Donald Trump came to power with a strange fixation on trade deficits and the belief that all of our trade partners, including our Asian and European allies, rip us off–the Chinese were simply the first among equals. As a result, he rejected the TPP, imposed steel and aluminum tariffs on friendly countries, and called for bilateral trade agreements that were skewed to protect American interests.
The logic of “America First” is that it leaves us alone to deal with Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. It means that, when we complain about the expansion of Chinese influence in Asia through the Belt and Road program, we have nothing to offer other countries to compete with that program. It gives away our greatest weapon in the struggle to force the Chinese to play by international rules. It is just plain stupid.
Nothing illustrates the conflict between the nationalist and internationalist strains of Trumpist/Bannonist thought better than this issue. How is America supposed to prevail in the predicted monumental clash of civilizations if it continues to flip the bird at all of the countries that are ostensibly on our side?