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Disruptive doctrine

12 4
10.07.2025

In his second term, US President Donald Trump has turned unpredictability into a core strategic doctrine. Far from being merely a personal trait, his erratic and often contradictory behaviour now functions as an active tool of diplomacy. Allies and adversaries alike are discovering that beneath the chaotic rhetoric lies a calculated attempt to redraw the global power map ~ not by forging consensus but by disrupting assumptions.

The Madman Theory, once associated with late President Richard Nixon, is back in the mainstream of American foreign policy. Mr Trump wields it with far greater intensity. Whether threatening military action, withdrawing commitments, or redefining historic alliances, he fosters confusion to disorient counterparts. The objective is clear: to secure maximum leverage by appearing unbound by precedent or predictability. This strategy has undeniably produced results. NATO members, long criticized by Mr Trump as “freeloaders,” have moved with unusual speed to ramp up defence........

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