MS NOW · 2 hours ago
by Steve Benen · MaddowBlog
About a year ago, during a White House Cabinet meeting, Donald Trump boasted about one of his favorite subjects.
“We’re respected all over the world — like never before, probably,” the president said at the outset of the gathering. A few days earlier, pointing to evidence that exists only in his imagination, he added, “Our nation now is the most respected nation anywhere in the world, by far.”
This has long been an obsession of sorts for Trump, who has spent much of his political career telling anyone who would listen that (a) the United States is a disrespected international laughingstock when he’s not in the White House; and (b) he has singlehandedly restored the nation’s global standing thanks entirely to how awesome his awesomeness is.
Both nonsensical claims have been thoroughly discredited. In fact, the Pew Research Center has conducted extensive international surveys in recent decades, which show confidence in the U.S. improved dramatically during Barack Obama’s and Joe Biden’s presidencies and have deteriorated sharply during Trump’s tenures.
By emphasizing the importance of international credibility and respect, the Republican has raised the importance of one of his most obvious failures.
Just as notable is the degree to which he continues to add to his ignominious record. Consider some of the developments from just the last few days:A global survey from Rockefeller Foundation, spanning 34 countries, found declining comfort with the U.S. taking a leading role in world affairs.
The New York Times reported, “Global investors are balking at U.S. bonds. Talk of the dollar’s dwindling power is getting louder. Foreign governments are hauling their gold out of American vaults. Almost two years into President Trump’s second term, the world economy is increasingly looking for ways to distance itself from America.”
Instead of bringing Canada to heel, Trump has forced our allied neighbors into the welcoming arms of the European Union.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly declared, “This era of unconditional transatlantic friendship is probably over for the foreseeable future. On the other side of the Atlantic, we are seeing a change in political attitudes, a change in the assessment of the transatlantic alliance, which we might not have thought possible.”
Trump tried to bully South Korean President Lee Jae Myung into deploying troops and/or military assets to support the U.S. war with Iran. He refused.
The New Yorker reported, “After a decade of Trumpism, the United States’ closest allies know that they need to stop counting on American leadership and to start hedging their bets — and to say as much in public.”
There might very well be some who would suggest these developments and international attitudes aren’t altogether relevant. After all, Trump has prioritized an “America First” attitude, so perhaps his followers will argue his lack of international backing shouldn’t matter.
The problem with this defense is that Trump has invested an enormous amount of time and energy making the opposite argument. As recently as last week, during his midterm convention, the president once again declared, “On the world stage, America is respected again like we have never been respected before. That I can tell you.”
That would be great if that were true. But as a result of his failures, weakness and humiliations, it’s not.
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