Trump’s Counterrevolution
Al-Masry Al-Youm, Egypt, January 2
As President-elect Donald Trump gears up to officially assume office on January 20, he has yet to issue a single executive order. Nonetheless, his provocative statements have already sent shockwaves through international circles—from China and the East to the European Union in the West. Nations worldwide are on tenterhooks, uneasy and even bewildered by Trump’s rhetoric, which questions foundational elements of the global order, including international trade agreements, immigration policies, and diplomatic relations—not only with adversarial nations but also with longtime allies. In response to this growing global anxiety, Trump remarked, “It seems like the world has gone a little crazy.” Until now, political analysts have largely operated under the assumption that US governance remains institutionally stable, regardless of who sits in the Oval Office or which party holds power. American interests were seen as immutable. However, Trump’s ascendancy has upended these perceptions. The usual predictive scenarios no longer seem applicable, giving rise to pressing questions: will Trump reshape the international order? Is he set on building an imperial America? What future awaits the European Union? How will the conflict between Ukraine and Russia evolve? Could Trump annex Canada and seize control of the Panama Canal? And what are the possible outcomes of the tariff war he has threatened against both adversaries and allies?
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Canada finds itself embroiled in political turmoil following Trump’s remarks about possibly making it a US state, while Denmark seethes over his comment about exerting absolute control over Greenland, the world’s largest island, ostensibly for US national security reasons. Trump has also intensified his rhetoric against Panama, threatening to take over the Panama Canal. He accuses the government of inflating shipping fees for US vessels and permitting Chinese personnel to manage the waterway—claims that have been proven false. Are these just verbal threats that Trump will abandon upon realizing that governance doesn’t operate this way? “World leaders are flocking to the table because the president is delivering on his promise to make America great again,” asserted Anna Kelly, spokesperson for Trump’s transition team. “Foreign nations will think twice about undermining us. America will regain respect, and the world will be safer.” Another team official insisted: “This is not recklessness. Trump knows how to weigh possibilities.”
Some observers interpret Trump’s aggressive commentary as a targeted message to China, which he views as America’s chief rival. If even allies like Denmark, Canada, and Panama are not immune to his threats, how might he handle adversaries? Tariff weapons aimed at Chinese exports to the US mark just the beginning, foreshadowing further confrontational measures to curtail China’s global ascendancy. But China’s not the sole target. For the BRICS nations—comprising China, Russia, India, Brazil, and South Africa—along with Egypt, Iran, the Emirates, and Ethiopia, the message is explicit and severe: “100% tariffs on your exports if you attempt to replace the dollar with another currency!” The European Union is not clear either, prompting some officials to wave the metaphorical white flag. Christine Lagarde, head of the European Central Bank, has suggested that Europe purchase American weapons, goods, and liquefied natural gas to stave off sanctions. Meanwhile, NATO, which Trump has deemed obsolete, finds its secretary general, Mark Rutte, attempting to gain favor with Trump, stating, “We have to dance with whoever is on the dance floor.” Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy, once defiant with the backing of the Biden administration, is beginning to reconsider, proposing peaceful resolutions amid concerns that Trump might broker a secret deal with Putin to end the ongoing conflict. Turning to the Middle East, Trump shows little interest in resolving the Palestinian issue and instead focuses on rebooting Arab normalization with Israel. During his first term, he recognized occupied Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and acknowledged its sovereignty over the Golan Heights; it seems plausible he might now recognize Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank and sanction strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The travel ban he enacted on several Muslim-majority countries, which Biden had lifted, is likely to make a comeback. Previously, Trump’s tenure faced resistance: his electoral victory was narrow, Democrats held the House, and his executive team lacked cohesion, all amid a critical press. Now, following a landslide victory, he enjoys a Republican majority in Congress, a unified ministerial team, and a media landscape at its weakest. The year 2025 aligns with the Year of the Snake in the East Asian calendar, and the world braces for the metaphorical bites that American policy might deliver—bites capable of paralyzing and envenomating the global order. The question remains: Is there an antidote to neutralize Trump’s potentially disruptive agenda? —Abdullah Abdul Salam (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
