- How have the current US economic tariffs affected American soft power? - 25 June, 2025
- Have Russian Sanctions Worked? - 15 January, 2025
The start to Trump’s second presidential term has proved that he could, in fact, cause more of an international frenzy than he did in his first. His first six months have been marked by attention-grabbing headlines and controversial international decisions, sending shockwaves across the globe. One of the most sensational acts was his announcement on global trade tariffs. With the US Government’s aiming to ‘protect American interests’ by encouraging home-grown produce and business, leaving those who rely on the US market scrambling to find ways to adapt or challenge these ever-changing tariffs and threats.
International trade tariffs are not a new invention, nor is it new for one country to raise them to boost homegrown industries, but Trump has turned them into a risky and coercive foreign policy tool that is demonstrating, once again, his tendency to throw out the political rule book. His initial tariffs were implemented against Canada, China, and Mexico, citing the countries’ lack of immigration enforcement and failure to control the flow of illegal fentanyl into the United States. However, as the administration shifted to a stronger all-encompassing tariff policy, it expanded it to all of the US’ trading partners, focusing higher rates on the EU, Japan and China specifically.
With the dust having not yet settled, this approach to foreign trade and its impact is sure to be discussed at length for the foreseeable future, with this article focusing on the cultural impact of these tariffs and their potential soft power effects.
Trump and his foreign policy
The “America First” (MAGA) mentality that has become the core of the Trump ideology underpins the decision to implement these tariffs. On its surface, boosting local, home-grown business doesn’t seem like a negative goal to aspire to, but the scale of these tariffs has caused uproar across the international community.
On the one hand, these tariffs could lead to greater global adherence to American power. Nations and businesses relying on US trade would align with the US position, committing to buying factories in the US to ensure they can still reach US markets. In addition to the fact that complying with the Trump administration and reaffirming American hegemony within international trade, especially in the face of Chinese market dominance, can serve as a way of bolstering American influence, demonstrating that they are still the stronger nation upon which countless other countries rely.
However, on the other hand, nations and businesses may simply find a way to adapt. The US is beginning to be seen as unpredictable and unreliable. With the ongoing crises surrounding the deportation of foreign university students participating in pro-Palestinian protests, and the hostile approach to Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian front against Russia, it is hard to predict Trump’s next decision or move.
The shift to a multipolar world has been progressing steadily along for some time, so would it be so difficult to imagine a world in which we simply ‘get bored’ of the US’ antics and move on?
How does this affect American soft power?
Soft power, coined by American political scientist Joseph Nye in the 1990s, set out the idea that as concrete power markers such as a strong military no longer could ‘fix’ a country’s foreign policy issues, power could be gauged in factors such an cultural influence and reach. The United States has seen consistent unipolar, hegemonic status since the fall of the Soviet Union, partly due to its military size and defence capabilities, but also due to its cultural reach through Hollywood, music, and sports. Additionally, the US became a hub for academic and research brilliance. With three of the top five universities in the world and seven of the top ten being in the US. From across every sector, top academics from around the world flocked to US universities with the highest reputation for research and clinical studies.
Despite this, a mass exodus is already being seen with top American academics, researchers and scientists, expanding across various sectors including politics and sociology, to top scientists in the pharmaceutical industry. This leads to the question as to whether the US will continue being a university powerhouse given its current trajectory? Whilst the ‘America first’ mentality isn’t new for US politics, the attractiveness of the American Dream hasn’t necessarily dwindled yet. What happens when the US ceases to be an attractive place to study though? Policymakers, analysts and journalists alike are beginning to notice the shift occurring, with the Economist publishing an article entitled, “Which countries would benefit most from an American brain drain?” With this in mind, does the US still have the soft power it once did?
What is interesting in particular about these shifts though, is that while American foreign popularity and influence has ebbed and flowed, it has always been the key piece of the puzzle. Academics and students alike still flocked to American universities, businesses told the story of wanting to ‘break America’ and groups or states facing threats from another would often look to the US for support.
Conclusion
At the time of writing, 2025 has seen “Make America Great Again” be taken to a whole new level, but what does that mean for America’s global influence and power?
On the one hand, the US is still at the forefront of international politics. It still dominates headlines and is always a topic of discussion in media across the globe. So, whilst these tariffs have come as an unhappy surprise to many, the US has seemingly achieved its goal of coercing of countries to bend to its will. On the other hand, the constant unpredictability could lead to ‘America-fatigue’ with businesses and countries exploring new markets to move to, and what happens then? In fact, it isn’t just outside of the US that could see a decline in Trump’s influence, a report published by APNORC in April shows that even within the Republican Party Trump is losing support.
It is important to recognise that it is not the tariffs that are the sole reason behind the events explored in this article, but rather the Trump administration’s general policy shift from a global focus to an America focus. Ultimately, the US is likely to have a significant role in most major foreign policy events for years to come, but that doesn’t mean its role as mediator and influencer is permanent. While many countries, organisations and businesses strongly disagree and dislike the implementation of these tariffs, it does show the impact and importance that the US still has in the world.
Questions:
- Are tariffs effective as a foreign policy tool?
- Is strong soft power required to achieve effective foreign policy?
- Will Trump continue to have support for his foreign policy decisions within the Republican Party?
