Why US allies abroad are so afraid of Trump’s second term

After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, “sighs of relief sounded through the capitals“all over the world. NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel reported at the timemany abroad responded as if “the United States had overthrown a dictator, that democracy had been saved, that America’s reputation had been saved.”

Four years later, it was no secret that many of the United States’ key allies, particularly in Europe, were desperately hoping that Donald Trump would lose. After his victory, fear was almost as overwhelming abroad as in Democratic households from coast to coast.

One of Germany’s leading news magazines ran a cover with a single headline under a photo of the Republican. “F—” it said. (The original actually spelled the word.)

It’s worth taking a moment to understand why.

The problem isn’t just Trump’s proposed tariffs. Or his joking ability. Or his erratic tendencies. Or his corruption. Or his willingness to engage in legally questionable abuses. Or the extent to which his reactionary, fascist-like tendencies are offensive to global democracies. Or the awkwardness that will ensue when Trump comes face to face with international leaders who destroyed him after leaving the White House, thinking there was no way his career could recover from his failures and alleged misdeeds in the first term.

The more serious problem is that they are not sure which side he will be on during a second term.

The Wall Street Journal Featured the fact that America’s rivals are “merging into a new global authoritarian axis.”

At first glance, the rise of this ‘axis’ is disturbing, but even more alarming is the question of whether Trump views its members as adversaries or as like-minded partners.

In the run-up to the American elections, for example Trump described the United States’ international adversaries as “so-called enemies” and countries that “may not be enemies.” Around the same time, the Republican publicly trashed us South Korean allies, EU alliesAnd Ukrainian allies – while pointing to the Hungarian Viktor Orbán and his ‘strongman’ style as a kind of international model worth emulating.

A few months earlier, Trump said“Our allies are the worst.” A month later, he added“They are allies, but not when we need them. They are only allies when they need something.”

Earlier this year — in the midst of the Republican Party’s presidential primaries — Trump also said he was willing to “encourage” Russia.to do whatever they wantto NATO members who have not spent enough on defense.

And did I mention that Trump reportedly has? several secret chats with Putin since he left the White House? And that the Republican didn’t exactly deny it that the conversations took place?

As for why Americans should care, a world in which the United States weakens the NATO alliance and sides with authoritarian and dictatorial regimes abroad actually represents a potential collapse of the post-World War II world order. creating global instability, unpredictability and security threats.

In recent generations, Americans have rarely prioritized foreign policy when making decisions at the ballot box. In 2024, many may regret their indifference.