An article by Werner Hoffmann
History is not a museum. It is a warning system. And again and again, it reveals the same pattern: Those who believe constant confrontation is a sign of strength ultimately end up isolated—and provoke a coalition against themselves. This is exactly the danger of Donald Trump’s political approach: permanent conflict with allies, partners, institutions, and rules.
The core issue is not volume or theatrics. It is long-term strategic capability. A country that simultaneously antagonizes Europe, international organizations, trading partners, and parts of its own society creates friction on all fronts. In the short term, such behavior may generate applause from a loyal base. In the long term, it triggers defensive reactions—economic, diplomatic, technological, and strategic.
History offers clear lessons. Power-driven leaders and imperialists have repeatedly underestimated what happens when they create too many enemies at once. Adolf Hitler made precisely this mistake: overextension through arrogance, until former rivals aligned against him. This is not a comparison of personalities, but an examination of a recurring historical pattern—the pattern of self-overestimation. When a leader turns everyone into an adversary, pressure eventually comes from all directions.
For the United States, this trajectory is particularly dangerous. America’s strength was never based solely on military or economic power. It rested on alliances, trust, and predictability. When these foundations erode, the United States does not merely lose sympathy—it loses influence. And in global politics, influence often matters more than threats.
There is also a deeply personal dimension to this issue. Trump is nearly 80 years old. One cannot avoid asking whether the long-term consequences of his actions still matter to him—or whether the pursuit of an “immortal” place in history has taken precedence over political responsibility. History, however, is rarely kind to leaders who gamble with global stability for personal legacy.
In the end, it is not politicians who pay the price. It is ordinary people—through insecurity, inflation, conflict, and the loss of stability. A leader who turns the world against himself does not endanger “others” first, but his own country. That is why this course represents an extremely dangerous situation for the American people.
History has already written its warning. The only question that remains is how high the cost will be this time.
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