@goldberg,
America's global alliances may have been weakened by Trump's lumpen foreign policy or the so-called America first; however, it would be naive to argue that America's alliances with other Western nations and Asian allies have been ruptured, in spite of transatlantic divides and political intrigues.
To be sure, some European leaders are said to have been dismayed by Trump's insouciance about shouldering the duty of helping other nations tide over the impending crisis as the president of the most powerful nation on earth. French President Macron even tossed out the view that " it's time for Europe, not America, to safeguard the safety of Europe or shield itself from Russian aggression . He made this comment when he was being interviewed by the Economist.
Yet even Macron knows that it would be an onerous undertaking for Europe, given the widening schism between rich Northern nations and poor Southern nations like Italy, Greece Spain, and Portugal, which are saddled with massive debts. Furthermore, Northern nations like Germany also agonize over Southern nations' strident calls for more financial aid.
That's also the case in Asia, where South Korea and Japan are still wary of the military threat of North Korea, despite being blindsided by Trump's suggestion of paying more for its protection of South Korea. Ergo, the kerfuffle between America and South Korea won't change the status quo, insofar as North Korea still conducts missile tests.
Trump may be a daffy guy when it comes to laying out his vision for America's future; even some supporters of Republican are repulsed by his foreign policy. Nevertheless, America still has some soberheaded policymakers and strategists from both parties who have a knack for mapping out an effective long-term plan aimed to fortify America's clout worldwide, such as rebuilding its alliances with Europe and other allies.
You know the Democratic Party and the Republican Party won't let Trump do anything that would assuage its ability of using such alliances to fight off Russian aggression and ward off other potential military conflicts. That's beyond the control of the feeble-minded Trump even he is the president. It's a matter of national interest for America.
