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Analysis
Donald Trump: The Gorbachev of America? How Tariffs and "America First" Could Pave China’s Path to Superpower Status
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 is often attributed to Mikhail Gorbachev’s policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), which, despite their good intentions, inadvertently accelerated systemic weaknesses. Today, Donald Trump’s economic nationalism—particularly his tariff-driven "America First" agenda—risks triggering a similar unravelling for the United States. While Trump’s policies are framed as protecting American jobs and industries, they function more like an "America Only" strategy that isolates the U.S., destabilises its economy, and empowers rivals like China. Trump’s tariffs harm U.S. citizens, benefit foreign producers, and position China to dominate the 21st-century global order.