America’s Allies Are Done Trying to Wait Trump Out
U.S. allies are shifting their foreign policy strategies to reduce dependence on Washington, anticipating that American isolationism will persist beyond the current administration. Nations are increasingly prioritizing self-reliance in defense, trade, and technology regardless of who holds the U.S. presidency.
Why it matters
This represents a fundamental realignment of global power structures, signaling the end of the post-WWII era of American-led international stability.
They now figure isolationism and protectionism will be U.S. foreign policy for a long time to come.
Klaudia Radecka / NurPhoto / Getty September 22, 2026, 7 AM ET Share Save I n 1917, as Canadian troops fought at Vimy Ridge in northern France, Lieutenant Leslie Miller collected acorns from the battlefield and carried them home to Ontario. Saplings from the resulting oaks were sent back to France about a century later, and became a living link between the two countries. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recounted that story in Strasbourg last week to the European Parliament as he proposed an alliance that went far beyond trade to encompass defense, energy, critical minerals, and artificial intelligence.
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