ThinkTankWeekly

Are America’s Allies Finally Learning to Deal With Trump?

Foreign Affairs | 2026-06-04 | europe

Topics: China, Europe, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, NATO, Nuclear, Russia, Taiwan, Trade, Ukraine, United States

Visit original source

ThinkTankWeekly provides a curated entry and summary only. Full text and PDF remain on the publisher's website.

English Summary

A recent Foreign Affairs podcast highlights that U.S. allies are belatedly recognizing the fundamental shift in the U.S.-alliance dynamic under President Trump’s second term. The core argument is that allies initially failed to develop alternative strategies, evidenced by events like threats to abandon NATO, limited support for Japan against China, and a lack of consultation regarding the Iran conflict. Since then, however, European allies, particularly after Mark Carney’s Davos speech and the Greenland incident, have begun to acknowledge the diminished reliance on U.S. support and are starting to formulate more independent approaches. This shift reflects a growing understanding that the traditional U.S.-led order is no longer guaranteed, necessitating a re-evaluation of strategic partnerships.

中文摘要

最近《外交事務》播客指出,在川普總統第二任期間,美國盟友才開始意識到美國與盟國關係動態的根本性轉變。核心論點是,盟友最初未能制定替代策略,例如對北約的放棄威脅、對日本的反對中國有限的支持以及就伊朗衝突缺乏諮詢。然而,自那時以來,歐洲盟友,尤其是在馬克·卡尼在達沃斯發布的演講和格陵蘭事件之後,開始承認對美國支持的依賴程度降低,並開始構思更獨立的方法。這種轉變反映了越來越深刻的認識,即傳統以美國為中心的秩序不再有保障,這需要重新評估戰略夥伴關係。

Related Entries

  1. 1.
    2026-06-26 | americas | 2026-W26 | Topics: Trade, United States

    The World Cup provides a unique diplomatic opportunity for North American co-hosts (US, Canada, Mexico) to overcome deep historical and political frictions. Despite ongoing economic tensions and border disputes, the region maintains profound integration, evidenced by $1 trillion in annual cross-border trade and large trans-national populations. The shared cultural experience of major global events can transcend nationalistic divides, allowing leaders to refocus on common ground. Policymakers should leverage such moments to promote cooperation and build social bridges, mitigating geopolitical disputes that threaten continental stability.

    Read at CFR

  2. 2.

    Despite significant damage to its naval fleet, shipyards, and production facilities from recent strikes, Iran is expected to quickly reconstitute its military industrial base. This reconstitution relies heavily on importing dual-use components, such as machine tools, drone parts, and marine engines, through alternative routes like Pakistan or China. To counter this threat, the report advises that policymakers must extend sanctions mechanisms—particularly 'no reexport' clauses—and proactively engage third countries with direct access to Iran. Furthermore, monitoring allied firms dealing with key suppliers in China and Turkey is crucial to slowing down and raising the cost of necessary procurements.

    Read at CSIS

  3. 3.
    2026-06-26 | europe | 2026-W26 | Topics: Middle East, Nuclear, Russia, Ukraine, United States

    Ukraine demonstrates remarkable resilience and technological adaptability despite continuous Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure and critical services. While Kyiv's military is adapting through innovative drone warfare and strikes, its long-term stability requires sustained international support to counter Russia’s escalating threats. Strategically, the U.S. must coordinate with key European powers (E3) due to shifting political attention, while immediately deploying negotiators to Ukraine to gain ground truth and plan for potential escalation scenarios.

    Read at Brookings

  4. 4.

    Africa's economic landscape is at a critical inflection point, shifting away from traditional foreign aid toward sophisticated commercial investment and private-sector co-investment. This transition is underpinned by major regional initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which grants African nations significant agency and negotiating leverage. Consequently, external powers must pivot their strategy from conditional development assistance to facilitating partnerships in key sectors such as digital infrastructure, energy transition, agribusiness, and critical minerals. Failure to acknowledge Africa's growing market options risks diminishing the influence of any single global partner.

    Read at CFR

  5. 5.
    2026-06-26 | tech | 2026-W26 | Topics: China, Trade, United States

    The CSIS report argues that memory availability, particularly advanced High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), is becoming a critical bottleneck for AI deployment, potentially surpassing the importance of logic chips. Rapid and sustained demand from hyperscale data centers is currently outpacing global production capacity, leading to supply constraints evidenced by manufacturers selling out future production slates. Given that new fabrication facilities require years and massive investment to build, this shortage is projected to persist through 2027 or beyond. Policymakers must therefore prioritize strengthening domestic memory manufacturing capacity and securing resilient supply chains to prevent hardware bottlenecks from constraining broader industrial competitiveness.

    Read at CSIS