Why it's a lose-lose for the US

By Yi Xin

The United States is now in an isolated situation. Thanks to the global tariff war U.S. President Donald Trump has initiated, disillusioned allies and partners worldwide are withdrawing quietly, with only China standing its ground and forcing Washington to seek a truce with it in Geneva and London.

'America first' means everyone else last

Be it the "Liberation Day" tariffs, or thinly-veiled territorial ambitions, or exploitation of international conflicts, the U.S. has shown the world through its actions what "America first" is about – America's interests at the expense of others.

This comes even though the U.S. has lived through the disastrous global consequences of sky-high tariffs. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 that raised tariffs significantly on goods imported by the U.S. in a protectionist bid to shield U.S. industries led not only to a global recession, but in time, to fascism. In 1987, Ronald Reagan, then U.S. president, warned that high tariffs may appear patriotic but would eventually lead to trade wars on a global scale. However, the current administration, blindly pursuing protectionism, has chosen not to heed the lessons of the past.

American imperialism too seems to be alive in 2025. Trump has talked about making Canada the 51st U.S. state and offered to buy Greenland. Previous U.S. administrations seized others' territory through bloodshed and treaties, and this administration seems to be continuing the bullying.

But besides bluster, it seems to have achieved little. Trump claimed he could end the Ukraine crisis in 24 hours but so far has made little progress on peace for Ukraine except for a new deal that gives the U.S. access to Ukraine's natural resources. This comes on top of Washington making record arms sales last year as countries sought to replenish their stock of weapons following arms donations to Ukraine. In other words, in times of international conflicts, the U.S. manages to profit off its global partners and war-torn countries.

China says no to bullying

In the ongoing tariff war, China imposed reciprocal countermeasures on the U.S., something many countries wanted to but could not do. This compelled the U.S. to back down and approach China for talks. China did so because it has the willpower and the strength.

Over 70 years ago, following the outbreak of the Korean War, when the young People's Republic of China faced U.S. aggression on its doorsteps, Chairman Mao Zedong said China would fight however long it took to secure the final victory. That spirit, passed down through generations, has enabled China today to break through U.S. technological containment with homegrown innovation. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang recently predicted that China's AI market would grow to $50 billion in two to three years, and that it would be "a tremendous loss" if U.S. companies were excluded from this market.

The world comes together against bullying

Around the world, de-Americanization is gaining traction as acting against the common values and interests of the global community has backfired on the U.S. Europe is now leaning increasingly toward trading partners in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Japan too is reevaluating its position on trade. It has announced its intention to use its U.S.$1 trillion-plus U.S. treasury holdings as "a card on the table" in its negotiations over tariffs. The recent Australian and Canadian election results also seem to indicate that their citizens favor a government that is less pro-U.S.

A recent survey by American business intelligence company Morning Consult found that at China has a much higher favorability rating (8.8) than the United States (-1.5). "Since January 2025, the overwhelming majority of countries simultaneously exhibit worsening views of the United States and improving views of China," wrote Jason McMann, head of political intelligence at Morning Consult. Losing points against China and losing hearts around the world, the United States has landed itself in a lose-lose situation –losing not once but twice.

The author is a Beijing-based international affairs commentator.