Precisely. China is cleaning our clocks in terms of making inroads in third world countries. My wife was in Liberia last month and the infrastructure improvements since her last visit in 2017 were substantial. All funded by China.

Meanwhile, what is the US doing with it’s aid? Forcing cultural changes like abortion on demand and promoting gender dysphoria and other practices abhorrent to the local culture.

Not to mention working to overthrow governments like Orban in Hungary and Fico in Slovakia and want to maintain a traditional culture.

USAID was turning the United States into a woke global joke
https://www.yahoo.com/news/usaid-turning-united-states-woke-163611598.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Hmm.
Maybe they read this:

“Why Trump would win a tariff war;
“Europe is still in denial”—
https://unherd.com/2025/02/why-trump-would-win-a-tariff-war/
H/T Blazingcarfur blog.
https://blazingcatfur.ca/2025/02/04/why-trump-would-win-a-tariff-war/

Yes, but I think Trump’s biggest motivation is keeping Greenland and Panama from the control of China*. He doesn’t want a Chinese “belts and roads” initiative in the Americas.

China is playing this game, and has been for years. Ignoring them hasn’t helped our national security nor our economy.

And China dumps A LOT of money into many coffers to gain an army of keyboard and microphone warriors to unwittingly (or wittingly) lobby against the U.S.’ best interests.

*If China weren’t actively trying to get Greenland’s natural resources I don’t think Trump would want to invest in military bases there.

The population of Greenland – almost all Inuits – probably want to be an independent nation, but without the $$$ given annually to them by Denmark, this would not be a smart move.

There are only two incentives, plus & minus, carrots & sticks. Tariffs are a stick. Used to get allies, not friends, to do what they should have been doing anyway. And, importantly, to show all others that he’s willing to put on tariffs to get what he wants as well as taking them off when they do what he wants. The NATO members, who have signed agreements that they’d spend 2% on defense, but haven’t been doing so, are one of the important watchers getting this pretty clear message.

Trump—tough negotiator but willing to make a deal. Willing to use both carrots and sticks, and removal of a prior carrot feels a bit like a stick.

Trump45 actually wanted deals with Dems & GOPe to get as much as he could, and didn’t really think they hated him as much as they did. His lost/stolen election followed by his win means he doesn’t need much of their support so he’s not offering them much this time. (Now I’m thinking of the little hen baking her bread all by herself…)

Another huge econ benefit of tariffs is that the money goes to reduce the deficit, the higher prices on T shirts or whatever means less other tax, often less inflation tax. The anti-tariff folk, including Libertarians, seldom address this issue. Tho they are correct that in a world united to support free markets, tariffs are a big negative.

“When he makes claims like this, the press takes him literally, but not seriously; his supporters take him seriously, but not literally.”

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/09/trump-makes-his-case-in-pittsburgh/501335/

One caveat. Uptempo offenses can be mistake prone.

So, it will be interesting. Does he try to maintain the pace? Can the rest of the world adapt to his pace? Will they spot mistakes that they can exploit? Does he achieve his immediate goals and take a more measured approach?
I wish I knew the answers.

Back when the Iraq debacle was imminent, someone promised an air campaign of ‘shock and awe’. I thought it was premature to be strutting like that in advance.

But the term may well describe the effect of Trump’s return to the White House.

Before Trump our leaders would have asked Canada and Mexico to cooperate on border security. After hard negotiations they would have agreed, if we paid for it. And, of course, we would pick up the bill – good old Uncle Sucker.

I like this new way of negotiating. Winning.