Introduction to a Series of Articles on the ‘Trump New Order’
“USA State Geopolitical Ambitions – The first month of USA President Trump’s Second Government”: 4 March, 2025;
An Introduction
Much has happened in Donald Trump’s first month in office, and we cannot easily cover all aspects of this in one piece. Amongst others – the left including ourselves – has been reorientating themselves to new stark realities. This is not surprising as the Trump Government has resorted to a deliberate and long-planned strategy of keeping opponents off-balance.
Indeed bourgeois commentators have remarked that the intent was to blow a blizzard into the faces of any observers. Indeed, the terms used by Steve Bannon – a staunch Trump ally – were ‘flood the zone’ by using ‘muzzle velocity’:
“Steve Bannon: The opposition party is the media. And the media can only, because they’re dumb and they’re lazy, they can only focus on one thing at a time. …
All we have to do is flood the zone. Every day we hit them with three things. They’ll bite on one, and we’ll get all of our stuff done. Bang, bang, bang. These guys will never — will never be able to recover. But we’ve got to start with muzzle velocity. So it’s got to start, and it’s got to hammer…”
“The Ezra Klein Show – “Don’t Believe Him”; Feb. 2, 2025; New York Times at: https://tinyurl.com/mlrg-nyt
Therefore our approach here is to provide an orientating introduction. This piece then will end in some key links in this introduction – to articles already published or in press. Since there is a lot of ground to cover, we will return to ‘episodes’ of Trump’s increasingly open and brutal manifestations of totalitarianism in linked articles.
An overall approach
It is definitely a mistake to simply take Trump for an ‘oaf’ and a ‘bully’. Elements of both of that are correct. But an overall strategy is becoming increasingly clear. Increasingly, his overall role as a representative of a capitalist class that is redefining its postion is clear.
What is this redefinition about?
The USA capitalist class needs to halt the decline of USA rates of profit; boost its own industrial base at the expense of any other capitalist state; all – while reinvigorating its profits by utilising its strengths in new technology – in especial in artrificial intelligence; and in the process go back to an oder style of colonial domination to ensure it ensures domination of key areas. The latter requires new global alliances which shred older ones.
Hence in many ways the keynote being struck now in the new era is a familiar one.
USA capital under USA President Trump Mark Two, is driving the USA back to an old-fashioned colonial-type seizure of foreign assets and lands.
This Introduction, will move in a series of following articles – to the huge shift in geopolitical relations currently under way. This came into clear sight at the recent Munich ‘Security’ Conference’ that has been a feature of the NATO powers since 1963. (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_Security_Conference
At this conference in February 2025, Vice-President J.D.Vance threw down a gauntlet to the European powers.
Our assessment of the First Trump Administration
Previously in USA President Trump’s Mark One ‘reign’, Trump had tried to ‘re-shore’ USA industry that had migrated overseas to exploit cheap labour.
We had noted in 2018 that a “new re-division” of the world was under way:
“A new re-division of the world is starting to take place. . . (with) renewed and very open tensions between the USA capitalists and its main rivals – the European Union nations and a newly openly capitalist China.
We hypothesise that Trump and his cronies, are currently reverting to old-fashioned protectionism – in order to build up the new robotic industries in the USA. And that this is actually a worldwide phenomenon in other countries.”
“What is Behind Trump – Is There Method Behind His Madness? Finance Capital and Industrial Capital – An Evolutionary History”; September 28, 2018; p. 7; at ‘What is Behind Trump 2018“
We had summarised some major developments in 2018 that the Trump Mark One government as follows – saying that Trump had:
“already delivered some key policy changes, which collectively – largely benefit the ‘cowboys’ of the oil and gas industry. These include:
i) the removal of almost all key regulatory holds on environmental pollution within the USA, and reversing important conservation rules;
ii) the removal of the USA from the already, somewhat weak – Paris Climate Accord;
iii) the ‘reform’ – of lifting of taxation from several sectors, to benefit the entire capitalist class;
iv) an imposition of trade tariffs on competitor nations, some of crippling magnitude – especially against China;
v) a more forthright stand against Chinese imperialism and aggression in the South China Seas;
vi) the disruption of prior treaties enabling trade between Iran and nations competing with the USA; and at the same time disabling the oil industry of Iran, a competitor of the newly resurgent oil and gas industries of the USA;
vii) the disruption of Far Eastern blocs to opening up trade opportunities for the USA, in North Korea;
viii) ensuring the entrenchment and USA base of revanchist regimes in the Middle east – in particular Israel and Saudi Arabia
ix) Intensifying the USA attack on world agencies such as the United Nations and the World Court;
x) the sanction of racist attacks under the dog-whistle of limiting immigration;
xi) the restriction of women’s rights, currently under siege at the Supreme Court;
xii) the attack on standard democratic rights of a free press;
“What is Behind Trump?” Ibid p.155-56
All of these policies have continued, excepting one – namely (“vii the disruption of Far Eastern blocs to opening up trade opportunities for the USA, in North Korea). But since it is after all only Month One of Trump Reign Two – even this may change. After all the three leaders – Trump, Vance and Musk – have been somewhat busy ripping up old frameworks.
