A push by China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba to move world trade away from the dollar is framed as the real threat to the US economy, and bad news for American financial power if it succeeds.

• China and Russia are leading an effort to settle trade in their own currencies instead of dollars.
• Venezuela, Cuba and Iran are described as lining up with them against Washington.
• If the dollar loses its role as the world's main currency, the US economy takes a serious hit.
• Tariffs are presented as Trump's tool for attacking both the trade gap and the national debt at the same time.
• The hard line on these countries flows from treating any US rival, big or small, as an enemy.

Outlook: Expect continued pressure on the countries driving de-dollarization, with tariffs and confrontation as the main levers.