In a desperate bid to arrest the rapid erosion of US imperialism’s global economic and geopolitical power, Trump is threatening, bullying and attacking Washington’s ostensible allies, no less than those it has long identified as its strategic adversaries.

Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter flew to Washington on Tuesday to seek talks with the Trump administration over the steep 39% tariff imposed on Switzerland. But Keller-Sutter was only able to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, not with any of the primary tariff negotiators.