Trump’s stated positions on major international issues, e.g. climate change and the value and importance of multilateral institutions, both political and economic, and on particular issues such as Ukraine, the Middle East and relations with China, give grounds for plenty of concern when compared with Australian interests and policies.

Australia is a small country in everything but geography, and dependent—for example in regard to trade—on a working and agreed international system. The US on the other hand is the strongest and richest country in the world, and under Biden, let alone a future Trump, has not been above blocking the WTO’s appeals system from functioning effectively because it was not confident it would get its way. It has reduced the emphasis it has given to other UN bodies for the same reason. Trump’s “MAGA” policies are not much short of an “anti-globalisation” agenda. He doesn’t seem to attach much importance to climate change.

Of course it remains to be seen to what extent his stated policies, for examples tariffs on everything imported into the US, huge tariffs on Chinese goods, are implemented. It has widely been reported that Trump and those around him believe that a mistake of his first Presidency was to appoint to Cabinet and other senior........

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