Trump's trade war will cause deep, lasting losses for the United States. Russia, China, and Iran are all on the same continent. As we speak, they're constructing better highways, railways, and pipelines to facilitate trade with each other. Furthermore, Russia is the largest country on earth and has incalculably vast, untapped natural resources. His tariffs have already prompted the Chinese to start importing Russian crops. That business is probably not coming back to our shores. I'm sorry, my conservative friends, but Trump is going to be much less successful at forcing the Chinese to the bargaining table than you seem to think. Instead, they might be waking up to the reality that they don't really need our business as much as they have in the past.
Ever since the end of WWII the United States has prospered like no other country. In no small part, this has been because nearly everyone else on earth has done what we've told them to do. Even before 2016, that power had been fading. However, Trump's loudmouthed, bellicose approach to everything has greatly accelerated the process. Americans in general, and Trump most spectacularly, have apparently forgotten that other counties are sovereign powers. They aren't going to put up with childish, schoolyard bullying if they have other options — and now they do. Many of the world's rising powers can drive or take the train to each other's countries. Trump is going to get us isolated between two vast oceans.
I have no idea how it's possible for anyone to consider what's been happening over the past couple of years and still believe that Trump is increasing our global influence and prestige. Look, it's okay for us to not be the top dogs anymore. Ask the British! They're doing just fine with their century-long policy of not expending blood and treasure to maintain a global empire of people who hate them. We will be fine following in their footsteps. However, all of us — including our most dedicated devotees of American exceptionalism — must come to understand that it's happening now whether we want it or not. Things will go much easier for us if we graciously accept that we’re becoming coequal with other nations, and they will be increasingly less inclined to dance to our fiddle.