, Columnist
Why China and Russia Aren’t Scared of the US
A powerful handshake.
Photographer: EVGENIA NOVOZHENINA/AFP
President Donald Trump relishes power — its relentless accumulation at home; its bold, assertive use abroad. For 10 months, he has aggressively wielded US power to renegotiate key relationships and cut through entrenched disputes.
Yet so far, this approach — an emerging “Trump Doctrine,” I called it in July — has mostly targeted the world’s weaker actors. Now, Trump has entered a period in which he’ll have to face down bigger challenges from stronger foes — and check some of his least productive instincts.