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If a president wanted to destroy the alliance between the United States and its oldest allies, what might that president do? I think he would do many of the things that President Trump is doing right now. The chaos during and after this past weekend’s G-7 meeting was just the latest example.

I don’t know why Trump is treating America’s Western allies as enemies. Maybe it’s based on a far-right, authoritarian ideology. Maybe it’s because Vladimir Putin really does have compromising information on Trump. Or maybe it’s for some other reason.

But I think it’s time to acknowledge that Trump is indeed taking steps to wreck the American alliance with Britain, France, Germany, Canada and Japan — and to respond appropriately. That’s the subject of my latest column.