Chicago – April 12, 2025
After months of criticizing, imposing tariffs on, and even threatening some of America’s closest allies, the Trump administration now suddenly finds itself in need of support.
President Trump has escalated the trade conflict with China to a level he appears unprepared to manage, and his administration is scrambling to find ways to gain an upper hand against Chinese President Xi Jinping, who shows no signs of yielding to pressure. One potential strategy could leverage America’s global influence to push China on longstanding issues like restricted market access, intellectual property theft, and industrial spying. However, this tactic clashes with Trump’s “America First” philosophy.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent mentioned on Fox Business that countries like Japan, South Korea, India, and Vietnam are entering trade discussions with the U.S., claiming that “China is surrounded.” He emphasized a shared objective for these talks: “How do we get China to rebalance? That is the big win here.”
When asked why U.S. allies would cooperate given Trump’s harsh treatment of both friends and adversaries, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded that allies were eager to engage because they rely on America’s markets and consumers.
Still, Trump’s actions since returning to office have worked against international cooperation. He’s openly criticized the European Union, claiming it was created to harm U.S. trade interests. Vice President JD Vance has also expressed disdain for Europe, both publicly and in private discussions about military action in Yemen.
Trump’s hostility hasn’t been limited to Europe. North America, which could serve as a united trade force to counter China, has also felt the heat. Trump has threatened Canada with annexation and imposed heavy tariffs on Mexico. Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has declared that the long-standing friendly relationship with Washington is over.
Ironically, the concept of forming a coalition to challenge China’s trade behavior is a sound one—so much so that it was previously attempted. But Trump shut it down.
On his first day in office in 2017, Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which included key allies like Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Australia, excluding China. He also scrapped a planned trade agreement with Europe that would have united the two largest markets in the world.
