The Doctrine of Maximum Ratings

Traditional doctrines are designed to safeguard national security. The Trump Doctrine, by contrast, seemed engineered to safeguard Nielsen ratings. Every summit became a pilot episode, every handshake a teaser trailer, every press conference an audition for syndication. The backdrop of world crises was less about strategy than staging, complete with dramatic pauses and villain reveals. Trade wars were promoted like boxing matches, while peace talks were billed like season finales. America�s allies and rivals alike learned quickly: substance mattered less than spectacle. A nuclear standoff with North Korea? That was just a cliffhanger to ensure viewers tuned in next season. The genius�or madness�of this approach was that it played to a world increasingly addicted to screens. International affairs became binge-worthy, full of memes, viral clips, and soundbites shorter than a TikTok. Critics decried the trivialization of serious issues, but for Trump, the doctrine was working exactly as intended: as long as the world kept watching, the show would go on. Like all good reality TV, the Trump Doctrine left its audience both horrified and hooked.