Opinion: Trump's policies likened to Rome's decline amid growing global isolation
Columnist Nick Bryant argues that Donald Trump's actions are turning the United States into a pariah, comparing the nation’s trajectory to the fall of Rome.
Nick Bryant’s opinion article in The i Paper suggests that Donald Trump’s aggressive agenda is reshaping America into a “friendless” state reminiscent of Rome’s collapse. He observes that the nation’s 250th-anniversary events have been eclipsed by displays of decadence in Washington and a loss of diplomatic clout. Bryant highlights Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, a former Bank of England governor, who openly challenged the United States in a trade dispute, and notes the United Kingdom’s new prime minister Andy Burnham steering a “coalition of the willing” on Ukraine without U.S. participation.
Additional concerns include the USS Abraham Lincoln scandal, reduced military stockpiles, halted joint drills with South Korea, and Israel’s rejection of a Gaza peace proposal. The columnist warns that even a potential summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un would underscore America’s shrinking stature, while the “America First” mantra increasingly sounds like a hollow slogan.
Why it matters
The piece reflects growing concerns that U.S. foreign policy under Trump may be eroding the country's global standing.
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