I served under Trump – I have four predictions for what he’ll do next | US | News

A former senior White House official has issued a stark warning that the next phase of Donald Trump’s presidency could lead to increased international instability, claiming domestic political setbacks could push the US president into more aggressive foreign policy moves.

Miles, who served as chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security during Trump’s first term, argued that political defeats at home could encourage the US president to adopt more confrontational approaches abroad.

Writing in The i , Miles suggested that falling approval ratings and increased political pressure could leave the president “distracted, embarassed, and possibly humiliated” after the midterm elections.

“If you thought Donald Trump Miles has asserted himself globally this year, you haven’t seen anything yet,” he wrote, arguing that “the political ground is shifting from under the US President’s feet” as popular support wanes and congressional losses become increasingly likely.

He recalled his time in government after the 2018 midterm elections, when Democrats took control of the House of Representatives. Miles described senior officials being summoned to “secret meetings” where staff were allegedly instructed to obstruct congressional oversight.

“We were told to deny requests for information, delay investigations, and prepare to defy subpoenas,” he said, noting that agencies received legal support to resist investigations.

“If Democrats wanted documents in corruption investigations, they would get the middle finger.”

Miles suggested that the domestic atmosphere led to his resignation, but not before witnessing a broader trend: While constrained domestically, Trump became increasingly aggressive internationally.

“With his hands tied at home, he set foot abroad,” Miles wrote, accusing Trump of turning on his allies while developing closer ties with his geopolitical rivals. He portrayed the president as “an aggressive bully on the world stage.”

Examples he cited include Trump’s sudden withdrawal of troops after the 2018 midterm elections, conflicts with allies such as Canada and Germany, strengthened relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that was later included in the impeachment investigation.

Miles argued that Trump’s return to office could revive these trends on an even larger scale, and offered four predictions about what might occur. First, he warned against military actions or shows of force abroad, insisting that “Cuba was already on his radar” and suggesting that Latin America could become a new focus.

“We haven’t heard the last of it in Greenland either,” he added, arguing that a politically cornered president might try to “increase his military power to be completely satisfied.”

Second, Miles predicted that Trump would increasingly alienate his allies while developing stronger relationships with authoritarian leaders. “Prepare for Ukraine to sacrifice its formidable interests to Russia without much of a fight,” he wrote, also hinting that the president might meet China’s ambitions for Taiwan.

Third, it predicts sudden changes in US alliances, including fundamental changes in America’s NATO commitments. Miles suggested that Trump could either try to weaken the organization or create a “parallel club where only loyalists are allowed to join” based on personal loyalty.

Finally, Miles argued that foreign elections could be a new frontier for political interference. He predicted that Trump would try to influence the domestic political situations of allies by supporting ideologically aligned figures abroad, especially across Europe.

“France will go to the polls in April next year for a post-Macron presidential race and Trump will not just sit back and watch,” he wrote, also warning of possible interference in German politics and backing “UK Reformation efforts to steer Britain towards Maga-like populism.”

Miles expressed concerns about how Trump’s current term might end, citing continued uncertainty about whether power will be transferred peacefully.

“Last time he tried to stay in office illegally,” Miles wrote. “Any rational observer should plan for the possibility that he or she will try again.”

The former official suggested that many Western governments were likely already preparing for a more volatile geopolitical environment, strengthening relationships with democratic allies to guard against economic, diplomatic or military upheaval from what he described as a “rogue United States.”

“I am not satisfied to report that these predictions have now proven correct,” Miles wrote. “It is one of my greatest frustrations as an American to tell our friends abroad that we have lost our footing because our leader has lost his mind.”