One way of understanding Donald Trump is to see his second term as a clarifying moment. ADVERTISEMENTIf we were to itemise the lessons learnt from the first year of Trump’s second term, the list might read like this. The inability of European countries to independently shore up Ukraine’s defences or negotiate a peace underlines Europe’s dependency. Two, Europe’s claim to be a moderating, regulatory superpower in the making has been tested by Trump’s belligerence and found wanting. After Operation Sindoor, Trump tilted sharply towards Pakistan; worse, he punished India with the highest tariffs he has levied on any country.

Source: The Telegraph January 18, 2026 02:34 UTC