However, in our view – each of the other policies that we noted in 2018, have already been escalated. Small details may vary, but the main point has largely been retained and escalated. In particular we note:
On tariffs and protectionism (point iv above: “an imposition of trade tariffs on competitor nations, some of crippling magnitude – especially against China”).
Now new major tariffs have now been imposed on Canada, Mexico, and China. Others are now also being threatened against former partners of USA imperialism including the European Union (EU);
On the Middle East (vi above: the disruption of… trade between Iran and nations competing with the USA; and at the same time disabling the oil industry of Iran . . . “; and viii above: ensuring the entrenchment and USA base of revanchist regimes in the Middle east – in particular Israel and Saudi Arabia” ).
For the Trump government has certainly made clear its support of the Israeli government’s genocidal attack on Palestinians and attempt to ‘clear out’ any remaining Palestinians in any part of Gaza. Increasingly also now – in the West Bank. An obscene plan to build a USA Trump-owned holiday resort in Gaza is part of the picture.
Attacks on world agencies (ix above: “Intensifying the USA attack on world agencies such as the United Nations and the World Court”).
The USA has withdrawn from the W.H.O. It has also cut all medical support of poorest sectors by axeing “USA Aid”. A recent memo (leaked on March 4, 2025 but originally sent on 28 February) from a highplaced official USAID Administrator And Deputy Administrator – Nicholas Enrich, Acting Assistant Administrator for Global Health detailed how extensively it would affect the world’s people. (Enrich memorandum March 4, 2025 – as cited by Heather Cox Richardson 3 March;
The memo contains this table of the estimated numbers of “lifesaving humanitarian assistance (LHA )” estimated.
Unsurprisingly Enrich was sacked or more delicately put, has been ‘placed on administrative leave”; NBC News March 3, 2025;
Conclusion:
This short piece is meant to serve only as an introduction to several of these following linked older and some shortly forthcoming articles. It is meant as a gateway for a number of articles on our views of the new developing international ‘order’.
We anticipate shortly to upload articles on the situation in Ukraine; and the tariff wars on Canada, Mexico and China.
For now therefore, we list below our old articles on the Trump Era – and one new one – a view from Europe. This listing will be updated. This also provide links as follows, in chronological order.
On the First Trump Presidency
“What is Behind Trump – Is There Method Behind His Madness?” 2018; Book on Trump 2018
“Was that a coup before us?” 2021; at Coup Attempt 2021
Two sets of Theses on Protectionism and Tariffs – from 1992 1992 Theses
USA-Canada Relations
A Marxist-Leninist Short account Alliance Marxist-Leninist 1993
From Elections 2024 and before Trump’s inauguration into Second Presidency
The USA 2024 Presidential Elections – Should socialists advocate election boycott? October 28, 2024; Socialists and the 2024 USA Elections
Hovering on the Brink of Fascism: What Happened in the November 5th 2024 USA Elections? December 1 Post-election analysis
The Trump Administration’s March Towards Economic Oblivion, December 2, 2025 On Musk and his DOGE rampages to come
After the Second Trump Presidency takes power
“The Trump Delusion Intensifies: Messianism and God-building” June 2024 Trump Messianism
Chicago Under Trump: An Eyewitness Report January 2025 A Chicago Eye-witness report
Trump Takes Office – Goes Full MAGA January 22, 2025; Reprint from ‘An Oakland Socialist’
Whither the United States of America? February 4, 2025 Reprint from Taki Manolakos
“The Greenlandic people stand against USA and Danish imperialism,” February 11, 2025 Greenland
New Articles from March 2025 onwards
“What does Trump mean for Europe?” Reprint from ‘Arbeit Zukuft’ ’Workers Future’ paper of the ‘Organisation for building of a new Communist workers party in Germany’ Original from 27 February 2025; MLRG.online 4 March 2025;
