In a dramatic shift in US foreign policy, Donald Trump has signalled that Washington will not automatically defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. The warning, delivered via a televised address, represents a stark departure from decades of American ambiguity on the issue. It comes just weeks after the president's summit with Xi Jinping in Florida, where trade and North Korea dominated the agenda.
Critics say Trump has emboldened Beijing by treating Taiwan as a bargaining chip in broader geopolitical negotiations. For working families in the industrial North, the real cost of this realpolitik may be felt in increased instability and potential job losses as global supply chains are disrupted. The White House insists the president is merely being pragmatic, but for Labour MPs and trade unionists, the abandonment of Taiwan echoes the hollowing out of British manufacturing in the 1980s: a willingness to sacrifice long-term allies for short-term deals.
