President Donald Trump’s recent actions and statements suggest he may be envisioning a world where the US, China, and Russia each dominate their respective spheres of influence. The concept is reminiscent of 19th-century imperial rule, with Trump proposing to take control of Greenland, Canada, and re-establish American dominance in the Panama Canal.
Trump has criticized allies, talked about withdrawing troops from around the globe, and praised his friends, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, as strong leaders. Critics say his approach to Ukraine is consistent with this concept, where the US talks to Russia about defining borders and controlling natural resources.
However, experts warn that setting up a sphere of influence in the modern era would be challenging, with China refusing to give up its stakes in the Western Hemisphere easily. Even so, Trump’s aides persist in trying to exert greater American influence from the Arctic Circle to South America.
Senator Marco Rubio’s two trips to Latin America and the Caribbean have been seen as part of this effort, negotiating with strongman leaders to set up American penal colonies and pressing Panama on its ports. His conventional foreign policy views differ from Trump’s approach, which has sparked concerns among European nations about a potentially waning US presence.
The war in Ukraine is seen as a test case for this concept, with the US proposing terms that mostly benefit Russia. Analysts worry that Taiwan and Asian security are also at risk, given Trump’s criticism of the island and praise of China’s leader.
Trump says he wants to reach a deal with China, but its focus will likely be on Taiwan. The US administration has not detailed how far it would go to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/26/us/politics/trump-russia-china.html