Showing Power by Humiliating Allies
Mehr News Agency; Hesameddin Heydari: Donald Trump’s recent trip to Japan and the joint presence of him and Japanese Prime Minister Takayoshi on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington cannot be dismissed as a mere ceremonial or military show.This event carries profound meaning, signaling a new approach by Washington in redefining its power relations with allies.
Seventy-nine years after Japan’s surrender in World War II, the Japanese prime minister’s presence aboard this emblem of American military might recalls a bitter reality for Tokyo: japan’s political independence remains defined under the heavy shadow of the U.S. security umbrella. Trump, who has frequently voiced discontent over U.S. military expenditures in Asia and Europe in recent years, now conveys his message bluntly through symbolic staging-Allies possess no true authority without Washington’s approval.
This behavior fits within Trump’s established pattern in dealing with other American allies from Europe to the Middle East. not long ago at the Sharm El-Sheikh summit, he derided leaders from Western and Arab states by placing them clearly under U.S. dominance. Such actions reflect not personal pride or impulsiveness but rather a intentional foreign policy outlook that relies on “performances of dominance” and “soft humiliation” to maintain global hegemony.
Among these alliances, Japan-with its unique historical background-remains America’s most vulnerable partner. The scene of Prime Minister Takayoshi stepping onto an American warship effectively replays an unresolved chapter of occupation and dependency; a moment were Trump asserts not only military might but also America’s political and psychological supremacy.
In other words, this meeting served as a symbolic reenactment of a past still alive within Tokyo-Washington relations today. Trump skillfully taps into nations’ historical memories to reinforce America’s dominant position, demonstrating that for him power lies foremost in humiliating one’s counterpart.
Ultimately, it can be saeid that Trump and Takayoshi boarding the George Washington was less a diplomatic visit than a “display reaffirming continued domination.” The event once again displayed how American power logic demands even friends be reminded who commands-and this is manifested by undermining their dignity while tarnishing their independence and identity.
