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Trump VS China: Power Dynamics & Winning Strategy
Trump's war against China is going from bad to terrible for him.
It comes on top of rumors of a weakening economy, and Trump was betting heavy on the economy for his re-election.
That gives China a huge advantage: China can take the pain far more than the US because Xi, the Chinese leader, does not need to be re-elected.
And Xi is using that to hit Trump where it hurts.
China's Latest Tariff: Genius Power Move
China just announced new tariffs against US goods.
And it targeted farming products, which hurt exactly the states that Trump needs for re-election.
A wicked, sniper-style power move.
Trump is caught in a bind now.
If he keeps escalating, the US economy will do worst and, most of all, the media will keep talking up the recession and link it to Trump's trade war.
In that case, discontent towards his handling of the economy and the trade war will cost him lots of votes.
If he keeps verbally attacking China like he is doing now, and he does nothing, he looks like a defanged angry animal who cannot bite.
What should Trump do, then?
Bite The Bullet While You're Weak: Silent Surrender Tactic
Trump should bite the bullet with this one.
In light of China's latest tariffs, Trump should simply keep it quiet.
Keep this mantra in mind:
When you cannot do a thing, then you must also not say a thing.
Sure, will hurt for a while, but this is the best damage limitation for Trump given the circumstances.
As The 48 Laws of Power says: use the surrender tactic to regroup and attack again once you're stronger.
If Trump could only manage to keep it quiet, the news of China's latest blow will soon fizzle out.
And few people will notice that Trump is taking the hit without doing nothing.
And many of those who do, will soon forget.
Then Attack When You're Stronger
Doing and saying nothing does not mean Trump must abandon the fight.
Trump should only ignore it and put it in mothballs until he is stronger to get back in the ring.
That would happen either after re-election, when he will have 4 years of free-rein, or if the economy gets better again (unlikely but not impossible).
Trump's Weakness: Aggressive Impulses
But of course, Trump is too impulsive and too combative to think strategically.
And that's the ultimate weakness of a man from whom there is otherwise a lot to learn in terms of power dynamics.
Trump has been reacting to the weakening economy, the media attacks and the Chinese trade war like a cornered animal. And that is not helping him any.
The Eastern style of strategic low-intensity warfare is winning against the Western style of gung-ho aggression.
