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America’s Realist President Is Getting a Lesson in Realism
Allies fight back, Donald
The illusion of American might that prevailed at the start of Trump’s presidency — causing allies to cower at the thought of American tariffs — has now dissipated. By hitting back with tariffs of their own, the likes of Europe, Canada, and China have shown that America isn’t invincible — that it too bleeds just like the rest of them.
This, above all else, is Trump getting a taste of his own medicine. When he set about issuing diktats and forcing other countries to bend the knee, he was operating on the principle of might is right. It turns out, however, that America isn’t the only country with weight to throw around.
America’s double-edged sword
Now that America’s allies (and, crucially, its rivals) have seen the panic Trump’s tariffs have sent Wall Street into — wiping $5 trillion off the stock market — any leverage Trump had in the days preceding January 20 and in the weeks thereafter is now gone.
The realism has backfired, with nothing left to show for it except higher prices for American consumers and garnering hatred on the world stage. It’s rendered Trump’s philosophy of “mafia-style diplomacy” unsustainable, but it’s also presented America with a double-edged sword.
