Soft Power, Donald Trump & the Future of Transatlantic Relations

Soft power refers to a state’s ability to get desired outcomes in international affairs not through coercion or payments, but through attraction and persuasion. As such, it has long since been considered a key pillar of the United States’ position of global leadership, especially towards its transatlantic allies. Of late—with the presidential election of 2024 drawing closer and a return of Donald Trump to the White House becoming a distinct possibility—there are multiple signs suggesting that America’s soft power is in worrisome decline: Political performance at home and abroad, the condition and resilience of the U.S. democratic and electoral system, and not least the demeanor of leading decision-makers will be vital indicators for U.S. attraction in the eyes of a watching world.
What lies ahead for U.S. soft power? What are the consequences of a decline in U.S. soft power for an increasingly hostile world?