“New” Security Arrangements

5/15/25

It appears that President Trump is looking to lock the world into economic ties that would give pause to international conflict going forward. By having significant resources of your country invested in another, the thinking goes that you would not want to jeopardize those resources with physical harm. While all conflict may not be thwarted, the existence of your riches being put at risk will lead to diplomatic versus militaristic solutions.

It seems to me that this is a modern twist on the Middle Ages method of security arrangements. Then the kingdoms regularly housed significant family members in competing kingdoms. There, should a conflict arise, the family member(s) would be used to exacerbate or quell the hostility. Inter-kingdom marriages and other exchanges furthered the ties between entities creating alliances. One could surmise it eventually led to today’s European Union. That Trump is using significant economic ties is a throwback to those early days.