How Trump Is Reshaping Global Alliances
As U.S. alliances falter under Trump, Putin and Xi capitalize. Discover how global power is being rewritten in real time.
How Global Power is Being Reshaped in Real Time
The global balance of power is shifting, and the fault lines are deepening. Old alliances are fraying while new ones form, not out of shared values but from necessity and opportunism. At the centre of this reconfiguration are three figures: Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping. The United States and Russia, once locked in Cold War antagonism, appear to be negotiating a new geopolitical map. But in the shadows, China is positioning itself as the true winner.
If history has taught us anything, power abhors a vacuum. As Trump undermines American alliances, Putin capitalizes on the disorder, and China consolidates its influence. The question is not whether the world is changing but rather who is writing the script.
The U.S.-Russia Alignment
For decades, American foreign policy sought to contain Russia, counterbalance its influence in Eastern Europe, and prevent further territorial expansion. This bipartisan consensus shattered with Trump’s rise. His first term saw a significant departure from traditional U.S. strategy, with Trump consistently praising Putin, casting doubt on NATO’s value, and making concessions that baffled foreign policy experts.
One of the earliest and most telling signs of this shift came in 2015 when Trump’s campaign convinced the Republican Party to soften its stance on Ukraine. Before then, U.S. support for Ukraine had been uncontroversial, a necessary deterrent against Russian aggression. But Trump’s alignment with Moscow led to delays in military aid, weak responses to Russian cyberattacks, and a general retreat from American leadership in Eastern Europe.
Even now, Trump’s rhetoric suggests that he sees Ukraine not as a victim of aggression but as a burden. His public statements indicate he would allow Russia to keep the territories it has seized, abandoning Ukraine’s sovereignty in exchange for what he would call a "peace deal", one that overwhelmingly benefits Moscow.
Yet, despite all of Trump’s overtures, Putin has given little in return. The Russian president continues to undermine U.S. interests, destabilize European democracies, and strengthen his alliance with China. Trump’s admiration for Putin does not seem to be mutual; it is, instead, an unbalanced relationship where one side concedes while the other manipulates.
China’s Silent Takeover
While much attention is focused on Trump and Putin, the true architect of this shifting world order may well be Xi Jinping. China has played a long game, one that requires neither war nor dramatic political realignments but patient, methodical expansion of influence.
Russia, despite its vast landmass and military arsenal, is an economic lightweight. Its GDP is comparable to that of Italy, and its military, once feared, has been exposed as struggling against a much smaller Ukrainian force. Sanctions have crippled the Russian economy, making it ever more dependent on China for financial stability, technological imports, and energy exports.
China now controls key aspects of Russia’s survival:
Energy markets – With Europe cutting off Russian oil and gas, China has become Russia’s primary customer, dictating the terms and keeping prices low.
Financial stability – Russian banks are increasingly reliant on Chinese credit, making any defection to the U.S. impossible without economic collapse.
Military technology – Russia’s need for advanced components has left it dependent on China’s industrial base.
At every turn, China ensures that Russia remains a junior partner. While Putin may see himself as an independent actor, he is, in reality, playing a role scripted by Beijing.
The American Retreat
Trump’s approach to foreign policy has not strengthened America, it has actively diminished its influence. By antagonizing European allies, threatening NATO, and pursuing reckless deals that benefit adversaries, Trump has made America weaker.
This withdrawal of American soft power does not occur in isolation. Every diplomatic retreat creates an opening that competitors are eager to fill. China’s Belt and Road Initiative has expanded Beijing’s influence across Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, offering infrastructure investments that come with long-term strategic dependencies. At the same time, Russia’s aggressive military posture forces Europe to divert resources toward defence rather than economic growth, leaving the continent fragmented and vulnerable.
By the time America realizes what it has lost, it may be too late to recover.
What Comes Next?
The consequences of these shifts will be profound. If Trump continues to weaken NATO, Europe may be forced to fend for itself. A divided West will embolden Russia to push further into former Soviet territories while China cements its dominance in the Pacific. The era of unquestioned American primacy is ending, and what replaces it will not be a world of peace and stability but of strategic competition and heightened risk.
If we hope to counteract this trajectory, we must recognize the forces at play. Supporting democratic allies, reinforcing NATO, and resisting authoritarian expansion are not just abstract ideals; they are practical necessities for maintaining a balance of power that prevents outright global conflict.
Understanding these dynamics is the first step. The next step is ensuring that leaders who recognize the stakes are the ones shaping foreign policy. If we fail, we may find ourselves in a world where America, once a dominant force, has willingly handed over its influence to the very adversaries it once sought to contain.
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