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The Washington Post is sounding the alarm: Trump is destroying America’s credibility and opening the door for revenge for Beijing. Historians in the future may call this moment the worst miscalculation in US foreign policy in a generation.
Donald Trump has once again found himself at the centre of devastating criticism from the leading American press. In a major analytical article by The Washington Post, the authors accuse the former president of having skilfully “snatched defeat from the jaws of victory” – at a time when the US had every chance of finally tilting the global game against China in its favour.
Loss of a unique moment
While the Biden administration was building strategic alliances – with Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, India and the EU – and attracting investors to American industry, Trump decided to do the opposite. His new tariffs – the largest tax increase in recent history – hit not only China but also Washington itself.
“They gave us a runway, and we crashed into the hangar,” the author ironically says. Against the backdrop of Beijing’s economic problems, lack of foreign investment, and diplomatic isolation, the United States had every chance to put even more pressure on China. However, instead of strengthening coordination with allies, the Trump administration is isolating America itself.
China wins revenge
Faced with the consequences of the economic crisis, Beijing has started dumping: steel, cars, electronics – all sold at reduced prices on global markets. The consequences ranged from the shutdown of a steel plant in Chile to Mexico and Brazil’s WTO claims. Even Europe, which had previously been trying to balance, began to lean towards the US – until Trump ruined the situation.
“Beijing’s mercantilism has become what ‘wolf warriors’ are to its foreign policy – a recipe for international isolation,” WP notes.
America is losing trust
Trump’s new actions have forced many to reconsider their attitudes towards the United States. Europe is beginning to question Washington’s reliability as an ally, especially given Trump’s rhetoric on Ukraine. Countries that were recently ready to distance themselves from Beijing are turning towards it.
Moreover, Trump has levelled the main advantage of the United States – the ability to exert economic influence without the participation of the army. “Now, instead of sanctions, we’ll have to rely on the navy again,” the Washington Post warns.
Trump-style political irony
“Never before has a president been given such a strong hand on the world stage. And never before has he played it so ineptly,” the newspaper writes, adding that “when the tide goes out, you can see who is without shorts. And Trump is already looking for snickers”.
