He’s not wrong that leaders flatter him; but it’s not respect, it’s geopolitical strategy. They’re managing chaos, hedging with China and others, and responding to a weaker US position largely created by Trump himself. This isn’t strength; it’s a soft power collapse that’s opening dangerous doors, mainly for Americans most of all, but likely for everyone else too.
What Trump sees as deference is actually diplomatic triage. World leaders aren’t engaging him because they admire him; leaders are trying to keep the global order from unraveling faster than it already is. The cost of alienating the U.S. is high, but increasingly, so is relying on it. That shift is the real story, and it’s one that leaves America more isolated with each bluster.
The article is a Trump hallucination.
He’s not wrong that leaders flatter him; but it’s not respect, it’s geopolitical strategy. They’re managing chaos, hedging with China and others, and responding to a weaker US position largely created by Trump himself. This isn’t strength; it’s a soft power collapse that’s opening dangerous doors, mainly for Americans most of all, but likely for everyone else too.
What Trump sees as deference is actually diplomatic triage. World leaders aren’t engaging him because they admire him; leaders are trying to keep the global order from unraveling faster than it already is. The cost of alienating the U.S. is high, but increasingly, so is relying on it. That shift is the real story, and it’s one that leaves America more isolated with each bluster.