
Judging Freedom Alastair Crooke : Trump's Different Imperial Model.
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Dec 15, 2025 In this insightful discussion, Alastair Crooke, a former British diplomat and geopolitical expert, delves into Trump's unique imperial model. He compares Trump's transactional strategy to treating regions like franchises. Crooke explores China's strong economic influence in Latin America, emphasizing Trump's attempts to counter it. He discusses the shift toward economic competition over military might and critiques the contradictions in U.S. national security strategy. The conversation reveals the complexities of American ambitions amid significant debt and declining competitiveness.
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Regional Influence Over Global Hegemony
- Trump frames U.S. strategy as pursuing regions of influence instead of global hegemony, focusing on the Americas up to the Arctic.
- He aims to exclude rival infrastructure, notably China's economic footprint in Latin America.
Economy Replaces Symbolic Military Power
- Geopolitics is shifting from symbolic military displays to economic models and infrastructure competition.
- Control over trade corridors, loans, and payment systems will define the next era of global influence.
Franchise Model For Global Order
- Crooke describes Trump's model as franchising global regions where allies pay to be under U.S. rules and support reshoring.
- He argues the approach focuses resources but contains structural contradictions that risk failure.




