A new report from Senate Democrats is sounding the alarm on what they say is a growing global power shift, one that’s moving in China’s favor thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump’s “retreat from the world” and transactional foreign policy.
The report, released by Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, looks at Trump’s first six months back in office and argues that his approach has “significantly undermined” America’s position on the world stage, especially in competition with China.
It doesn’t hold back.
“While President Trump retreats from every corner of the world – attacking allies, slashing America’s diplomatic tools and embracing adversaries – China is building influence, expanding relationships and reshaping the global order to its advantage,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen in a statement.
The report highlights staff cuts at the State Department, a “chaotic gutting” of USAID, and setbacks at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, as examples of Washington losing its soft power.
It also points to Trump’s decision to pull the U.S. out of global partnerships like the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement—moves the report says left room for China to step in, offering aid and ramping up its diplomatic presence in the process.
The trade war hasn’t helped either. According to the report, Trump’s tariffs have weakened U.S. alliances and pushed some long-standing partners toward Beijing.
The warning lines up with new global polling released by the Pew Research Center this week, which shows growing support for China in many parts of the world.
Attitudes towards China improved in 15 out of 25 countries polled, including places like Mexico, South Africa, Turkiye, Kenya, and Indonesia.
Even though China’s overall image remains negative—with a median 54 percent of people saying they view it unfavorably—more people now see it as the world’s leading economic power: 41 percent for China, compared to 39 percent for the U.S.
The U.S. took a particular hit among 10 high-income countries, including Canada, France, Germany, South Korea, and Japan. In those places, just 35 percent said they had a favorable view of the U.S.—a big drop from 51 percent in 2024. Confidence in the U.S. president dropped even more, from 53 percent under Biden to 22 percent under Trump.
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping saw his approval rise slightly, from 17 percent last year to 24 percent now.
With input from Al Jazeera
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