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Commentisfree
Apr 09, 2026

Defeating Trump: A Blueprint for Success

AI Summary
The article discusses how various countries and organizations have successfully countered Donald Trump's aggressive actions by refusing to cave to his demands and using their own asymmetric power to turn his power against him.

The recent showdown between the US and Iran has ended with Iran emerging victorious and Trump being forced to pause his war efforts. This outcome is a clear example of how to defeat Trump.

According to Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, the strategy that connects all the successful countermeasures against Trump is simple: refuse to cave to his demands, despite his superior military or economic power. Instead, use a kind of jiujitsu to turn Trump's power against him.

Examples of successful countermeasures include:

  • Iran using cheap drones and missiles to close the strait of Hormuz and drive up oil prices, putting pressure on Trump.
  • China leveraging its control of rare earth metals to gain leverage in trade negotiations.
  • Russia using its vast deposits of oil and natural gas to gain leverage over US allies.
  • Canada and Mexico winning tariff showdowns with Trump by leveraging their economic importance to the US.
  • Greenland curbing Trump's ambitions through public opinion.

Inside the US, similar strategies have been used by:

  • The people of Minneapolis, who organized non-violent resistance to protect immigrants.
  • Harvard University, which leveraged its influence with federal courts to stop Trump's interference.
  • Comedian Jimmy Kimmel, who turned a crisis into a ratings victory.
  • Writer E Jean Carroll, who secured over $88m in damages from Trump in two civil cases.
  • Law firms like Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, Susman Godfrey, and WilmerHale, which refused to follow Trump's executive orders.

On the other hand, countries and organizations that have caved to Trump have only strengthened his leverage over them. For example, Europe seems incapacitated, fearing Trump will leave Nato, while media networks like ABC continue to lose viewers.

The bottom line is that there is now a clear blueprint for how to defeat Trump: reject his demands and use your own asymmetric power to turn his power against him.