Donald Trump Wants to Divide Up the World With His ‘Friends’
May 2, 2025
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Stacie Goddard, a Wellesley College political science professor and expert on international relations, dives into the troubling trends of contemporary geopolitics. She discusses how Trump’s approach mirrors 19th-century dynamics with leaders like Putin and Xi. Stacie connects today's 'great power collusion' to the historical Concert of Europe, emphasizing the risks of territorial ambitions and aging dictators lacking vision. The conversation also touches on Taiwan's critical role in the semiconductor industry and its effects on global power dynamics.
Trump's shift from great power competition to perceived collusion with leaders like Putin and Xi mirrors historical patterns seen in the 19th century.
The discussion emphasizes the crucial role of middle powers in navigating complex geopolitical dynamics amidst evolving alliances and strongman diplomacy.
Deep dives
Understanding Great Power Competition
The discussion revolves around the evolution of great power competition in U.S. foreign policy, particularly how it shifted during the Trump and Biden administrations. The podcast outlines how President Trump’s engagement with leaders like Vladimir Putin contrasts sharply with his approach towards Xi Jinping and China, demonstrating a move from competition to perceived collusion. The exploration highlights how this transformation can be contextualized within historical frameworks, specifically drawing parallels with the 19th-century Concert of Europe, where great powers sought to collaborate rather than compete. This comparison opens a dialogue about whether modern leaders are inadvertently stumbling into a similar framework of governance defined by strongman diplomacy.
The Concert of Europe: Historical Context
The concept of the Concert of Europe, established post-Napoleonic Wars, is analyzed to explain how European powers aimed to maintain stability through collective diplomacy. The leaders of major powers of the time, such as Britain, Austria, and Russia, created a series of treaties aimed at addressing territorial disputes to avoid future conflicts. This historical model underscores the importance of commitment among nations to address crises cooperatively, emphasizing how these agreements shaped the political landscape of Europe. The conversation further delves into the implications of applying such historical examples to contemporary international relations, questioning if similar cooperation is feasible today.
Modern-Day Power Dynamics
The podcast questions current power dynamics by exploring how contemporary leaders perceive and exercise authority on the global stage. It highlights the tendency to view relations through the lens of individual strongmen rather than cooperative international frameworks. This perspective leads to a transactional approach in foreign policy, as illustrated by Trump's negotiations with China and Russia, which may risk overlooking collaborative opportunities for global stability. The conversation ultimately suggests that the reliance on charismatic individual leaders as stabilizers overlooks the need for structured political systems that ensure long-term cooperation and reduce the chance of conflict.
Re-evaluating Middle Powers and Global Alliances
The role of middle powers in global politics is emphasized, particularly their potential to assert influence amid changing alliances. As countries like Australia and Japan assess their strategic positions in relation to the U.S. and China, there is a growing trend to evaluate defense capabilities and economic independence. The podcast asserts that these nations must identify and leverage their unique strengths in a geopolitical landscape shifting towards more complex power dynamics. As alliances are reconsidered, the importance of maintaining a balance between competing major powers is highlighted, indicating that middle powers may hold significant sway in shaping the future of international relations.
Great power competition has gotten old for President Donald Trump—never one for a fair fight. He’s looking for a little great power collusion instead, dividing the world with his best buds, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. This kind of thing isn’t new, though, Stacie Goddard, a professor at Wellesley, tells us, in fact it’s the 1800s on repeat. Well, look how that turned out… World War I, anybody?
BTW, check out her terrific article on this in Foreign Affairs magazine.
