Trump's Superpower Complex Meets Its Match in Canada and China

U.S. President Donald Trump's approach to foreign policy has been marked by his confidence in America's power and ability to bend events around the globe to its will. However, recent developments have shown that there are limits to this 'superpowerdom'. The standoff with Iran and the escalation of tariffs with Canada have demonstrated that other countries are increasingly willing to push back against U.S. demands.

The tensions between the U.S. and Canada began when Trump imposed a 50% tariff on several billion dollars' worth of Canadian exports. Initially, Canada attempted to negotiate a deal to avoid the tariffs, but after what it described as unacceptable U.S. demands, Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the offer.

Canada has since announced 'dollar for dollar' counterlevies on a range of U.S. imports, set to take effect on September 8th. Trump's instincts may be to stand firm, but this could lead to an open-ended trade war that could prove unpopular with Americans ahead of the November midterm elections.

The situation with Iran is equally complex. The U.S. has imposed new sanctions, including 'secondary' sanctions against companies and countries doing business with Iran. However, China's continued purchases of Iranian oil exports make it a key enabler of the country's economy, and Beijing has shown no willingness to comply with U.S. demands.

China's response to the new sanctions has been to condemn them and halt exports of rare earth minerals, which are essential for high-end industrial and military manufacturing. The truce between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping is set to end shortly after September, when Xi is due to visit the U.S., leaving Trump with a difficult decision on how to proceed.