The Trump Armada

Is the US president forecasting the end of the American Empire?

Prince George, BC, February 22, 2026 - Donald Trump has used the word “armada” to describe the amassing of American ships around Iran. His choice of terminology seems ominous.

In 1588, the Great Spanish Armada experienced a significant defeat off the coast of England. While the Spanish Empire did not collapse at that moment, it could no longer claim naval dominance. Historians for centuries have recognized the importance of the defeat of the Spanish galleons in the rise of the British Empire.

Are we experiencing a similar decline of the American Empire? Why is the Trump administration taking such a significant risk?

No one would dispute the power of the American military. Their air force is second to none, their navy is powerful, and they have an enormous cache of nuclear weapons. The problem is that everyone knows this. There are reports that both Russia and China have equipped Iran with air defense systems, and Iran has already proven that their missiles are able to neutralize American air defense systems, as they did in their proxy-state of Israel last June.

The truth is, the Americans and their allies have not won a war in decades, and the number of countries willing to join the Americans in their conflicts is waning. American and allied forces were humiliated in Afghanistan, and they have failed to establish a stronghold in Iraq. Israeli military forces, which receive unrestrained backing from the Americans, have failed to gain control in Lebanon or even Gaza, even though they are not fighting against regular armies.

Retired U.S. Army officer Colonel Douglas Macgregor points out that there is no doubt that US forces can inflict significant damage on Iran. The problem is that, just as the Spanish discovered in 1588, war is unpredictable. Once it begins, you do not control the outcome. Macgregor stated rhetorically, “You’re in a hell of a position, Mr. President. The military has done everything you asked it to do and can do. What do you do if it doesn’t work? And I don’t think this will.”

It is curious to note that before coming into office in 2025, presidential candidate Donald Trump was quite outspoken regarding armed conflicts and regime change operations. Many times, he said, “We must abandon the failed policy of nation-building and regime change.” It almost seems that Trump is no longer in control of his words or his actions.

What of those who voted for Trump expecting a president who would not engage in foreign conflicts? Will they support a government policy that will try to send their young people to war? What happens if Iranian missiles sink a U.S. aircraft carrier?

For many reasons, Trump is already losing support at home. According to Pew Research, 73% of Americans do not approve of most or all of his plans. The conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court has even ruled that Trump can no longer impose tariffs at will.

Overseas, the world is reacting to American efforts to cut off the island nation of Cuba from fuel and supplies in an effort to cause the overthrow of its government. The US attack on Venezuela resulted in Cuba losing a vital fuel supply line, and the US has strengthened its 67-year-old embargo. As the situation has become desperate for Cubans, Mexico has begun sending naval ships filled with food and other aid, Russia has pledged to send oil tankers, and even Canada is debating sending supplies to Cuba.

Clearly, we no longer live in the unipolar world that began with the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. A new multipolar world will continue to evolve, with or without American approval. The question is, how many lives need to be lost before the warmongers in the Trump administration are convinced that American hegemony has ended?