Changes

The "Trump Doctrine" is all about the [[US]]' continued [[military]] overmatch vis-à-vis [[China]] together with placing the US in a position where it can complementarily deny China access to the [[energy]] and [[market]]s that it requires to maintain its growth and thus its [[superpower]] trajectory.

The "Trump Doctrine" is all about the [[US]]' continued [[military]] overmatch vis-à-vis [[China]] together with placing the US in a position where it can complementarily deny China access to the [[energy]] and [[market]]s that it requires to maintain its growth and thus its [[superpower]] trajectory.

[[Trump 2.0’]]'s grand [[strategy]] became clear when the US bombed [[ISIS]] in [[Nigeria]] on [[Christmas]] 2025, executed its "special military operation" in [[Venezuela]] kidnapping [[President Maduro]], and threatened more strikes against [[Iran]] on the pretext of supporting anti-government protesters. What these three states have in common is their important roles in the global energy industry and in China's [[Belt & Road Initiative]] (BRI).

[[Trump 2.0]]'s grand [[strategy]] became clear when the US bombed [[ISIS]] in [[Nigeria]] on [[Christmas]] 2025, executed its "special military operation" in [[Venezuela]] kidnapping [[President Maduro]], and threatened more strikes against [[Iran]] on the pretext of supporting anti-government protesters. What these three states have in common is their important roles in the global energy industry and in China's [[Belt & Road Initiative]] (BRI).

Coercing those countries into subordinating themselves to the [[US]] (whether by [[tariff]]s, force, [[subversion]], etc.) would result in [[Trump 2.0]] obtaining influence over their [[energy]] [[export]]s and [[trade]] ties, which could be [[weapon]]ized to pressure [[China]]. What the US wants from China is for it to agree to a lopsided [[trade]] deal that would then be replicated with the [[EU]] and the US; other partners for, as the new [[2025 National Security Strategy]] states, "rebalanc[ing] [[China]]'s [[economy]] towards household consumption".

Coercing those countries into subordinating themselves to the [[US]] (whether by [[tariff]]s, force, [[subversion]], etc.) would result in [[Trump 2.0]] obtaining influence over their [[energy]] [[export]]s and [[trade]] ties, which could be [[weapon]]ized to pressure [[China]]. What the US wants from China is for it to agree to a lopsided [[trade]] deal that would then be replicated with the [[EU]] and the US; other partners for, as the new [[2025 National Security Strategy]] states, "rebalanc[ing] [[China]]'s [[economy]] towards household consumption".