Within a week, Trump made moves against 7 countries, clarifying his core strategy to the world. Even before becoming President of the United States, Trump couldn't wait to act. What is his priority? And after Trump's actions, who is the biggest loser?
After 4 years of ups and downs, Trump finally returned to the White House as he wished. Compared to his first term, there were changes in Trump's cabinet appointments; he no longer employed professionals but prioritized 'loyalty.' However, in terms of core strategy, Trump did not change and still wanted to extract benefits for the U.S. as much as possible through 'trade wars.' Within a week, Trump announced tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. It can be anticipated that after Trump officially takes office, global trade will usher in a 'storm.'
However, Trump's core strategy is actually one that Napoleon used 200 years ago. At that time, in order to undermine the British economy, Napoleon implemented the Continental System, and the entire European continent joined the trade war against Britain. However, Napoleon's strategy ultimately failed because Britain was able not only to trade with areas outside of Europe but also to maintain trade with Europe through backdoor deals. The reason Britain was able to do these two things is that they were the first to enter the industrial age, with very high manufacturing efficiency, thus continuously providing the world with affordable and quality products. It is unexpected that 200 years later, there are still people using this failed strategy, with the main goal of being a stronger industrial power than Britain at that time.
Moreover, Trump included ASEAN countries in the list of those facing tariffs, directly causing the collapse of a long-standing American plan. In fact, since the Obama era, the U.S. has used its domestic market as 'bait' to attract ASEAN countries to side with it. During Obama's time, the U.S. promoted the establishment of the TPP free trade agreement. During Trump's first term, he specifically left a loophole for Southeast Asia in the China-U.S. trade war. After Biden took office, he again constructed the 'Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.' However, after more than 10 years of implementing this plan, the result only attracted the Philippines. Even Singapore, which has always been able to navigate both sides, has expressed its determination to develop a deep cooperative relationship with China.
Of course, Trump's 'trade war' strategy has also led to a major loser, which is the World Trade Organization (WTO). Because of its adherence to 'isolationism' and opposition to global free trade, Trump has repeatedly claimed he would withdraw from the WTO during his first term. To facilitate America's 'trade war,' Trump also blocked the appointment of judges to the WTO's appellate body, causing the organization to lose its ability to mediate trade disputes. It can be anticipated that after Trump begins his second term, the normal functioning and authority of the WTO will be severely impacted, falling into a state of being nominally existent but practically nonexistent.
In just one week, after imposing tariffs on 7 countries, Trump also sent a signal to the international community, which is that 'no one is allowed to profit from America.' Not only China but any country is not allowed to make money. It must be said that Trump's so-called 'tariff stick' is essentially 'self-isolation,' which will ultimately lead countries to abandon the American market. In this way, America is essentially choking itself, and the final result is predictable.