Before President Donald Trump took office for the second time, European officials believed they had figured him out. He was a businessman at heart, they said, motivated by good deals. Some even boasted about their ability to do business with the self-proclaimed negotiator based on their interactions during his first term.

Well, reality came knocking, and it wasn’t a pleasant wake-up call. Trump in 2025 is not the same as Trump in 2017. His foreign policy playbook? Tear up the old scripts, tear down the alliances, and replace them with something utterly unpredictable.
As usual, Trump’s diplomatic strategy has been nothing short of a hurricane tearing through Washington’s institutional framework. Professional diplomats have been sidelined, while the administration has embraced a hardline approach on everything from Russia to climate change, foreign aid to global trade. The bewildered State Department officials meant to implement foreign policy on a daily basis, are left scratching their heads, wondering if they’ll have jobs tomorrow. And some probably won’t, thanks to Elon Musk’s Government Efficiency Ministry, a lovely euphemism for mass layoffs.

European, Middle Eastern, and African governments who once supported America’s global alliances are now left adrift, watching the superpower they relied on go rogue. The old rules of international engagement are being tossed into the shredder, leaving terrified officials worldwide with nothing but the broken pieces of what was once a coherent foreign policy.
The change has been abrupt, brutal, and on a large scale. Officials are terrified and can’t articulate American policy because they cannot access top decision-makers.
The chaos has affected everyone. From Europe to the Middle East to Africa, officials are left grasping at straws, trying to figure out Washington’s new operating procedures. One European diplomat confessed that they hadn’t been able to discuss policy with Washington since Trump’s inauguration. Their American counterpart had received no directives, and their boss resigned when Trump took power.

Others echo the same complaints: communication is dead, institutional channels are obsolete, and the few officials left in place are terrified of losing their jobs. Even worse, Washington is directly pulling the strings on everything, cutting out local embassies and experienced diplomats. It’s Trump’s way or the highway.
To add to the hilarity, even long-standing American allies in Europe and the Middle East struggle to figure out who’s calling the shots. It’s total improvisation. Everything depends on the president’s mood.
Some countries, however, are faring better. The Middle East, in particular, has embraced Trump’s unique style. Direct lines to the White House are more effective than traditional diplomatic routes, especially when Trump’s message is clear: Play by his rules, and you might get something in return.
Meanwhile, others have been left completely abandoned.

In Africa, Trump’s decision to freeze all foreign aid and slash 83% of USAID-administered contracts has essentially ended cooperation with hundreds of long-standing partners. The South African Ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, was even declared “persona non grata” for daring to criticise the administration. His other crime? Complaining that he had no one to talk to in the State Department.
And then there’s the awkward situation with Russia. While Trump continues to show sympathy towards Vladimir Putin, Europe remains trapped by its contradictions. They followed Washington’s lead on Ukraine, stopped talking to Moscow, and waved goodbye to cheap Russian energy. Now, with Trump in power, the Europeans are left isolated, powerless, and staring blankly at the broken pieces of their once mighty alliance with the US.

And the irony doesn’t stop there. Trump’s foreign policy playbook—if it can even be called that—has done more to push America’s allies away than any hostile power could ever dream of. While Washington withdraws from global leadership, other countries are stepping in. In Turkey, for example, the Netherlands is now coordinating efforts on intelligence and travel advice, previously the bread and butter of US diplomacy.
Adding insult to injury, the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, recently cancelled a meeting with the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, at the very last minute due to “scheduling conflicts.” Of course, Kallas was already in Washington, having publicly announced the meeting. Nothing says “we value our allies”, like leaving them hanging at the door.

The uncomfortable truth is that Trump’s reckless foreign policy could leave America more isolated than ever. As traditional alliances crumble and communication breaks down, the United States is increasingly seen as an unreliable partner.
But, hey, why worry? If Trump is happy with the chaos he’s created, what could go wrong?