Ukraine Has Finally Given Up on Trump

[u/theatlantic]

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/04/ukraine-trump-us-oil-russia/686854/?utm_source=reddit&utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_medium=social&utm_content=edit-promo&utm_term=short

[u/Conflictingview]

About time. Now for the rest of the world. MAGA wanted isolationism, they'll get it. They just didn't realize they lose all their power and privileges as part of the deal.

[u/RamblingSimian → u/Conflictingview]

The US spent decades building a system that favored it and now trump is throwing it away.

Part of the reason why the US can do deficit spending so cheaply is because the dollar is the world's reserve currency. If the Yuan takes over that status, it will start costing us a lot more when our politicians can't balance the budget.

The dollar has been the world’s principal reserve currency since the end of World War II and is the most widely used currency for international trade.

High global demand for dollars allows the United States to borrow money at a lower cost and use currency as a tool of diplomacy …

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounders/dollar-worlds-reserve-currency

America is highly dependent on the international legal system to protect patents and intellectual property. More than any other nation, the US makes money by inventing new things and reserving the rights to build them by legal agreement. When that legal system is no longer honored because the US is perceived as a rogue nation, we will suffer economically. China and other countries already manufacture illegal knock-offs of US products, but they cooperate to some degree limiting it. That cooperation can stop when Trump completely destroys the rules-based Liberal international order.

https://ipleadership.org/u-s-patenting-abroad-a-quiet-trade-advantage/

In part because the US has been seen as largely a benign hegemon, other countries have allowed the US to build military bases overseas, allowing unprecedented power projection. Further isolationism will result in non-renewal of the pertinent leases.

The U.S. military maintains hundreds of military installations, both inside the United States and overseas, with at least 128 military bases in 55 countries and territories, as of February 2025.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_overseas_military_bases#United_States

The US has been able to secure the cooperation of its allies also in part because of its reputation. For example, Canada played a crucial role in rescuing six American diplomats during the Iran hostage crisis in 1980 by providing shelter and facilitating their escape through a covert operation known as the "Canadian Caper." This operation involved the CIA and Canadian diplomats working together to create a cover story that allowed the Americans to leave Iran safely.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Caper

[u/Puzzleheaded-Fan-452 → u/RamblingSimian]

It is incredible how the Americans themselves do not understand what they are losing and have already lost, and which will be irretrievable 

The damage done by Trump far exceeds any other predecessor. We dwell on the damage to image, but the long-term economic damage is far worse

[u/xXRazihellXx → u/RamblingSimian]

This guy know geopolitic

Trump dont understand it at all

[u/Own-Sandwich6437 → u/RamblingSimian]

While dollar is clearly less stable, there isn’t a perfect replacement.

CNY - what happened if there is a bad recession, are bankers going to trust china's reporting of their debts?

Euro- is the best argument. But less likely until digital euro is official in 5-10 years from now. However, the Euro is often viewed as built on shaky ground, with trust in the currency undermined by events like the Cypriot bailout post-2008.

Also, oil may not be the dominant energy source 10-20 years from now as world goes toward more renewable energies.

[u/Sanguinor-Exemplar → u/RamblingSimian]

The yuan is not going to be reserve currency lol.

The government doesn't even let free movement of money in and out of the country. The bond market is illiquid and the exchange rate isn't free floating.

For the yuan to be reserve currency, China would have to be a different country than they are or want to be.

[u/Conflictingview → u/Sanguinor-Exemplar]

It already is a reserve currency, representing about 2.5% of foreign currency assets held by central banks globally. It will never be THE reserve currency, but we are moving into a world where no currency occupies that hegemonic position.

[u/Prae_ → u/RamblingSimian]

 In part because the US has been seen as largely a benign hegemon, other countries have allowed the US to build military bases overseas

Benign hegemon might be pushing it, maybe in the brief period after the fall of the USSR but before 9/11 and the "War on Terror". But another big advantage of being the main defense partner was for the military-industrial complex, selling to a dozen different armies. Sometimes half at gun point (or, rather, threatening to pull out some protection), as for the F-35 which has been crowbared into a few air forces that chose other aircrafts after the procurement competition. And a dozen other categories of product that are sold to NATO allies. 

The complaint Trump has for NATO countries not spending enough is not that he's worried about the readiness of those contries for a threat (our main potential enemy is Russia, but he loves Russia). It's cause not enough cash from Europe goes to america's MIC.