Thomas Friedman says nothing like it has ever happened before–an American president openly siding with an aggressor dictatorship against a small democratic victim. Bret Stephens called it “a day of infamy.” They’re right. What does it mean in the long run?
Trump is going beyond his old notion of talking trash to get allies to pay their way. He’s identifying himself with the aspirations of dictators against the interests and values of liberal democratic states. Why? Either because he admires and wants to emulate authoritarian systems or because he wants a deal to divide the world with them. Or both.
I’m guessing it’s both. And then we will find out how many of America’s former allies will agree, even under pressure, to become vassal states, and how far Trump is willing to go to coerce the ones who don’t.