The essay argues that U.S. foreign policy under Trump applies principles of democracy, sovereignty and a rules-based order selectively, citing the Iran war, the arrest of Venezuela’s president and reported political interventions in South Asia as evidence of interest-driven rather than consistent conduct.

The reported purchase of 300,000 tons of Russian diesel despite sanctions on Moscow, alongside pressure on Zelensky over leadership, illustrates how energy and domestic priorities can override strategic support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

Military and economic power may secure compliance, the author concludes, but the gap between rhetoric and practice erodes the moral authority Washington claims to exercise as global leader.

Over the years, many analysts, including myself, have questioned whether the United States consistently adheres to the ethical principles it expects other nations to respect. Under Donald Trump, the contradiction between Washington’s rhetoric and its actions has become increasingly difficult to ignore. Democracy, sovereignty and a rules-based........

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