Trump's 'Great Game': Same Old Rules, New Imperial Players
When the Financial Times speaks of Trump’s ‘new great game’ involving mining and mercantilism, one might think this is a new American invention. It’s not. The US has been 'mapping and mining' for resources and influence for over a century, often under the guise of 'democracy promotion' or 'national security.' This 'great game' has consistently prioritized corporate profits and geopolitical
dominance over the sovereignty or well-being of the nations whose resources are being extracted. (Remember United Fruit Company in Central America, anyone? Or the countless coups backed by the CIA to secure oil interests?) This isn't a new Trumpian invention; it's a continuation of a long-standing, bipartisan foreign policy. The FT's subtle framing attempts to place this as a unique Trump
phenomenon, rather than a symptom of systemic imperialistic tendencies consistently promoted by various administrations and enthusiastically supported by military-industrial complex lobbyists. One might wonder why global resource exploitation is only 'news' when a new captain dons the imperial hat.