Trump’s threats to the world on the rise

Post his success in Venezuela, President Donald Trump assumes that the US has the capacity to intervene anywhere it desires, irrespective of a nation being a friend or foe, and can alter global and regional geopolitical dynamics at will.

- HARSHA KAKAR

Few nations criticized the US action in Venezuela, though it violated international law. Venezuela was a success because its corrupt military leadership was possibly bought over by the CIA. It may not happen every time.

Venezuela remains far from stable. Delcy Rodriguez, as acting President, is attempting to balance ever increasing demands and threats from Trump against pulls and pressures from various anti-US factions within. She faces internal and external challenges and instead of supporting the transition in leadership, Trump is countering with additional demands.

Rather than wait for Venezuela to stabilize, Trump has begun planning his next misadventure, hoping it would be as easy as Venezuela. He has begun claiming that Greenland is essential for security of the US and hence must form part of it. Defending his stance he has stated that if the US does not occupy it, Russia and China would do so soon.

He has also issued threats of military intervention against Columbia, Cuba, Mexico and Iran. Earlier he had demanded that Canada must be a part of the US, souring ties. For Trump, global bodies, rules-based order, and international law including respecting sovereignty of nations, mean nothing.

His tariff wars and inflated ego have pushed his close allies away. His claims of having resolved multiple conflicts hence entitling him to the Nobel Peace Prize, have been contested by many, including India. After failing to end conflicts, Trump has shifted track to engaging militarily with nations which are of concern to the US, hoping this would garner him the award, as some of these nations are dictatorships with poor human rights record, while a majority export drugs to the West.