How Trump is Dismantling American Soft Power
Graphic by Zoë Kershner.
American “power” is often understood through the immense force capabilities of its military apparatus–from the defense-industrial base, to elite soldier corps, to nuclear weapons. After years of constant innovation and massive investment, the physical impacts of these manifestations of might are felt all across the world. But when it comes to building rather than destroying, soft power is what sets America apart.
Since the end of the Cold War, soft power has played a crucial role in the U.S. ascent to global dominance. This includes everything from cultural exports—think McDonald’s, Nike, and blue jeans—to strong diplomatic relationships and generous foreign aid. But over the years, as the military budget has continued to increase, soft power seems to have been upstaged. Now, with the sweeping reforms of a second Trump administration taking shape, it risks disappearing from American grand strategy altogether. This shift raises a critical question: What will it mean for America's role as a global superpower, and how will global power dynamics respond?
This might all seem rather obvious, as the traditional pillars of soft power begin to crumble: Trump has effectively shuttered USAID, admonished foreign leaders, punished allies with unwarranted tariffs, and aligned himself with authoritarians…all before 100 days in office. Weakening soft power in this way makes it harder for the US to maintain its leadership of the world order, as policy shifts that prioritize confrontation over cooperation erode trust among allies.
Additionally, however, America’s reputation is on the line. Of course, not all the blame can be handed to the Trump administration for this. Many around the world have rightfully questioned the US since the War on Terror, which brought America’s unabashedly violent interventionism to a more public eye. But the domestic policies and actions of the Trump administration, at odds with the values of other democratic states, will further erode the generally favorable view that global citizens have of the US. This is also soft power. Mass deportations, attacks on the judiciary, the rejection of intellectualism and multiculturalism, and the weakening of civil liberties damage the nation’s status as moral authority–which undermines confidence in our democracy and limits our ability to conduct diplomacy.
Soft power matters. If hard power is the knockout punch, soft power is the footwork: seldom appreciated, but integral to success. So what are the potential consequences of its disappearance? For starters, global stability will be threatened in areas highly reliant on foreign assistance from the US. Aid helps combat terrorism by limiting the conditions from which it spawns: poverty, weak institutions, corruption, and radicalism that results from poor education systems. Strong alliances, intentionally built over decades to counter ideological adversaries, contribute to our national security and economic prosperity. Abandoning global cooperation and cutting foreign aid will create a vacuum that states who oppose America’s hegemony, such as China, will be eager to fill.
Ultimately, undermining allied security and global partnerships makes us more vulnerable to external threats. It also questions America’s role: the US can no longer claim to be the moral leader of the international order if it abandons soft power. A successful foreign policy must balance hard power with a commitment to diplomacy, alliances, and the rule of law. Restoring America’s global influence will require more than just having a bigger nuclear button than Kim Jong Un. We must reinforce soft power, uphold democratic values, and maintain the strong international relationships that keep ourselves, and the world, safe.