Britain's decline offers us a preview of the USA's future

From his choice of allies to fiscal disasters, Donald Trump is retreading a well-worn path to national obscurity, writes Harold James

The British flag flying atop the Palace of Westminster on December 7, 2018, ahead of a crucial vote by MPs on the Brexit deal agreed by then prime minister Theresa May and the EU. Picture: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty

When issuing their warnings about Western 'civilisational erasure', US president Donald Trump and vice president JD Vance often point to Britain, and especially London, to make their case. 

But while Britain does offer a cautionary tale, it is not the one Maga has in mind.