Insights: ‘America First, America Alone’ – Anthony Manduca
The Sunday Times of Malta’s Deputy Editor Anthony Manduca writes “US President Donald Trump’s deplorable behaviour at the G7 summit in Canada really was a turning point in the relationship between America and its traditional allies. Trump showed that he does not value the multilateral international order or the transatlantic alliance, nor does he appreciate the importance of having strong allies and friends who share common values.
At the G7 meeting Trump offered no compromises on his shortsighted and irresponsible decision to impose steel and aluminium tariffs on America’s closest friends, he arrived late for a number of meetings, he was rude about his Canadian hosts, he reprimanded his fellow participants – in effect America’s closest allies – about their trade practices, he left the summit early (using the excuse of his Singapore meeting with Kim Jong-un, which was held two days later) and he decided not to endorse the final communiqué after having earlier committed himself to doing so.
He argues that Over the past 15 months the allies of the US have been doing their best to give Trump the benefit of the doubt, try to reason with him, even flatter him. This strategy has largely failed.
