The world is at a crossroads, and the actions of one man have pushed us to the brink. Was this the week that Donald Trump's power play went too far, and will it finally spark the change we need?
It's tempting to believe that the recent turmoil is over, that the threat of a US takeover of Greenland has passed, and we can return to a sense of normalcy. But this is a dangerous misconception. The world as we knew it has fundamentally shifted, and the question now is what will emerge in its place. It's a question that affects us all, and it carries both immense risks and a glimmer of hope.
Let's not forget that Trump's threats to conquer Greenland, and his retraction, are just the tip of the iceberg. The very fact that he made such a threat confirms a disturbing reality: under Trump's leadership, the US has become an unreliable ally, if not an outright foe, to its former friends.
Trump's actions and words have been both gross and insulting. His recent comment about NATO allies being "a little off the frontlines" in Afghanistan is a despicable insult to the families of the brave British and allied service personnel who sacrificed their lives in that conflict. And his latest venture, the so-called "Board of Peace," unveiled at Davos, is an attempt to undermine and monetize the post-World War II international order. With a logo that speaks volumes - a UN badge dipped in gold, with the world reduced to just America - it's clear that Trump aims to replace the UN with an exclusive, expensive members' club, where decision-making power rests solely with him, even beyond his presidential term.
The invitation to Vladimir Putin and the exclusion of Mark Carney speak volumes about Trump's true intentions. For a while, US allies clung to the hope that Trump was an anomaly, a temporary aberration, and that the old ways would return once he was gone. But that illusion has been shattered. Over the past year, Trump has demonstrated that the formal checks and balances designed to restrain a US president are easily bypassed. If it can happen once, it can happen again, and that means the US itself is no longer a reliable partner.
There are crucial lessons to be learned from this situation. Trump will continue his aggressive tactics unless he faces resistance. His former adviser, Steve Bannon, described Trump's strategy as "maximalist," pushing the boundaries until someone stops him. Trump's Greenland moves led to a united European front and serious economic counter-threats, which ultimately forced him to back down. This shows that standing up to Trump is effective.
Longtime US allies must recognize that they cannot be so dependent on the US, whether economically or militarily, that they have no choice but to give in to its demands. Mark Carney's speech at Davos, which received a standing ovation, was a stark reminder of this. He said, "The old order is not coming back. We shouldn't mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy."
What's needed is a new arrangement, a new formation. The "middle powers" of the democratic West, outside the US, must not passively accept the old world of institutions and rules being replaced by strongmen and deals. Instead, they can combine to create a third path, as Carney suggests. This could take the form of a powerful economic and security alliance between the European Union, the UK, and Canada.
The ultimate goal is for Western democracies to become self-sufficient in their defense, no longer reliant on the US. It won't happen overnight, but as Jeremy Hunt said, it would be a dereliction of duty not to start working towards this goal now. It will take time, and in the meantime, we must maintain a delicate balance, continuing to engage with the US while quietly building a new, stronger alliance.
A key part of this plan is a significant increase in defense spending, which will reshape the politics of countries that have enjoyed a peace dividend since the end of the Cold War. It will also impact the debate over Britain's relationship with Europe, requiring both sides to move towards a more cooperative and mutually beneficial arrangement.
There are opportunities to be seized here. Keir Starmer, for example, can present tax rises as necessary for national security, and closer ties to Europe as a way to strengthen our sovereignty. He can position Reform as the party beholden to Trump, and cast his own party as the true defenders of British independence.
The world we knew is fading, but this week has shown us a new world waiting to be born. It's a world where Western democracies stand united, no longer reliant on the whims of a would-be emperor. It's a world worth fighting for, and it starts with us.
