Who is America’s worst enemy? It’s not North Korea’s Kim Jong-un
Kevin Rafferty says Donald Trump’s Asia tour revealed for all the world to see his lack of global leadership and America’s inability to cope with China’s rise under his presidency
In those few boasts, Trump laid bare his, America’s and, ultimately, the world’s failure to put together a credible policy for a fragile and fractured planet.
No commentator worth a CNN sound bite could see the achievements Trump imagined. The rest of the world does not live in the dangerous empire of Trump’s mind, where Trump is constantly moving to strike a deal and save the world, or at least America.
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Trump operates quite unlike any other US president. His predecessors spent time consulting experts, studying the issues and devising “Plan A” for the best outcome, with at least plans B to E for the inevitable unexpected twists and turns.
Even so, it is debatable whether America would be stronger if Trump had stayed at home rather embarking on his Asia tour, as some have claimed. US administrations throughout history have had distinguished cabinet members. Abraham Lincoln had a team of rivals, Harry Truman’s secretaries of state were General George Marshall and Dean Acheson, while Dwight Eisenhower had John Foster Dulles. They were distinguished in their own right and could hold their own with world leaders.