A long-awaited decline of American domination has begun, visible to the naked eye, which no American, especially Trump, wants to confront. Richard Wolff, an American economist, summed it up quite well, "The American Empire is over! We're done." From unleashing trade wars against its neighbors to withdrawing from WHO; from declaring the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America to making Canada the 51st US state; from taking the Panama Canal back to annexing Greenland, Trump has unprecedentedly sent shockwaves around the globe with his rhetorical proclamations. History tells us how powerful an empire might be, but it perishes away, whether it be the Romans, Mughals, or Ottomans. The making and breaking of great empires often come at a paramount cost. Often, they are defeated on the grounds, of Nazi Germany and Great Britain in WW1 and WW2. To retain some glory, they often had to make concessions, the Germans signed the Treaty of Versailles, and the Britishers had to give away their colonial possessions. But with America, the projections are quite different.
To understand the underlying themes of Trump's MAGA (make America great again) slogan, there are multiple aspects to consider. Trump knows very well that the height of American supremacy is near an end. He also understands that this demise is not a result of any sudden outburst but is the culmination of decades-long US policies. America has enjoyed unfettered dominance since the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was the sole leader, dictating terms and orchestrating the fates of nations. On the political, diplomatic, and economic fronts, the rise of China and BRICS has pushed America against the wall, and Trump is trying to retain its glory not by giving away land or opting out of the race but by enforcing monarch-like policies.
By going around the world, fighting allies as well as opponents, Trump is trying to make himself and the world believe in the American hegemony
Empires go out to snatch or conquer, first when they need it, and secondly, they have the ability, as Richard Wolff asserts. They do it when the resources are running short or they have the fantasy of grabbing as much as they can. In the case of America, it's neither of those, it's rather the fear of losing its status as a Superpower, or in American words, the role of Uncle Sam. By going around the world, fighting allies as well as opponents, Trump is trying to make himself and the world believe in the American hegemony. There is no point in making Canada the 51st state or renaming the Gulf of Mexico, rather, it's a display of soft power. Tariffs would only further weaken the American economy, and the Citizens would have to bear the burden.
And this would be a grave mistake to argue that it is Trump and his policies that are tormenting the American legacy. Sooner or later, this was bound to happen. Trump has rather adopted a radical way to lessen the grief and humiliation of the American downturn. His policy resonates with two principles: strengthening America at home and portraying a mighty America abroad. Winston Churchill once said, "There is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting without them." Trump has gone one step further; he is also making enemies out of friends. Canada and Mexico are one of its major economic partners. Greenland is a dependent territory of Poland, which is a NATO member. American officials are lecturing the EU over democracy which they claimed to have shared for centuries and the US defense secretary telling the West that "Europe can't turn Uncle Sam into 'Uncle Sucker."
Where it mattered, or the allies of Trump were expecting him to go relentlessly was Russia. Rather, he is seen praising Putin, calling Zelensky a "Dictator", and forcing Ukraine to agree on a ceasefire or America will pull the rug out from under Ukraine. If one looks back just three months ago, the global power dynamics have changed dramatically since then. Friends and enemies are still figuring out what Trump wants. All the indicators suggest that Trump has a complete codebook of what to do and when. It's always hard to make predictions for leaders like Trump, but he is well on his way to holding on if not saving the dying American glory.