A few months ago I wrote the reaction to President Trump’s tariffs on China’s products could be breaking the sanctions on North Korea and selling hundreds of billions of treasury debt. International relations has many layers and the President apparently doesn’t understand it’s complexities. He has browbeat Xi, then said they are friends, got them to vote to increase sanctions on Kim, keeps saying China has been screwing America for years, and keeps increasing the tariffs. Does he expect Xi to do nothing?

Trump is trying to get an oriental ruler to lose face by punishing his country. His language and tariffs raise support for Xi, who is well regarded by his people and will support him more. We now know the Chinese have allowed a porous border to open up again and are off loading fuel from Chinese tanker to North Korea tankers at sea.

On the other hand he lauds Putin while our maligned intelligence agencies report Russia is aiding thousands of North Korea workers by allowing them to work Russia’s Far East. Most of the wages will go to the North Korean government and Putin knows it.

I question whether Secretary of State Pompeo and National Security Advisor Bolton are being listened to by Trump. Their history is very different from what policy is being made by Trump. We can’t extend a hand to people and then repeatedly slap them with it. As a news junkie and a student of foreign relations, it is clear the United States has no clear foreign policy. Trump has demeaned our allies many times and even pushed their leaders out of his way for pictures. He has lauded our long standing enemies and frayed or broken ties with our much needed friends. Scorched earth policies never help the arsonist. People remember who started the fires.