From Kabul to Tehran: How US diplomacy turned transactional

AI Summary

The article discusses US President Donald Trump's critical stance towards NATO allies in regard to attacks on Iran and how his administration's foreign diplomacy has shifted towards transactional approaches. The tensions surrounding US relationships, particularly with Spain, and the strategic implications for energy routes like the Strait of Hormuz are highlighted.

From Kabul to Tehran: How US diplomacy turned transactional US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised Nato allies for failing to support the US-Israeli attack on Iran on 28 February, an escalation that led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz - the world’s most critical energy artery - bringing misery to millions across the globe. Trump has gone so far as to threaten his allies, especially Spain, over their intransigence. In March, sitting in the White House, he warned that the US could “fly in” and use Spain’s military bases and cut off all trade. Last week, a leaked memo reported by Reuters suggested that Trump is considering expelling Spain from Nato. But what appears today as a rupture in US international relations under a pugnacious Trump administration is, in fact, the continuation of a policy forged during the Afghanistan withdrawal - when American diplomacy shifted from alliance-based coordination to transactional deal-making. Read more: From Kabul to Tehran: How US diplomacy turned transactional US Vice President JD Vance walks up a flight of stairs to meet with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for talks about Iran, Saturday, 11 April , 2026, in Islamabad. (Jacquelyn Martin/Reuters)