Donald Trump: The ‘Bubble’ of Omnipotence That Cost Him Global Influence

From his very first term, Donald Trump assumed the role of a Messiah. He convinced Americans that he wanted and could save the U.S., a narrative he reused in his second presidential campaign, successfully regaining voter trust who wished to leave Democratic politics behind. Despite promising to end wars in Ukraine and Gaza within record time and issuing threats of severe sanctions, Trump has failed to influence foreign leaders effectively. As CNN reports, while Trump can intimidate tech giants and interfere with university politics (as seen in his feud with Harvard), he hasn’t managed to assert dominance over Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, or Benjamin Netanyahu. During his election campaign, Trump claimed he would end the war between Ukraine and Russia upon being elected. Although the American people re-elected him in November 2024, eight months later, Ukrainian and Russian forces continue their attacks. Russian President Vladimir Putin systematically ignores American pressure for peace, while Russian media portrays Trump as a loud but ultimately retreating leader. It seems Trump has adopted an image of toughness without imposing consequences, undermining his global influence. His trade war with China also ended in failure. Trump believed high tariffs would force Xi Jinping into submission but underestimated Chinese autarky, where no concessions are made to any U.S. president. Similarly, Trump retreated from his trade conflict with the EU. The Financial Times commentator Robert Armstrong’s ironic phrase “Trump Always Chickens Out” encapsulates his international reputation. Another blow came from his waning influence over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. After the Gaza war began and Trump returned to power, he expected easy cooperation with Netanyahu, whom he had previously favored. Now, Trump’s desire to mediate peace in Gaza conflicts with Netanyahu’s strategy, which sees the war as a matter of political survival. Trump’s global influence appears to be dissipating due to foreign leaders acting according to their own agendas. His populism, which objectively earns awards, is based on the idea that international relations have harmed the U.S., according to analysis. The early months of Trump’s presidency indicate that old practices are insufficient. Leaders from China, Russia, Europe, Israel, and Canada either view Trump as weaker than he appears or judge resistance as politically necessary. Of course, such grandiose illusions aren’t exclusive to Trump; George W. Bush started wanting not to be a ‘global policeman’ but ended up initiating two wars. Barack Obama believed he could change the world with a ‘new beginning,’ and Joe Biden declared ‘America is back,’ yet after four years, the post-war America of old seems lost.