{
  "id": 10787292,
  "title": "America’s foreign policy of coercion must end",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/americas-foreign-policy-of-coercion-must-end",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-29T21:30:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3368546/americas-foreign-policy-coercion-must-end"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The United States' foreign policy increasingly relies on coercion instead of diplomacy, according to recent reports. This shift is exemplified by Donald Trump's harsh response to the European Union's proposal for Canada to become an associate member, including the threat of severe tariffs and trade restrictions. The US State Department even drafted a letter discouraging partners from joining a China-led AI framework. These coercive tactics extend to many areas, such as market access, technological control, and financial infrastructure. The author argues that this trend is driven by a combination of Trump's mercantile mindset and the US's declining soft power. Historically, coercive pressure has been a hallmark of US diplomacy, particularly since the end of the Cold War. However, the decline in the US's soft appeal—its ability to attract and persuade—has led to a greater reliance on coercion. A Morning Consult survey across 41 countries revealed that China's net favorability rating is 8.8, compared to a negative 1.5 for the US. This coercive approach has yielded significant gains for the US, such as securing investments and resources from various nations. However, the author warns that this strategy ultimately undermines the principle of sovereign equality, as it forces nations to choose sides and sets punitive terms for cooperation. The international community is seeking a more diplomatic approach built on mutual benefit and sovereign equality, and the author urges the US to abandon its coercive tendencies to maintain its global influence.",
  "summary": "If you want to understand how Washington exercises power in the world, watch what it does when its closest allies try to deepen ties with each other. When EU chief Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the European Union’s first-ever “associate member”, US President Donald Trump’s response was swift and blunt: “If they do that, if I think it’s at all a hostile act, I will put very serious…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}