Trump’s cynical anti-war parade

Donald Trump’s cynical attempt to win back the White House next year by casting himself as the “anti-World War III” candidate may well appeal to isolationists within the Republican Party. But it also will be music to the ears of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and will undermine the confidence of Washington’s allies in the future of America’s troubled democracy. The former US president was clear when he addressed the depleted ranks of the pro-Trump Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland on Sunday AEDT. “We’re never going back to a party that wants to give unlimited funds to fight foreign wars, endless stupid wars,” he declared.

No responsible leader anywhere wants to get involved in such wars, or indeed in any war. But there is an absolute need for whoever is in the White House to ensure that as the world’s superpower the US remains unequivocally committed to defending democracy and freedom, wherever it is threatened.

Unfortunately for Mr Trump, his anti-war pledge coincided with his friend Mr Putin redoubling his attempts to overrun the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, a crucial development in the Russian leader’s brazenly imperialist drive to redraw Europe’s post-war boundaries by destroying Ukraine and embarking on the re-creation of the Soviet empire. No less ominously, it also coincided with a bellicose warning from Beijing, as outgoing Chinese Premier Li Keqiang declared that a big, 7.2 per cent jump in already enormous spending by China on defence was specifically to “comprehensively strengthen training in preparation of a war”. Amid increasing fears of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the increased spending by Beijing sends an ominous signal that Mr Trump, even in his desperation to win re-election, cannot ignore. Neither can he overlook the enormity of the global implications of Mr Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Trump has claimed previously that with him in the White House Mr Putin would never have dared to attack Ukraine. He also has said he believed China would invade Taiwan “sooner rather than later … because they’re seeing how stupid the US is run … how incompetent our leaders are”. Both scenarios demand strong, resolute leadership in the White House, not the cynical, anti-war rhetoric heard from Mr Trump. Having increased his prospects in the polls, he is a serious contender to win the Republican nomination and potentially the White House. He should start behaving as such and stop playing into Mr Putin’s and Mr Xi’s hands.