The World According to Donald Trump

Donald Trump’s approach to global affairs has challenged many of the assumptions that shaped American foreign policy for decades. His emphasis on sovereignty, leverage, and transactional relationships marks a sharp break from the post‑1945 consensus and has forced allies and rivals alike to rethink how they engage with the United States.

This course examines the core principles behind Trump’s worldview and the ways in which it reshapes alliances, trade, regional strategies and the broader international order. By placing his approach within longer historical and geopolitical trends, this series offers a framework for understanding how American power is evolving – and what this means for Canada, Europe and the future of global stability.

24 March 2026 – The Trump Doctrine: Principles, Instincts and Strategic Disruption

An introduction to the core ideas that shape Trump’s approach to the world: transactionalism, sovereignty, skepticism toward alliances and the primacy of national interest. This session sets the conceptual framework for the rest of the series.

31 March 2026 – America First: Redefining U.S. Power and Global Leadership

A study of how “America First” reorients U.S. engagement with the world. We examine shifts in diplomacy, trade and multilateralism, and how this approach challenges long‑standing assumptions about American leadership.

7 April 2026 – Allies and Adversaries: Rethinking the Architecture of Alliances

This lecture explores Trump’s approach to NATO, Europe and traditional partners, alongside his posture toward strategic competitors. It highlights how his worldview tests the resilience of alliances and forces other states to reconsider their own strategic autonomy.

14 April 2026 – Trade Wars and Economic Nationalism

A deep dive into tariffs, renegotiated trade agreements and the use of economic pressure as a geopolitical tool. We look at how Trump’s economic nationalism reshapes global supply chains and challenges the norms of free‑trade orthodoxy.

21 April 2026 – The Middle East, Asia and the Search for Leverage

An examination of Trump’s regional strategies, from the Indo‑Pacific to the Middle East. This session focuses on how his administration uses unpredictability, bilateralism and pressure tactics to pursue U.S. interests.

28 April 2026 – Communication, Media and the Performance of Power

This lecture analyzes Trump’s use of communication – from rallies to social media – as an instrument of foreign policy. We explore how messaging, spectacle and narrative shape perceptions of American power at home and abroad.

5 May 2024 – The Future of the International Order: What Trump Reveals About the 21st Century

A concluding reflection on what Trump’s worldview tells us about the evolution of global politics: the crisis of multilateralism, the return of great‑power competition and the growing tension between sovereignty and interdependence. We consider how other states, including Canada and Europe, are adapting to this shifting landscape.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Lifelong Learning Mississauga