Internationalism No. 82, December 2025 Page 10 From the series Chronicles of the new American nationalism Washington is redefining its commitments in Europe and the Middle East, while reaffirming its presence in the Western Hemisphere and coming to terms with China's rise in every theatre. Donald Trump has imposed tariffs and threatened adversaries and allies, gaining bargaining leverage without, for now, provoking the catastrophic outcomes predicted by critics. In nine months, he has achieved successes , acknowledges David Sanger of The New York Times , an opposition newspaper: many allies will spend more on defence and various regional conflicts have been defused, at least temporarily, including those in the Middle East. However, Trump's approach is erratic . Some commentators have tried to make the process intelligible, even to policymakers. Rival tribes In a widely cited 2022 essay, Jeremy Shapiro and Majda Ruge of the Eur...