Some domestic interpretations of the two U.S. presidents are falling into the traps of labeling and emotionalism—portraying Biden as a 'senile puppet' and denigrating Trump as a 'crazy gambler,' while ignoring their fundamentally different policy logic and deeper considerations.
Biden: The 'dark line operator' of traditional power games
As a traditional politician, Biden has continued the essence of America's 'offshore balancing' strategy. By promoting the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the U.S. has weakened Russia through a 'proxy war' model, while cutting off Europe's energy lifeline, forcing Europe to turn to high-priced U.S. energy. NATO has 'regained new life' in the crisis, with countries like Finland accelerating their 'NATO-ization.' The U.S. not only harvests Europe's economic benefits but also strengthens its geopolitical control over Europe. How can this 'killing with a borrowed knife' intricate calculation be labeled as 'senile dementia'?
Trump: The 'radical reformer' reshaping the economic landscape
Trump's tariff policy is by no means a 'spur-of-the-moment decision,' but a 'strong medicine' that directly targets the structural contradictions of the U.S. economy:
The hollowing out dilemma of manufacturing: U.S. manufacturing accounts for only 10% of GDP, and reliance on imports has led to a continuous expansion of trade deficits. While tariff barriers increase the prices of imported goods, they create a 'price safety cushion' for domestic manufacturing.
The logic of domestic industrial restructuring: If tariffs force U.S. companies to fill the gap in the market, from land development and factory construction to job creation, it will form a virtuous cycle of 'tax revenue - employment - consumption.' For example, if the import price of a certain product rises to $7 due to tariffs, while domestic companies can produce it at a cost of $4, not only can it generate tax revenue and jobs, but it can also cultivate industrial competitiveness through subsidy policies.
The 'overt plot' behind the trade war: While the short-term inflation pressure is borne by the public, if manufacturing successfully returns, the U.S. will break free from its single identity as a 'consumer country' and reshape its discourse power in the global supply chain.
Cognitive Bias in Public Opinion: The black-and-white thinking trap
Current public opinion often falls into two extremes:
Demonization Narrative: Viewing Trump as a 'disruptor' while ignoring the rational calculations behind his policies. The analytical capabilities of the U.S. government's think tanks and intelligence systems regarding economic data far exceed the intuitive judgments of ordinary netizens.
Resultism Hijacking: Denying long-term strategies due to short-term costs, akin to blaming 'chemotherapy causes hair loss' while dismissing cancer treatment. If Trump's tariff policy promotes the revival of domestic industries, the ultimate beneficiaries will still be the U.S. economy and its people.
The true battleground of the tariff war
The outcome of this trade war does not hinge on 'whether Trump is crazy,' but on:
Whether U.S. domestic manufacturing can achieve technological iteration and cost compression;
The race between the speed of global supply chain reconstruction and the intensity of U.S. policy subsidies;
Whether other economies can break through tariff barriers through industrial upgrading.
Rather than defining political figures with emotional labels, it is better to examine the economic logic behind their policies from a more rational perspective. After all, in today's deeply globalized world, any country's 'unilateral breakthrough' may trigger a chain reaction in the global supply chain.
