Trump Bombs US Foreign Policy In Swings At Oman, South Korea Over Iran War

US President Donald Trump started his week by burning two American allies over his war of choice in Iran. He ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea as the war in Iran stretches the limits of US aircraft carriers. He also threatened to bomb Oman, one of the mediators between Washington and Tehran, after his long-broken memorandum of understanding with Iran reached its 60-day expiration date.His critics believe Trump is striking out badly on foreign policy by making decisions built on personal squabbles rather than his critical security relationships. But his recent jabs at Muscat and Seoul are not isolated incidents. They are symptomatic of his foreign policy, which seems to stem from his gut rather than advice from diplomats and experts. What Trump DidOn Sunday, Trump took to his Truth Social platform and ordered his war secretary, Pete Hegseth, to "substantially reduce" annual joint military exercises with South Korea, designed to prepare Seoul against threats from North Korea. He said South Korea wouldn't help with his war against Iran and cited his "good relationship" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in his latest instance of undermining long-standing alliances with global partners.Trump said the exercises were "costly" and inappropriate because Kim had always been "unthreatening and respectful" to him. The US president also took aim at South Korea, saying it had refused his offer to take part in what he called the "denuclearisation" of Iran.South Korea reacted to Trump's new decision on the exercises in measured terms, expressing hope that the Trump-Kim relationship "will lead to meaningful dialogue".But the businessman president's abrupt move triggered concerns among Republicans and Democrats alike that the United States under Trump's leadership is not a reliable ally and seems to suggest US disengagement from Asia.Regarding Oman, Trump threatened on Monday that it will bomb the Gulf nation-- an American ally-- if it "gets in the way" of a US deal with Iran on the Strait of Hormuz, as he called for Tehran to surrender in a war that has become a growing political burden.Control of the waterway, which Iran has effectively closed since the conflict began on February 28, remains at the heart of the deadlock between Tehran and Washington. Iran's coast flanks the northern side of Hormuz, while Oman sits on the south."If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the shit out of them," Trump told Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, referring to ongoing talks between Oman and Iran on control of the strait, which lies between the two countries.Oman, a US ally in the Gulf, has not publicly commented on Trump's remarks. Washington has a security agreement with Muscat that allows it to access Omani airfield and port facilities for military purposes.But Tehran and Muscat have been discussing for weeks future navigation arrangements through the route, and Iran's foreign ministry said earlier Monday the two sides were working on a joint declaration.Trump's Foreign Policy ApproachThe two instances add to a list of global events where the Republican leader made decisions based on his personal squabbles rather than America's critical security relationships."I don't get it on cosying up to Kim Jong Un," retired US Navy Admiral James Stavridis said while talking to CNN. "I don't get it, on threatening to bomb Oman. Those are actions exactly the opposite of what we should be doing right now."According to a Reuters report, Trump's threats, personal envoys and hollowed‑out US embassies are reshaping Washington's presence in the world. US allies from Europe to Asia are rewriting the rules of engagement by ignoring the president's rhetoric and forging new diplomatic channels to manage a US foreign policy driven increasingly by personalities, not institutions.Margaret MacMillan, an Oxford University professor of international history, told Reuters that the Trump administration is eroding America's capacity to understand the world it operates in, raising the risk of global instability. "We're not going to be able to use diplomacy as we have often done before: to build relationships, get agreements that benefit both sides, and avert and end wars."Trump's foreign policy values unpredictability. The MAGA (Make America Great Again) leader tries to exert power through threats. He judges world leaders on how they treat him personally and doesn't care whether they act as enemies of the US or crush political freedoms at home.According to a CNN report, Trump sees personal bonds with global strongmen as wins beyond the imagination of previous presidents. And doesn't believe that alliances -- like the one with Oman and South Korea -- are force multipliers of US power. As per him, these ties are rackets in which allies must pay handsomely to enjoy an eroding promise of American protection. He believes that such allies should sign up for whatever foreign mission he chooses, without considering their personal interests."America is respected again all over the world. We're respected like never before," Trump said at a rally on Long Island on Friday.'He Barks, Does Not Bite'Trump has upended diplomatic norms with a steady stream of threats aimed at both foes such as Iran and allies, including Denmark, Canada and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Governments have been forced to weigh whether responding publicly would calm tensions or make them worse.That's what happened in early April after Trump warned that Iran's civilisation could be wiped out. Officials in Britain, France and Germany drafted what one European diplomat described as the "harsh" joint statement - then decided against releasing it."We thought in the end (that) every time he barks like that, he does not bite," a diplomat, who helped draft the statement, told Reuters. European officials believed a US ceasefire with Iran remained possible and worried that a public rebuke might push Trump to continue bombing. They held back. By the end of the day, Trump declared the ceasefire.The episode reinforced a lesson for many US allies: Silence can be the safest response to Trump's most extreme threats.Some European diplomats call this the "Merkel method", a nod to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel's stoic response during Trump's first term: absorb provocations without public reaction while firmly defending national interests.