 Our allies – and our adversaries – have long been confounded by the eternal see-saw of American presidential politics, where conservatives are replaced by liberals who are replaced by conservatives, and on and on. Biden's confident assertion after his election that "America was back," and that we were once again a reliable ally, was met by our friends with the question: "For how long?" It was a fair question. The assumption of the Biden administration was that Trump was the authoritarian anomaly, bookended by two liberal internationalists. It turns out that Biden may be the aberration…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/apr/05/american-soft-power-iran-war

  

Top US allies are turning toward China instead. Blame Trump. - POLITICO

European allies broadly support building closer ties to China — and believe America's role as a global superpower is fading...

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/15/trump-china-europe-closer-ties-00823457 

 

Trump’s call for allied deployment to strait of Hormuz meets muted response

UK and Japan among countries that are considering options but yet to commit warships to blockaded shipping route…

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/15/uk-china-japan-countries-debating-strait-of-hormuz-ships-iran-you-now

 

Republicans and Democrats unite to condemn Trump’s attacks on allies

Gavin Newsom, the Democrat governor of California, accused Trump of "doubling down on stupid". He said: "Never in the history of the US has there been a more destructive president than the current occupant of the White House in Washington. He is trying to recreate the 19th century. He is a wholly owned subsidiary of big oil gas and coal."…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/16/republicans-and-democrats-unite-to-condemn-trumps-attacks-on-allies

 

Poll: Major allies see US as unreliable and destabilizing - POLITICO

Unreliable. Creating more problems than solving them. A negative force on the world stage. This is how large shares of America's closest allies view the U.S., according to new polling, as President Donald Trump pursues a sweeping foreign policy overhaul…

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/23/us-allies-trump-trust-poll-00702908 

 

Trump enlists 5 allies to counter China on rare earths and tech - POLITICO

A new coalition unites Singapore, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Israel…

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/11/trump-enlists-5-allies-to-counter-china-on-rare-earths-and-tech-00688068 

#Trump is using U.S. #foreignpolicy to punish prosperity and freedom while rewarding oligarchy

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bz2LQfTtbC0

 

‘Vandals in the White House’ no longer reliable allies of Australia, former defence force chief says

Chris Barrie says Donald Trump's second term is 'irrecoverable', but stops short of calling for end to Aukus pact…

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/21/vandals-in-the-white-house-no-longer-reliable-allies-to-australia-former-defence-force-chief-says-ntwnfb

Trump is driving China and South America’s relationship to its ‘best moment’

The US is targeting its own allies and its withdrawal from the region has left a power vacuum for China to fill in…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/12/trump-china-south-america-foreign-policy

 

The Price America Will Pay for Trump’s Tariffs - The Atlantic

Alienating allies and partners that the U.S. desperately needs means that "America First" will be "America Alone."

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/02/price-america-trump-tariffs/681546/

Why the United States needs NATO – 3 things to know

"As a scholar of history and international affairs, it is clear to me that Trump does not seem to understand the many advantages the U.S. gets from being part of NATO. Here are three major benefits for the U.S. that come with NATO membership:"…

https://theconversation.com/why-the-united-states-needs-nato-3-things-to-know-223417

Favoring Foes Over Friends, Trump Threatens to Upend International Order - The New York Times

"Russia and China have nothing to compare with America's allies, and these allies depend on American commitment," said Douglas E. Lute, a retired lieutenant general who served as ambassador to NATO under President Barack Obama and top adviser to President George W. Bush on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. "Casting doubt on the United States' commitment to its allies sacrifices America's greatest advantage over Russia and China, something that neither Putin nor Xi could achieve on his own."…

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/11/us/politics/trump-nato.html

Did Trump help set the stage? (Opinion) - CNN

…"There were cabinet mtgs about this during the Trump Admin where Stephen Miller would peddle his racist hysteria about Iraq & Afghanistan," wrote Troye. "He & his enablers across gov't would undermine anyone who worked on solving the SIV issue by devastating the system." She continued that "Trump had FOUR years-while putting this plan in place-to evacuate these Afghan allies who were the lifelines for many of us who spent time in Afghanistan. They'd been waiting a long time. The process slowed to a trickle."…

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/23/opinions/afghanistan-special-immigrant-visa-olivia-troye-siv-dantonio/index.html

Opinion | Biden began to rebut negative story lines about Afghanistan - The Washington Post

…In the past few days, I've also spoken directly with the British prime minister, Mr. Johnson; Chancellor Merkel of Germany; and President Macron of France. We all agreed that we should convene, and we will convene the G7 meeting next week — a group of the world's leading democracies — so that together we can coordinate our mutual approach, our united approach on Afghanistan and moving forward. We are united with our closest partners to execute the mission at hand...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/08/22/biden-began-turn-around-three-negative-storylines/

Exclusive: Inside the White House scramble to protect Afghan allies - Axios

…"Alarmed" was the emotion one of the officials used to describe the feeling when they found that "there was no plan from the Trump administration on how to move Afghan civilians out of the country, even though they had committed to leaving the country by May 1. So we began building one from scratch."…

https://www.axios.com/afghan-allies-siv-visa-biden-white-house-99e21c9a-c081-4a66-b5ae-74301bafdb25.html

There’s a Better Way to Press for NATO Burden-Sharing - Defense One

An assessment of alliance planning for 2014-18 shows what actually gets members to boost collective defense.

https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2021/03/theres-better-way-press-nato-burden-sharing/172460/

Robert Lighthizer Blew Up 60 Years of Trade Policy. Nobody Knows What Happens Next. — ProPublica

Trump’s trade representative joined the administration with one mission: Bring factory jobs back from overseas. The results so far? Endless trade wars, alienated allies, and a manufacturing recession.....
https://www.propublica.org/article/robert-lighthizer-blew-up-60-years-of-trade-policy-nobody-knows-what-happens-next

Democrats and Republicans take aim at Pompeo over US troop withdrawal from Germany

The Trump administration’s decision to withdraw nearly 12,000 troops from Germany has come under bipartisan attack in the Senate, amid warnings it would disrupt US alliances.....

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/30/us-troops-germany-withdrawal-pompeo-senate-grilling