Readers will recall our article “A Bully in a China Shop” on how the Trump administration is wrecking America’s relationships with its allies.
The Pew Research Center just released a report on how countries around the world view the US versus China.
But first, here’s what Trump has been saying:
Inaugural Address — January 20, 2025
“From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world.”UN General Assembly (80th session) — September 23, 2025
“On the world stage, America is respected again like it has never been respected before.”Mount Rushmore remarks — July 3, 2026
“We’re respected like no nation in the world is respected like us.”Primetime Address to the Nation — July 16, 2026 (this past week)
“America is respected like we have never been respected before.”
Only the “never before” part is true. Here are Pew graphs of confidence in the US versus confidence in China - some of the largest shifts:
And this isn’t just about Donald Trump. He couldn’t keep playing the bully in the china shop without his enablers. Individual Republicans have balked now and then, but resistance one at a time changes nothing. If even a small bloc in Congress found the courage to stand up together, this wouldn’t be happening.
I am in shock as to how much he has taken from us, and yet so many still believe in him. I want to ask if it was worth losing so much on the global stage just to have no empathy.