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The Global Backlash: Trump’s Tariffs Are Burning Bridges, Not Building Them

Unpacking how unilateral trade moves are pushing U.S. allies away

3 min readApr 19, 2025
Photo by Kelsey Knight on Unsplash

The Global Backlash: Trump’s Tariffs Are Burning Bridges, Not Building Them

Unpacking how unilateral trade moves are pushing U.S. allies away

Donald Trump’s diplomatic style has never exactly been subtle.

But in 2025, with the return of sweeping tariffs — like a staggering 145% hit on Chinese imports — what once felt like campaign theatrics has turned into a real-world mess. While Trump keeps insisting he’s “putting America first,” the fallout tells another story: the U.S. is increasingly economically and diplomatically isolated.

🌍 Allies Are Tired of Playing Second Fiddle

For decades, America has been a leader in global cooperation. That’s changed. Trump’s tariff crusade has frozen long-standing relationships with Europe, Canada, South Korea, and Japan.

Instead of working together to fix trade issues, his administration is handing down tariffs like punishment , often without warning. That’s led to blowback. The EU has rolled out counter-tariffs, Canada is turning to other…

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Libby Winkler
Libby Winkler

Written by Libby Winkler

Freelance writer who loves exploring the messiness of humanity, while poking around in nooks of life and shining light on all the things that make us complex..

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