On March 11th, a commentary published in The New York Times attracted attention. Thomas Friedman, a senior columnist, pointed out that Trump's foreign policy was "capricious" and "disorganized", and warned that the United States was becoming a "predator" in the global system.
His words can be said to hit a pain point in the diplomatic credibility of the United States. Is the United States still a trustworthy partner?
Repeated actions make allies uncomfortable
To understand Friedman's words, we have to start with Trump's "performance" on the international stage in recent years. His way of doing things has always been very personal, and he changes when he says it, which is often confusing.
Insisting on "America's priority" on the inside, and on the outside frequently "repair the account", whether allies or opponents, all use the trade thinking to handle relationships.
His attitude towards handling the Russia-Ukraine conflict is very typical. He may have supported Ukraine on social media, but then he said at a rally that he would not care if he gave money.
This kind of operation has made Ukraine very passive and made European countries feel uneasy. Many member states within NATO have begun to wonder whether the United States can still be regarded as a reliable leader.
Many countries have begun to consider the "spare tire plan" and no longer regard the United States as the only object they rely on. In terms of trade policy, Trump frequently waves tariff sticks.
Major economies such as Canada, Mexico and China have been heavily attacked, and there are various reasons for tax increases, sometimes to protect the so-called "domestic workers", and sometimes to overweight the negotiations.
But the problem is that his tariff policy is like a mountain truck, adding that withdrawal and withdrawal, and that the rhythm of "first-day change" leaves the markets and enterprises unadapted.
More importantly, this policy has not only disappointed external countries, but also eaten a lot of pain within the United States.
Prices continue to rise, corporate investment confidence declines, and industrial chain transfer risks increase... These problems are the consequences of policies like Trump.
Friedman warned in his comments that the chaos of Trump's foreign policy is gradually causing the United States to lose trust, and once trust is lost, it will not be so easy to re-establish it.
And are Trump's operations for national interests or personal political purposes? Judging from the way he frequently targets political opponents and deliberately sets up opposing issues, I'm afraid this issue is not aimless.
An old selfish path.
Trump has always continued that set of "America first". Shortly after he took office, he began to impose tariffs on many countries on the grounds of protecting the domestic manufacturing industry in the United States.
However, the actual situation is that not only did this practice not allow the manufacturing industry to return fully, but triggered a series of "backlash effects."
For example, domestic manufacturing enterprises in the United States, in the face of the rising cost of raw materials, exports are also restricted, this two-headed situation, so that many enterprises have to reduce production, and even move abroad.
The old industrial state, once seen as the “beneficiary” of Trump’s policy, has gradually begun to feel the side effects of the policy.
Not to mention ordinary consumers, household appliances, food, clothing and other commodity prices have risen, and the cost of living has increased, these are changes that can be felt daily in reality.
At the same time, the fiscal situation in the United States is also increasingly tense, and in order to hedge inflation, the Federal Reserve had to maintain a high interest rate policy, which would have led to rising cost of corporate financing.
The government debt interest rate pressure at high interest rates is also increasing, and the fiscal deficit is rolling as big as a snowball. This creates a circles, money is becoming more difficult to borrow, interest rates are increasing, and the space for development is becoming smaller and smaller.
However, the United States 'trading rivals are not waiting to wait and die. The European Union has imposed counter-tariffs on American products, and China has implemented new restrictions on key mineral exports.
These measures have begun to embarrass America’s position in the global supply chain.
Trump originally wanted to "press others to do so" through tariff methods, but the result was that countries had a different furnace, reduced dependence on the United States, and wanted to win the global speech through unilateral pressure.
Against this background, more and more countries are beginning to question whether the United States is establishing cooperation rules or trying to lead a new "zero-sum game"?
Friedman referred to this trend as a “proliferative shift” not as a rumor, but as a wise judgment of reality.
China’s tactics
During the years of Trump’s successive pressure, China has not chosen direct confrontation, but has adjusted its pace and tactics to take a path of “transition overcar”.
Faced with technological blockade and trade pressure, China is not a hardtop, but a parallel move toward two routes of independent innovation and international cooperation.
Breakthroughs in the field of science and technology are the most obvious. From 5G communications and chip manufacturing to quantum communications and space technology, China has made substantial progress in many key areas.
Companies such as Huawei, SMIC, and Yangtze River Storage no longer just follow others, but have begun to play a leading role in some fields. These developments did not happen overnight, but under external pressure, they stimulated greater R&D motivation.
At the same time, instead of pinning its hopes on the single market, China has broadened its external channels through initiatives such as "the belt and road initiative".
From the intensive operation of the Central European line, to the landing of high-speed rail projects in Southeast Asia, to deep cooperation in Central Asia and ports in Africa, China is building a global economic and trade network that does not depend on a single country.
In the context of the current gradual division of the global supply chain, this strategic layout provides a strong support for China's stable economic development.
In terms of regional cooperation, China's trade with several economies such as ASEAN, Africa and Latin America is becoming increasingly close, indicating that China is not isolated, but is constantly expanding its circle of friends.
The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has also strengthened China's influence in the Asia-Pacific region, becoming an important party in the formulation of regional rules.
At the diplomatic level, while China adheres to its own position, it is also constantly seeking consensus through dialogue and cooperation.
Whether it is strategic cooperation with Russia or economic and trade communication with the European Union, China has always strived to stabilize its external environment, not easily provoking contradictions, not actively creating conflict.
This gesture of “stable progress” is in sharp contrast to the “high-pressure breakdown” of some American politicians.
In these years, China has not stopped due to external pressure, but rather achieved structural breakthroughs in many ways.This response has not only stabilized its own development pace, but also gradually won more countries' understanding and cooperation will.
conclusion
Friedman's comment is actually not just a criticism of Trump, but also a profound reflection on the current changes in the international landscape.
If the United States continues to adopt this "predatory" way of foreign exchanges, it may eventually lose its strategic advantages accumulated in the past few decades, and the international relations maintained by threats and pressure will not last long.
China's choice is to seek certainty amid uncertainty and a turning point amid pressure. This approach is more sustainable.
In a growing trend of global multipolarity and regionalization, a country’s influence does not depend on how many weapons it has or how much voice it has, but on its ability to provide cooperative and sustainable development plans.
Whether the U.S. has really turned into a “predator” may still take time to verify, but the world is no longer the pattern of the “America says.”
More and more nations are looking for their own place instead of passively accepting the arrangements of a major power.
reference
Thomas Friedman: The world should be alert to “America turning into a predator” 2025-03-16