"For decades, president after president has sought to rid the US of its image as a bullying, imperialistic nation. But with his blustering, often brutish behavior toward other countries, Donald Trump has rapidly revived that notion. Under Trump, the Ugly American is back. Trump has done this by using US power in aggressive and arrogant ways by attacking other countries' policies and then threatening to punish them if they don't bow to his demands."
"Trump has interfered in Brazil's internal affairs by all but ordering it to drop the prosecution of its rightwing former president (and Trump buddy) Jair Bolsonaro for conspiring to stage a coup to return to power. When Brazil didn't drop the prosecution Bolsonaro was convicted and sentenced to 27 years in prison Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods."
"The phrase the Ugly American was popularized by a 1958 novel with that title; it described the insensitivity and ineptness of US diplomats who often didn't speak the language where they were stationed and rarely spoke to the people there. Over the years, that term was increasingly used to describe insensitive and arrogant US tourists and insensitive and arrogant US policies toward other nations."
Presidential efforts to shed an image of US bullying have been undone by Donald Trump's blustering, often brutish behavior toward other countries. Trump uses US power aggressively and arrogantly, attacking other countries' policies and threatening punishment if demands are not met. He repeatedly inserts himself into other nations' affairs, browbeating leaders, berating policies and disrespecting sovereignty. Too often Trump treats other countries as vassals of the United States and of his ego. Examples include interference in Brazil's prosecutions of Jair Bolsonaro and the imposition of a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods, and recent tariff actions against Canada.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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