The Irish Independent’s view: Trump is causing havoc everywhere, and America is in no position to escape

“Times of crisis, of disruption or constructive change, are not only predictable, but desirable. They mean growth,” wrote Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky. But if the disturbance is destructive and the pattern is one of chaos, the effects are far from desirable.

The world finds itself increasingly in thrall to an ever-more whimsical White House. Whether it is trying to exert pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the carnage in Ukraine or to coordinate conditions to enable international economies to function, Mr Trump’s mercurial decision-making is playing havoc.

The European Central Bank has been pressed into changing its interest rates because of the Trump tariff regime. The steps he is taking have caused global unease as industries brace to cope with the consequences of the collision between the world’s biggest market, the US, and the biggest producer, China.

That Beijing was playing fast and loose with trade agreements, intellectual property rights and unfair subsidies was not in doubt, but dealing with such issues demands sitting down to negotiate.

Mr Trump rounded on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky for ‘starting a war without having sufficient missiles’

An open-ended trade war will drive up costs for families and undermine world supply chains, which could lead to lay-offs. Hopefully, a recession can still be avoided, but the idea that America can turn its back on the world and not be affected by what follows is naive.

Unilateral perspectives in an inter-connected world miss the bigger picture. It should be kept in mind that it was the US that played the leading role in keeping the heart of the global economy pumping.

The geostrategic implications of sundering global alliances and pursuing isolationist positions will only harm America.

After a horrific attack by Russia on Sumy, Ukraine, in which 35 civilians were killed, Mr Trump rounded on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky for “starting a war without having sufficient missiles”.

Trump ‘in no rush’ to end tariffs as he holds talks with Italy’s Meloni

Deliberately misrepresenting the situation was troubling enough, but letting Putin off the hook for the appalling carnage was offensive to all who uphold democracy and respect the rules-based order that has held since the end of World War II.

The White House has signalled its intent on doing a deal with Moscow. Ukraine and Europe will be told about the outcome after the fact. The story of Europe shows that countries acting together are invariably more powerful than when acting alone.

This week, the EU rebuffed US demands for sweeping changes to its food safety rules to suit American farmers and also to agree to cut ties with China.

Brussels’ refusal to succumb to such pressure could mean an agreement between the bloc and the US on trade, following the tariffs’ impasse, is a long way off.

It is only through the reddest of MAGA-tinted glasses that one might begin to imagine how fighting with so many friends, as well as foes, is likely to make America great again.