Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan hit the political landscape like a firework—loud, dazzling, and impossible to ignore. It promised a return to an America that many believe has been lost, a nostalgic vision of a nation unchallenged, uncompromised, and unrelenting in its dominance. For millions, it felt like a lifeline in a sea of global uncertainty. But here’s the inconvenient truth: MAGA’s version of greatness is a siren song, enticing but perilously misleading.
Rather than securing America’s future, Trump’s “America First” doctrine risks dismantling the very foundations that have made the nation a superpower—its global leadership, economic adaptability, and democratic resilience. And this isn’t just a high-level problem for think tanks or policy wonks; it’s an issue that will ripple through the lives of everyday Americans, from the bustling coasts to the heartland.
Why Middle America Should Care About China and Russia
For a farmer in Kansas or a machinist in Ohio, the idea that they should lose sleep over China’s influence in Africa or Russia’s posturing in Eastern Europe might seem absurd. It’s easy to dismiss these as someone else’s problems. But let’s reframe it.
Imagine America is the referee in a global game of football. For decades, it’s set the rules, ensured fair play, and prevented the chaos that comes when the strongest players do whatever they please. Under MAGA’s isolationist tendencies, we’ve started walking off the pitch, leaving the whistle behind.
Enter China and Russia. They’re not here to keep the game fair; they’re here to tilt the field in their favour. Beijing muscles in on Africa, locking up resources and markets. Moscow redraws maps and destabilises Europe, sending energy prices skyward. For the average American, this isn’t about abstract geopolitics. It’s about why your heating bill has doubled or why the price of that “made in America” tractor has shot through the roof.
MAGA’s Trade Wars: The Economic Boomerang
Trump’s trade policies, particularly the tariffs on Chinese goods, were billed as a tough stance for American workers. But in reality, they’ve been about as effective as punching yourself in the nose to win a fistfight.
The farmer in Nebraska sees their soybeans sitting unsold as China buys from Brazil. The factory worker in Michigan discovers the cost of imported components has skyrocketed, threatening their job security. And who benefits? China doesn’t just find new trade partners—it builds the infrastructure and alliances that make it the supplier of choice for a global economy.
Trade wars don’t create jobs. They create uncertainty, higher costs, and economic vulnerabilities that hit the heartland hardest.
Security Without Leadership is a Fantasy
MAGA’s disdain for global alliances—particularly NATO—is another hallmark of its misguided approach. Trump’s rhetoric painted allies as freeloaders and America as the beleaguered provider. But dismantling these alliances doesn’t make us safer; it makes us lonelier in a world that’s increasingly dangerous.
Take Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While MAGA celebrated reduced U.S. involvement abroad, Putin took advantage of the vacuum, destabilising a region critical to global security and economics. The knock-on effects are felt far beyond Europe. Grain prices rise, oil becomes more expensive, and the U.S. military finds itself stretched thinner, trying to counteract threats on multiple fronts.
For middle America, this isn’t a distant problem. It’s about paying more at the pump, seeing fewer resources for domestic priorities, and watching loved ones in uniform sent into escalating conflicts that could have been deterred with stronger alliances.
MAGA’s Nostalgia vs. Tomorrow’s Reality
At its core, MAGA sells a vision of America rooted in nostalgia—a simpler time when coal mines were thriving, manufacturing dominated, and the U.S. economy stood unrivalled. The trouble is, the world has moved on.
Trump’s focus on traditional industries like coal and steel is like doubling down on horse-drawn carriages while the rest of the world speeds off in electric cars. Meanwhile, China is cornering the market on clean energy technology, rare earth minerals, and artificial intelligence. Every solar panel we don’t make, every semiconductor plant we don’t build, puts us one step further behind in the industries that will define the 21st century.
Climate change—a reality MAGA largely ignores—is another critical front. As storms intensify and resources dwindle, America’s failure to lead on sustainable solutions isn’t just bad for the planet. It’s bad for our economy, bad for our infrastructure, and bad for our credibility as a global power.
A House Divided
Perhaps the most damaging aspect of MAGA’s vision is the way it divides America against itself. The movement thrives on creating enemies—immigrants, elites, journalists, even neighbours with opposing political signs. The cultural wars it stokes sap energy and resources that could be spent addressing real challenges, from healthcare to education to crumbling infrastructure.
And whilst we bicker, China builds, Russia plots, and the world moves on. MAGA’s inward focus might feel empowering in the moment, but it leaves the nation unprepared for the external challenges that are already reshaping the world.
Looking Forward
True greatness isn’t about retreating into isolation, clinging to the past, or pointing fingers at perceived enemies. It’s about leading with confidence, investing in the future, and embracing the complexities of a changing world. America doesn’t need to be “made great again”—it needs to be made ready.
MAGA’s vision might promise strength, but it’s a brittle kind of strength, one that crumbles under the weight of its contradictions. The real path forward requires looking outward, uniting within, and facing the future with ambition and courage. Because if we don’t, the greatness we’re chasing might just slip through our fingers—and we’ll have no one to blame but ourselves.
