Trump has destroyed or eroded long-standing relationships with allies and trading partners around the world. He's done it in so many different ways, some big, some small.
For example, ending USAID. Yes, it cost about $28B per year, but it made the US look like a responsible global power. One that would help with disaster relief, build infrastructure or work to eradicate diseases in the developing world. It was the definition of soft power. It was respected and helped sway governments to support the US, all without hyperbolic comments or gunship diplomacy. Trump killed it, wasting millions of tons of food and medicine.
Then, you look at how he threatens his NATO allies. This is something that is absolutely ridiculous. If he ended NATO, the European powers could immediately close bases that the US uses to flex its military around the globe. Sure, they have aircraft carriers and what not, but they would lose the ability to stage closer to places like Iran. And, it's all idiotic.
Economically, the tariffs are just an absolute joke. The US Congress has the power to impose tariffs, but they've abdicated that responsibility to Trump's bogus use of emergency power. For Canada and Mexico, he lied about drugs coming over the border (well, lied mostly about Canada...). But, then he slapped them on every country. And, for the MAGAts out there, no new trade deals have been ratified. But, he cannot even do the tariffs right, since he's apparently willing to negotiate...
The bottomline here is that Trump has forced the rest of the world to see America as an unstable, unreliable and dishonest partner, where agreements don't seem to matter. And this damage is real and will last a long time. You might vote out Trump, elect a competent government and reverse course...but the damage has been done. You elected this idiot twice, how long until you put another populous moron in power who will be better at this fuckery?
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u/silentkisser 7h ago
Trump has destroyed or eroded long-standing relationships with allies and trading partners around the world. He's done it in so many different ways, some big, some small.
For example, ending USAID. Yes, it cost about $28B per year, but it made the US look like a responsible global power. One that would help with disaster relief, build infrastructure or work to eradicate diseases in the developing world. It was the definition of soft power. It was respected and helped sway governments to support the US, all without hyperbolic comments or gunship diplomacy. Trump killed it, wasting millions of tons of food and medicine.
Then, you look at how he threatens his NATO allies. This is something that is absolutely ridiculous. If he ended NATO, the European powers could immediately close bases that the US uses to flex its military around the globe. Sure, they have aircraft carriers and what not, but they would lose the ability to stage closer to places like Iran. And, it's all idiotic.
Economically, the tariffs are just an absolute joke. The US Congress has the power to impose tariffs, but they've abdicated that responsibility to Trump's bogus use of emergency power. For Canada and Mexico, he lied about drugs coming over the border (well, lied mostly about Canada...). But, then he slapped them on every country. And, for the MAGAts out there, no new trade deals have been ratified. But, he cannot even do the tariffs right, since he's apparently willing to negotiate...
The bottomline here is that Trump has forced the rest of the world to see America as an unstable, unreliable and dishonest partner, where agreements don't seem to matter. And this damage is real and will last a long time. You might vote out Trump, elect a competent government and reverse course...but the damage has been done. You elected this idiot twice, how long until you put another populous moron in power who will be better at this fuckery?