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Donald Trump built his political identity on one promise: strength.The tough negotiator. The guy who forces rivals to blink. The leader who can strong-arm adversaries into submission through sheer will.
But on the global stage, strength isn’t volume. It’s credibility.
Right now, one of America’s most powerful rivals isn’t threatening, posturing, or even arguing with Trump. They’re doing something far more revealing: they’re refusing to engage at all.
For decades, serious nuclear agreements have begun the same way—quiet talks, back channels, trust built over time. That process depends on one basic assumption: that both sides will honor what they sign.
Trump shattered that assumption. He tore up long-standing arms control agreements, mocked diplomacy, and treated treaties like props in a reality show. The message to adversaries was simple: any deal lasts only as long as Trump’s mood.
So when Washington signals it wants talks, Beijing doesn’t rush to the table. It waits. It watches. And it prepares.
That silence isn’t fear. It’s calculation.
Because when a rival knows you can’t keep your word, they don’t negotiate—they let you unravel yourself.
If you want to understand who’s actually gaining leverage while Trump blusters, subscribe.
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