9. Disregard for International Relations
Pulling Out of Global Agreements
Walking away from international treaties pushes a country toward isolation. It also tells the world that our word means nothing.
Trump pulled us out of the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement. He has always trashed the United Nations.
In January 2026, he went much further. He pulled the U.S. out of 66 international organizations, including 31 UN groups, the UN climate treaty, and the world's top climate science panel.
A day later, he told The New York Times he doesn't need international law, and that the only limit on his power is his "own morality."
Sleep well, everybody.
His tariffs blew up trade deals, including the one with Mexico and Canada that he himself negotiated in his first term.
In February, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that he didn't have the legal power to impose most of those tariffs. Within hours, he slapped on a new 10% global tariff under a different law.
When a leader puts nationalism ahead of everything else, it puts more than our relationships at risk. It threatens global stability.
Making Enemies With Allies
The Trump regime has been bombing boats in the Caribbean. It invaded Venezuela and kidnapped Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Trump threatened to take Greenland by force in Davos. And he threatened Cuba and Iran.
Then he actually went to war with Iran (see sign #6). He gave Cuba an ultimatum, and reports say the Pentagon is quietly planning for war with Cuba, too.
And then there's Canada. Our closest neighbor. In August, trade talks fell apart and the U.S. slapped 50% tariffs on about $20 billion of Canadian goods.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada would match them dollar for dollar. Trump's response on Truth Social? "Canada wants the benefits of being a State, without being one!!!"
Canada isn't a state. It's a country. With its own Prime Minister. Who warned Canadians of tough times when its counter-tariffs kicked in on September 8.
Pushing away allies leaves a gap, and hostile governments are happy to fill it. The International IDEA report found that America's retreat from the world has given authoritarian leaders everywhere more confidence.
Trump and JD Vance's attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office shocked people around the world. It was a preview of everything that came after.
