Once upon a time, the mere mention of war with the United States could throw the entire world into chaos. But now, the threat of war has found a comfortable place in the everyday lives of Americans as President Donald J. Trump continues to dangle his power over anyone, including our closest allies, that even thinks about questioning him.
Between Trump’s tariffs, conflict in the Middle East, and the president cozying up to Russia, going to war doesn’t feel as taboo as it once was. And ultimately, it’s the American people who will suffer the consequences.
Trade Wars
The country is already in the middle of a trade war with our closest allies. After Trump imposed tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico last month, the countries responded with taxes of their own, according to the Associated Press.
Trump’s tariffs means Americans will see drastic price increases for many daily goods, like oil and lumber from Canada; produce, clothing, liquor, and auto parts from Mexico; and plastics, textiles, and computer chips from China, The Root previously reported.
On Tuesday (March 4), the Chinese embassy wrote on X: “If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end.”
Issues With Ukraine
We all saw the blow up between Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House on Feb. 28, but Trump took things to a new level when he announced a pause on financial and military aid to the war torn country, according to the AP.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has been building since the end of the Cold War, and ever since the U.S. sided with the Middle Eastern country in their efforts to fight off Russia in 2021, they’ve been a close ally. Here’s the thing... Trump now finds himself in the middle of either supporting Ukraine’s fight for democracy or flat out complying with Russia’s wishes.
Tensions arose after Zelenskyy called out Russia for repeatedly ignoring ceasefire deals backed by the U.S. Now, Zelenskyy called the entire exchange between him and Trump “regrettable,” saying he’s ready to work with Trump to bring peace to his country, according to the AP.
If Trump and Zelenskyy can’t find a middle ground, Ukraine and its other allies could push back against the U.S. which would take a major toll on international relations.
Trump Gives ‘Last Warning’ to Middle East
U.S. involvement in Middle East conflicts have forced us into more wars than imaginable. From the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq all the way back to the Persian Gulf War, it seems America can’t help but to be involved.
Now, with tensions and violence on a steady rise between Gaza and Israel, the U.S. has made its stance clear. Trump has now given Hamas, the terrorist organization founded in the Gaza strip, a “last warning.” On the president’s favorite social media platform, Truth Social, he wrote, “I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say.”
What this means, however, is the country could send U.S. troops to assist with his plan. If that’s the case, we’d be in yet another war in the Middle East and gas prices would be guarantied to go up for everyday Americans.