As the title suggests, this article is about Trump—not about the United States—because the U.S. still retains many allies and friends around the world. Let’s delve into what has transpired over the past 4–5 months.
When Trump won the U.S. presidential election, right-leaning parties and individuals across the globe celebrated, hoping his victory would signal a global shift away from wokeism, communism, and jihadism toward rationalism. However, once Trump took office, his real intentions gradually began to surface. Unlike left-wing parties that promote their ideologies worldwide, Trump showed no interest in strengthening global right-wing movements. Instead, he remained focused on short-term objectives tailored to appease his MAGA supporters.
The first casualty was Canada’s right-wing party, which was leading in the polls and expected to win the election. However, it suffered a significant defeat, with even its leader, Pierre Poilievre, losing his seat. Trump referring to Canada as the “51st state of the U.S.” and the Canadian right-wing party’s failure to strongly denounce this rhetoric backfired. When a country’s sovereignty is attacked, citizens typically rally behind leaders who promise to defend it. Trump’s habit of governing through social media essentially doomed Canada’s right-wing party to opposition for the foreseeable future.
Next in line was Australia’s right-leaning party. The Labor Party, which leans left, not only won the election but also increased both its seat count and vote share. Although Trump did not directly criticize Australia, his rhetoric toward Canada sparked a wave of nationalism in Australia. As a result, Australians supported the party they believed could stand up to Trump.
Then came Trump’s tariffs, which targeted virtually all of America’s trading partners, alarming U.S. allies in Europe. No one could decipher the logic behind Trump’s tariff numbers. Essentially, his goal seemed to be creating trade deals that benefited the U.S. at the expense of others. His now infamous post—“They are kissing my ass”—was a diplomatic low point in U.S. history. Though meant symbolically, the phrase was poorly received by world leaders. Instead of lining up in Washington for one-sided trade deals, countries prioritized protecting their own interests, which frustrated Trump, who genuinely believed they would rush to accommodate him.
Next came Netanyahu and Modi—leaders who had always treated Trump as a close friend. But Trump didn’t spare them either. During his recent Middle East visit, he chose to sell arms to nations hostile to Israel, potentially jeopardizing Israeli security in the long run. This must have left Netanyahu wondering what Trump was thinking.
Trump had promised to end all wars within 24 hours, but global geopolitics is not a light switch in the White House. The Russia-Ukraine war continues, and the Israel-Palestine conflict remains unresolved. Then came the India-Pakistan conflict. Unable to resolve the previous two, Trump saw an opportunity to claim credit for halting hostilities between India and Pakistan, aiming to show his supporters that he could still score a win. He claimed to have negotiated a ceasefire by threatening trade penalties. This claim didn’t sit well with Indian leaders, as it gave the opposition a chance to criticize Prime Minister Modi. The Modi government held several press briefings denying Trump’s involvement. In his national address, Modi made no mention of Trump. Conversely, Pakistan’s Prime Minister publicly thanked Trump for saving the country from Indian aggression. That annoyed Trump, who then asked Apple’s CEO not to manufacture in India. Ironically, the man who promised to destroy terrorism appointed a known LeT terrorist to his team. All this has put PM Modi—whom Trump considers a friend—in a difficult position.
Given all these developments, right-leaning leaders across Europe and the world are slowly distancing themselves from Trump. As a sitting U.S. president, no one will criticize him openly, but it’s evident that he is losing his friends. After all, these leaders also have elections to win in their own countries. In conclusion, global right-wing leaders and supporters are becoming increasingly uncomfortable with Trump’s actions—and many are likely counting the days until 2029.