US Administration Losing Credibility 3 Months into Policy of Threats
Published in Tokyo Shimbun
(Japan) on 19 April 2025
by (link to original)
It will be three months on April 20 since President Donald Trump took office for a second term. During that time, he has plunged the international community into turmoil with his selfish behavior including threats to impose high tariffs on countries around the world and then changing his mind every day. Trump should face up to the loss of trust and the heavy price he is paying for his actions.
Trump has also directed threats toward allies and friendly nations.
He attended a cabinet level conference alongside Japan's Minister of Economic Revitalization Ryosei Akazawa in the first effort by a country to negotiate a reduction of the tariffs. Trump implicitly demanded a spending increase for stationing U.S. Forces in Japan, which is unrelated to trade. Trump’s forceful financial demands without regard for the consequences is reckless.
Canada and the E.U. have taken retaliatory measures, causing serious rifts with friendly nations.
As financial markets intensified a U.S. sell-off due to concerns over the high tariff policy, Trump suddenly suspended some of the tariffs and began considering special measures for automobiles, smartphones and other products for which there are concerns about price increases. The world is being upended by Trump's ad hoc approach.
Trump's role as an intermediary for peace in international conflicts has also revealed how selfish he is.
He has begun cease-fire talks in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza, but he has pressed Ukraine to sign away its mineral resource interests to the U.S., and he has suggested that the United States will “own” Gaza. This is no way to achieve peace, and the international community's criticism of Trump is only growing.
The loss of credibility in the U.S. among the international community since Trump took office is incalculable, and has given an antagonistic China an opportunity to take advantage.
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Vietnam, which has been threatened with high U.S. tariffs, and other Southeast Asian nations, calling for cooperation. The fact that Japan is also openly discussing trade with partners other than the U.S. is one of the deep-rooted reasons that financial markets are anxious about whether “buy American” remains strong.
Nevertheless, Trump continues with his selfish behavior because he has amassed support from 80% of the inwardly oriented Republican Party base. Trump is even doubling down on “anti-Trump” factions inside the United States by partially freezing government spending on businesses and universities whose programs do not align with Trump’s policies, and by firing massive numbers of government workers.
Scientists who now live in the U.S. want to leave, and many renowned university scholars have already left. If the exodus of such brain power continues, then the U.S. will not only incur damage to its national wealth, but it won’t be able to avoid a long-term decline in national power. Shouldn’t Trump realize the magnitude of the danger he is inviting?
Trump has also directed threats toward allies and friendly nations.
He attended a cabinet level conference alongside Japan's Minister of Economic Revitalization Ryosei Akazawa in the first effort by a country to negotiate a reduction of the tariffs. Trump implicitly demanded a spending increase for stationing U.S. Forces in Japan, which is unrelated to trade. Trump’s forceful financial demands without regard for the consequences is reckless.
Canada and the E.U. have taken retaliatory measures, causing serious rifts with friendly nations.
As financial markets intensified a U.S. sell-off due to concerns over the high tariff policy, Trump suddenly suspended some of the tariffs and began considering special measures for automobiles, smartphones and other products for which there are concerns about price increases. The world is being upended by Trump's ad hoc approach.
Trump's role as an intermediary for peace in international conflicts has also revealed how selfish he is.
He has begun cease-fire talks in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza, but he has pressed Ukraine to sign away its mineral resource interests to the U.S., and he has suggested that the United States will “own” Gaza. This is no way to achieve peace, and the international community's criticism of Trump is only growing.
The loss of credibility in the U.S. among the international community since Trump took office is incalculable, and has given an antagonistic China an opportunity to take advantage.
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Vietnam, which has been threatened with high U.S. tariffs, and other Southeast Asian nations, calling for cooperation. The fact that Japan is also openly discussing trade with partners other than the U.S. is one of the deep-rooted reasons that financial markets are anxious about whether “buy American” remains strong.
Nevertheless, Trump continues with his selfish behavior because he has amassed support from 80% of the inwardly oriented Republican Party base. Trump is even doubling down on “anti-Trump” factions inside the United States by partially freezing government spending on businesses and universities whose programs do not align with Trump’s policies, and by firing massive numbers of government workers.
Scientists who now live in the U.S. want to leave, and many renowned university scholars have already left. If the exodus of such brain power continues, then the U.S. will not only incur damage to its national wealth, but it won’t be able to avoid a long-term decline in national power. Shouldn’t Trump realize the magnitude of the danger he is inviting?
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