News analysis Live demo of America First foreign policy holds clues for Asia

What has been whispered around world capitals since the Nov 5 election is true after all: There are no free lunches at the White House any more; Uncle Sam is now eager to present the bill for every meal.

- Bhagyashree Garekar

WASHINGTON -

It is a dramatic break for a country that has for nearly a century provided global leadership, promoted democracy and free markets.

The live demo of the America First foreign policy played out on Feb 28 in front of the world's news cameras during the charged Oval Office exchange between US President Donald Trump, Vice-President J.D. Vance and the visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The meeting was meant to pave the way for the signing of a deal that would give the US access to the war-torn nation's valuable deposits of rare earths and other critical minerals that power today's tech economy.

It degenerated into an extraordinary public row that showed how the US has transitioned from the "leader of the free world" saving a Russian border state under attack, to a debt-laden nation poring over the costs.

This preoccupation with making a deal led Mr Trump to push the idea that the presence of American businesses engaged in mining rare earths in Ukraine would act as a deterrent to future Russian aggression.

At the same time, it would reduce US dependence on China for the minerals which go into making computers, smartphones and defence equipment ranging from Himars systems sent to Ukraine to the satellites tracking Chinese and Russian moves.

But Mr Zelensky wanted more. He was reluctant to commit without explicit security guarantees in the minerals-for-security agreement.

The Ukrainian rejection, according to a Fox News report citing unnamed sources, is what stoked American ire.

After a shouting match during which the Americans demanded respect and gratitude for the billions of dollars spent as military and economic assistance to Ukraine, Mr Trump sent Mr Zelensky back empty-handed.