“Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.” That was part of a Truth Social post by President Trump directed to Chinese President Xi Jinping. President Trump was referring to the presence of those two guests at the huge military parade in Beijing yesterday. The pageant was organized by China to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and to celebrate China’s liberation from the Japanese invasion during that war.

On display at the parade was a vast collection of advanced weapons, including hypersonic and inter-continental ballistic missiles, sea drones and unmanned fighter jets. Xi Jinping clearly intended to use the exhibition to showcase China’s military might. In quite bellicose language, he warned the U.S. not to mess with China, adding that China will no longer be bullied by anyone. More importantly, by having so many foreign leaders present, President Xi was sending a message to President Trump that China has friends, and that U.S attempts to isolate the country are unlikely to work.

Despite unanimous opinion in this country that Russia is not our friend, President Trump continues to treat Vladimir Putin as if he is an ally. After repeatedly promising during the presidential campaign that he would leverage his personal relationship with Putin to quickly end the war in Ukraine, nothing meaningful has happened thus far. Putin has instead rebuffed all of President Trump’s efforts. The red-carpet treatment in Alaska last month was supposed to be a way of encouraging the Russian leader to come to the negotiating table. He did the very opposite of that by unleashing one of the largest missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, killing 22 people and injuring dozens. That occurred just days after the much-hyped summit in Alaska.

By his public identification of Vladimir Putin as a co-conspirator in the plot to destroy America, one has to suspect that President Trump is harboring some regrets about giving him that warm reception in Alaska. If that is the case, is he finally prepared to impose the massive sanctions on Russia that he has been threatening for months? If he is still not willing to do that after everything he has seen, why not?

That spectacle in Beijing yesterday should wake up every American. There have always been countries that are extremely hostile to the U.S., but that club is gaining members at a rapid clip. This is a time when America needs to keep its friends tightly by its side. Instead, through grotesque arrogance, we have carelessly alienated them. That hubris will be our downfall.