Breathe
By Pia Taracena Goût
Three weeks ago, Dondald J Trump became president of the United States.
He arrived with the impetus of a global destroyer, his offensive rhetoric proves it. The signature, in large black letters, of different presidential decrees, has defined his actions towards his allies, which have been more provocative than towards his own enemies.
Perhaps the worst case of all is Mexico, just like that, with the stroke of a pen, he changed us from partners, allies and friends to suspect partners and number one enemy. For him, the most serious national security problem for the United States is Mexico, since the main security threats are migration, Mexican cartels and fentanyl. Long gone are the days when, for the U.S. government, the enemies were the Russians or Islamic fundamentalists, just to mention a few. This does not mean that, especially in the case of the latter, tensions are not still there, and we will surely see actions in that sense throughout the 4 years of his administration. The international security agenda of the United States passes for the moment, via Mexico.
An interesting aspect of Trump's foreign policy strategy (although not new) has been the combination of pressure rhetoric, the use of force that can range from the threat of tariffs to intervention, if you recall the old idea of the carrot and the stick. The difference is that, in the 20th century, the leaders of both parties did so with countries they considered enemies, mainly for ideological reasons. What is "new" is that Trump is applying it to a trading partner, neighbor and friend like Canada.
Unlike Mexico, the United States and Canada have long shared common views on global affairs. Trump's proposal for Canada to become the 51st state of the American union, is it to be taken seriously? Of course it is. At least that is what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thinks and has said, who sees the threat of aggression as a way for Donald Trump to appropriate rare minerals, which adds to the idea of buying Greenland for the same reason. Both situations generate tensions with Europe, on the side of Canada as a NATO ally and on the side of Greenland, tensions with Denmark. And not to mention the European Union, next on the list of tariffs, as it considers that they have abused the United States considering two issues: on the one hand, a deficit of 300 billion
dollars and, on the other hand, the Union's refusal to buy U.S. cars and agricultural products.
Japan, an important ally for the United States in the region, was missing, and everyone wondered when it would be the country of the rising sun's turn. During the recent visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, on February 7, and despite the Prime Minister's wishes to initiate "a new golden age in relations between the two countries", Trump's wishes were the same: to balance the 72 billion dollar deficit with Japan, under threat of tariffs, and on top of that he "forced" it to buy natural gas. On the most sensitive issue with Japan, steel, Trump got Japan to invest in the Pittsburgh steel company instead of buying it. But at the same time, and with the Prime Minister at his side, Trump spoke of seeking diplomatic relations with North Korea, which is a very sensitive issue for Japan and South Korea, due to the nuclear threat.
