Xinhua News Agency, the Chinese Communist Party’s official state news agency published an article, titled “U.S. Soft Power Is Evaporating – The Decline of U.S. Soft Power and the Fall of Hegemony.” Below are some key excerpts from the article.
Recently, the decline of United States’ soft power has become a frequently mentioned topic among Western scholars and media outlets, with much of the criticism directed at the Trump administration.
In fact, the U.S. has long pursued hegemonic interests through the abuse of military intervention and economic coercion in international affairs. Meanwhile, domestic political polarization, social division, and widespread dysfunction have increasingly revealed the true nature of the U.S. to the world. According to international public opinion and experts, the decline of American soft power is now widely acknowledged and seen as irreversible – Trump’s return to power has only accelerated the downfall of U.S. hegemony.
Joseph Nye, the former dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School and the scholar who coined the term “soft power,” believes that a nation’s soft power depends on the attractiveness of its culture and values, as well as the perceived legitimacy of its policies. In a recent commentary for the Financial Times, Nye criticized President Trump for expressing interest in “buying” Greenland, coveting the Panama Canal, and bullying allies and developing nations. However, these policies are driven by “coercion and transaction,” that are neither legitimate nor reasonable and have seriously damaged U.S. soft power.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has wielded tariffs like a weapon, creating chaos and uncertainty worldwide.
The disorder and inconsistency of Trump’s governance have further disillusioned the public. His large-scale dismissal of federal employees and proposals to dismantle departments like the Department of Education have been labeled by U.S. media as “purges.” The “Signal Gate” scandal exposed top U.S. officials using group chats on messaging apps to discuss and plan military operations. His administration’s immigration deportation efforts led to legal battles, with the Justice Department even invoking a wartime law over 200 years old to justify its actions.
Yet the Trump administration shows little concern over the erosion of U.S. soft power.
As the U.S. increasingly relies on coercion and even force in its foreign policy, its national strength will be further drained. Its increasingly aggressive and domineering image will continue to undermine its soft power – ultimately hastening the end of American hegemony.
Source: Xinhua, April 29, 2025
http://www.xinhuanet.com/fortune/20250429/9b72ee417e60472cad54f8829213786c/c.html