For Rana Foroohar (FT), the defining logic of the Court of the Tangerine Tyrant's action is a longer term battle for the control of the resources that will underpin political economic success in the C21st.
She likens this to the C19th period of 'great game' imperialism that saw the major states seek to capture & exploit resources through military power & colonialism.
For many seeking to use the lens of imperialism to understand US actions this will make a lot of sense.