By Timothy Hopper* – Foreign Policy in Focus (FPIF)*
From Europe to China, Trump’s unilateral policies have often produced the opposite of their intended effects.
Donald Trump rose to power on the grandiose slogan of “Make America Great Again,” pledging to restore the United States to the unrivaled pinnacle of global power. This promise, infused with nationalist fervor, captured the hearts of his supporters.
Yet, looking back on his record—especially the recent attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities—a fundamental question arises: Did this slogan truly make America greater, or did it in fact end up strengthening others, from adversaries to allies? From a more unified Iran and a Europe striving for autonomy to a more legitimized China and a more dependent Israel, Trump’s unilateral and sensationalist policies have often produced the opposite of their intended effects.
Iran: Unity Forged Under Military Threat
Trump’s “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran, which began with the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal in 2018, culminated in an unprecedented military strike on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites on June 22, 2025. This operation, carried out with stealth B-2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles, was meant to destroy Iran’s nuclear program and force Tehran into submission.
Instead, it backfired spectacularly. Rather than weakening Iran, it galvanized a sense of national solidarity. Faced with crushing economic sanctions and now an explicit military threat, Iranians rallied around the flag. Iranian officials announced that these nuclear sites had been evacuated beforehand and contained no radioactive material, demonstrating Iran’s preparedness for such a scenario.
Not only did this strike fail to inflict irreparable damage on Iran’s nuclear program, it also afforded Tehran greater international legitimacy—especially among countries of the Global South. Iran’s retaliatory attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar underscored that Tehran was neither passive nor powerless to harm American interests.
Europe: A Push Toward Defense Autonomy
Trump touted his relentless pressure on NATO members to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP as a major success. At the recent NATO summit (June 2025 in The Hague), all members except Spain agreed to meet this target by 2035.
Yet this aggressive approach produced a paradoxical outcome. Led by France and Germany, Europe accelerated its drive toward defense autonomy. Initiatives like the European Defence Fund and the European Intervention Initiative reveal Europe’s determination to reduce dependence on U.S. hegemony and develop its own independent military capabilities. In the long run, these developments are likely to turn Europe into a more powerful and autonomous defense actor, operating with less deference to Washington.
China: Legitimizing Hegemony Through America’s Missteps
Trump’s trade war against China, intended to contain Beijing’s economic rise and global influence, has involved heavy tariffs and commercial restrictions. However, these measures have largely backfired.
As America’s unilateral moves—including destabilizing actions in the Middle East—eroded its global standing, China capitalized on the opportunity to portray itself as a stable and reliable partner, especially through its Belt and Road Initiative and deepening ties with developing nations. Chinese state media called America’s actions “senseless” and a threat to global order, using this rhetoric to cement China’s image as a legitimate and steady power.
By diversifying its energy sources through partnerships with Russia and Central Asia, China also reduced its vulnerability to risky trade routes. As a result, efforts to contain China did not weaken Beijing but instead reinforced its hegemonic standing, while America’s isolation on the world stage grew.
Israel: Dependence at the Expense of U.S. Interests
Trump’s unconditional support for Israel—from moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem to the joint strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities—was ostensibly aimed at bolstering bilateral ties. In reality, these policies, particularly the latest coordinated assault, only deepened Israel’s dependence on unprecedented American financial and military aid.
This dependency funneled U.S. resources into a costly, open-ended commitment that also heightened regional tensions. Israel’s Haaretz newspaper warned that the strike could drag Israel into a “long, bloody war of attrition” and even raise the risk of global conflict.
Rather than serving America’s long-term interests, these actions gave Iran and other regional players a pretext to expand their influence, leaving Washington to bear the heavy costs of sustaining Israel.
America’s Growing Isolation
Perhaps the greatest paradox of Trump’s policies is that, despite being intended to make America “greater,” they have rendered it more isolated on the global stage. The strike on Iran—denounced by U.S. Democrats as lacking a clear strategy and congressional authorization—drew international condemnation. Countries such as Cuba, Iraq, and Turkey criticized the attack. Trump’s unilateralism, his withdrawal from international agreements like the Iran nuclear agreement, and his impulsive decisions not only empowered rivals but also eroded allies’ trust. In a world increasingly in need of cooperation, Trump’s divisive policies pushed America from a position of leadership to the margins.
“Make America Great Again” was a promise that won many hearts. But in practice, it ended up benefiting others. The military strike on Iran, meant to showcase American power, instead united Iran. Europe took strides toward defense independence. China gained global legitimacy. And Israel became an expensive dependency. Far from fulfilling its original pledge, Trump’s agenda paradoxically strengthened others—often at America’s own expense.
*Timothy Hopper is an international relations graduate of American University. As a freelance foreign policy writer, his work has been featured on platforms such as intpolicydigest and geopoliticalmonitor.