The Limits of Trump’s Diplomacy
When President Trump took office, he promised to end the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, positioning himself as the only leader capable of achieving peace. However, his diplomatic efforts have so far fallen short.
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Techno-polar reckoning: US vs. China
“If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end,” declared Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry. This assertive stance was expressed in direct reaction to the Trump administration’s significant escalation of tariffs on Chinese imports, increasing them from 10% to 20%.
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With President Donald Trump entering his second term, the reinstated "maximum pressure" policy continues to escalate tensions between Iran and the United States. In February, the Trump administration imposed sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the goal of these new sanctions was to "collapse its already buckling economy."
This analysis explores the potential effects of Trump’s agenda, providing a comprehensive look at how it may influence global trade and energy dynamics.
Donald Trump’s remarks on his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin completely upend the official US narrative on the Ukraine war. Since Russia’s invasion, Washington has led Europe and NATO in isolating Moscow. But with Trump’s return, the US is not only abandoning that strategy—it appears willing to concede to Putin’s demands before negotiations even begin.
On Jan. 21, 2025, United States President Donald Trump announced an unprecedented wave of investments in artificial intelligence (AI), marking a historic milestone in U.S. technological advancement. Trump declared a record-breaking $500 billion commitment to a coalition of AI companies, labeling the initiative “Stargate” and proclaiming that the U.S. was entering a new “golden age” during his second term. The announcement, titled “Stargate,” echoed the symbolism of past grandiose projects, such as President Ronald Reagan’s “Strategic Defense Initiative” (SDI), famously known as “Star Wars,” which aimed to challenge the Soviet Union during the Cold War era.
What is the U.S. After in Syria?
Debating what the United States wants in Syria might seem futile, as the question lacks a clear answer. This is primarily because, for some time now, the U.S.’s de facto policy in Syria—shaped by what it doesn’t want—has failed to evolve into a comprehensive strategy.
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War and poverty take center stage at G-20 summit
The world’s most developed countries convened at the G-20 summit in Brazil to discuss hunger and poverty on a global scale. The possibility of using wealth taxes collected from the rich to address the needs of underdeveloped regions has long been a key topic on the G-20’s agenda.
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In response to Israel's striking of Iran's consulate in Syria, Ayatollah Khamenei's statement of "retaliation will be given" has heightened the possibility of the regional proxy war escalating into direct conflict. Since October 7th, Netanyahu has been attempting to expand the conflict by targeting Hamas and Shia militia objectives in both Beirut and Syria. The relatively controlled continuation of the "regional war" relied on Iran and Hezbollah refraining from militarily supporting Hamas. However, Khamenei's remarks suggesting that striking the Iranian consulate would mean targeting Iranian soil have also put Washington on high alert.
Against the backdrop of Israel's massacre in Gaza, attention has been shifting to Iran. Following the bombardment of the Houthis by the United States and the United Kingdom for disrupting commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Iran and Pakistan experienced an escalation, with both sides firing missiles over terrorism. Moreover, Israel killed five members of the Revolutionary Guards Corps in Damascus last weekend, resuming its past operations against the Iranian presence in Syria. The seeming purpose of such strikes is to stop Iran from sending military aid to the Axis of Resistance – namely Hezbollah and Hamas. More important, however, is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's commitment to ensuring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict's regionwide spillover – which contradicts the Biden administration.
