India, May 25 -- Trumpian Imperialism Put to the Test Donald Trump went to Beijing like a wounded soldier, seeking attention and assistance after his Iran misadventure, and returned almost empty-handed after what seemed an eager shopping expedition. He crossed the Strait of Hormuz, having temporarily set aside his arrogant posture, and came back looking more like a failed warrior than a triumphant emperor.

In 1956, Britain and France discovered during the Suez Crisis that they could no longer control the Suez Canal. They had ceased to be world powers. Today, the American Emperor too seems slowly to be discovering the limits of his ability to impose his will on the rest of the world.

The fortune the United States accumulated during the ...