by Daniel Brouse
April 20, 2025
Donald Trump’s economic, immigration, and environmental policies have had significant ripple effects that are altering the global order and undercutting America’s role as a global leader. Here’s a breakdown of how each domain contributes to these broader consequences:
1. Economic Policies: Nationalism Over Globalism
Tariffs and Trade Wars:
Trump’s use of tariffs, especially against China and even traditional allies like the EU and Canada, disrupted global supply chains and undermined trust in the U.S. as a reliable trade partner. Instead of fostering a rules-based global economy, this approach favored ad hoc, transactional negotiations, creating uncertainty.
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Impact: Destabilized global trade norms, encouraged other nations to seek alternatives to U.S.-dominated institutions, and hurt U.S. manufacturers and farmers via retaliatory tariffs.
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Result: Accelerated the emergence of regional trade blocs (e.g., China’s RCEP, EU-Mercosur deal) and weakened the WTO’s influence.
Deficit Spending Without Structural Reform:
Trump pushed through major tax cuts (e.g., 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) disproportionately benefiting the wealthy and corporations, with no corresponding cuts in spending. This exacerbated long-term deficits and debt without improving productivity.
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Impact: Fed an overheating economy pre-pandemic and constrained the government’s ability to respond to future crises.
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Result: Undermined U.S. fiscal credibility and created inflationary pressures that eroded global confidence in the dollar as a stable reserve currency.
2. Immigration Policies: Erosion of Human Capital and Global Trust
Restrictionism and Deterrence:
The Trump administration cut legal immigration levels, enacted bans on several Muslim-majority countries, and used family separation as a deterrent—policies widely condemned as inhumane.
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Impact: Weakened the U.S. as a magnet for global talent, particularly in STEM fields, undermining innovation and economic competitiveness.
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Result: Countries like Canada, Australia, and Germany increasingly attract high-skill immigrants who once preferred the U.S.
Global Image and Soft Power:
By closing doors and demonizing immigrants, Trump damaged the U.S.’s image as a land of opportunity and moral leadership.
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Result: Lost soft power, especially among allies and global youth, eroding the moral foundation of U.S. leadership.
3. Environmental Policies: Accelerating Climate Collapse and Global Isolation
Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement:
Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Accord isolated the U.S. from nearly every other country on Earth in global climate efforts.
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Impact: Delayed climate action during a critical decade and gave cover for other lagging countries to stall progress.
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Result: Damaged U.S. credibility on environmental leadership and led to China and the EU stepping in to fill the void.
Rollback of Domestic Environmental Protections:
By gutting EPA regulations, weakening the Clean Power Plan, and promoting fossil fuels over renewables, Trump accelerated environmental degradation at home.
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Impact: Increased pollution and carbon emissions, undermining long-term sustainability and economic health.
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Result: Made the U.S. economy more vulnerable to climate risks—wildfires, storms, floods—while ignoring clean energy opportunities that other nations are rapidly seizing.
Global Consequences: Changing the World Order
Erosion of Alliances and Institutions:
Trump undermined NATO, threatened to pull out of longstanding agreements (e.g., WHO, WTO), and prioritized transactional diplomacy.
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Impact: Allies question whether the U.S. will honor its commitments, pushing Europe to explore strategic autonomy and Asian countries to hedge with China.
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Result: A multipolar world is accelerating, with China, the EU, and even regional blocs gaining influence at America’s expense.
Loss of Confidence in U.S. Leadership:
Perhaps most importantly, Trump’s erratic leadership style, disdain for expert advice, and embrace of authoritarian figures has fostered global skepticism.
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Impact: The U.S. is no longer seen as a predictable or principled leader on major global issues—from pandemics to democracy promotion to climate change.
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Result: A decline in American credibility, making it harder to form coalitions, lead on values, or coordinate global responses to crises.
Outlook: A Nation in Retreat
If Trump’s influence persists or returns in full via another term, the damage to U.S. leadership could become permanent. The consequences include:
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A weakened U.S. dollar as global reserves diversify.
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Brain drain in reverse, with innovators choosing more stable nations.
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Loss of green energy dominance, with China and the EU leading.
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A damaged reputation that undermines diplomacy, trade, and investment.
In sum, Trump’s policies—rooted in short-termism, xenophobia, and anti-globalism—are diminishing U.S. leadership, weakening global institutions, and accelerating the long-term decline of America’s credibility and economic future. If not reversed, this shift could mark the end of the U.S.-led liberal world order.