Threatening Friends and Courting Enemies in Trump’s ‘Upside-Down World’

The president’s hostility to allies like Oman, Canada and South Korea, and his affection for adversaries like North Korea, may still shock some. But it comes as little surprise after a decade of upheaval.  

“Increasingly, the bullying rhetoric is being priced in by countries around the world,” Mr. Fontaine said. “They don’t dismiss it, but they don’t take the threats literally either. As more and more unfulfilled threats are issued, people listen less. It undermines the president’s credibility.”

READ ANALYSIS BY PETER BAKER