'Unbearable Lightness of the Mouth': Endless Self-Harm Diplomacy

This is an ancient anecdote from the "Zhongshan Ce" (Counsel of Zhongshan) section of the Chinese historical text *Zhan Guo Ce* (Strategies of the Warring States).

During the Spring and Autumn period, the ruler of the State of Zhongshan hosted a banquet for his high-ranking officials. The menu featured mutton soup, a rare delicacy at the time. Coincidentally, the soup ran out right before it was the turn of Sima Ziqi, a high official (dafu). Feeling excluded and insulted over a bowl of soup, Sima Ziqi fled to a rival state and handed over Zhongshan's state secrets. Utilizing this information, that country invaded Zhongshan.

With his life in imminent danger, the ruler of Zhongshan was forced to make a miserable escape. Along the way, he suddenly realized that two warriors carrying spears were risking their lives to guard him. When the king asked them why, they replied that their father had once been saved from starvation by "a bowl of cold rice" provided by the king, and on his deathbed, their father had left a will instructing them to repay the favor. Looking up to the heavens, the ruler of Zhongshan sighed and said, "I lost my country over a bowl of mutton soup, yet I gained two warriors over a bowl of cold rice." This story teaches us that seemingly trivial matters can lead to monumental consequences, either plunging a nation into crisis or winning over loyal talents who can save lives.
A single remark by U.S. President Donald Trump is driving diplomatic relations between the United States and Italy to their worst point. The catalyst was a photograph of President Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sitting side-by-side in conversation. The photo was taken at a hotel in Évian-les-Bains, France, where the G7 Summit was being held. The image of them smiling and chatting was initially received as a symbol of improving relations between the two nations. Prime Minister Meloni, once one of the most prominent pro-Trump figures in Europe, has recently seen her relationship with Trump freeze over as they exchanged sharp words. When Trump directly attacked Pope Leo XIV, calling him "weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy," Meloni shot back, calling the remarks "unacceptable." Relations had been on a downward spiral as Italy refused to support the U.S. military in the war in Iran. However, during the G7 Summit, the two leaders were spotted conversing amicably on several occasions, and the warm photo in question was subsequently released.

However, after the G7 Summit, Trump caused a major stir during an interview with the Italian media. He claimed that Prime Minister Meloni had "begged" to take a photo with him and that he only agreed to do so out of pity. Meloni immediately struck back. "Neither I nor Italy will ever beg. This is a fabricated story," she said, visibly outraged. The emotional feud between the two nations, which had barely been patched up, reached a boiling point once again. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani officially canceled his scheduled visit to the United States, stating, "President Trump's serious and derogatory remarks toward Prime Minister Meloni are an insult to all of Italy." Italy's opposition parties also came to her defense, stating, "Italy has no reason to be publicly insulted like this," and "We cannot believe that Meloni begged for anything." The front-page headline of one right-wing Italian media outlet read: "Trump is a Bastard."

This is not the first time President Trump's insulting remarks have escalated into diplomatic incidents. During official White House events and other occasions, Trump mocked French President Emmanuel Macron, calling him a "husband abused by his cohabitant (wife)" and mimicking his French accent in a ridiculous manner. He expressed his frustration through personal insults after France refused to provide immediate military support, such as deploying warships, for the U.S.-led war in Iran. The French political establishment, across both the left and right, was collectively outraged, calling it "an absolutely unacceptable insult to the leader of an allied nation and his family." Relations between the United States and France remain unprecedentedly cold. Moreover, Trump has continuously fueled conflict with other major European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, using harsh rhetoric like accusing them of "sucking America's blood" over NATO defense cost-sharing and trade tariffs. At this point, one has to wonder: Is President Trump simply unable to control his mouth, or is there a strategic calculation behind his words?
We asked several diplomatic experts what President Trump aims to achieve with these insulting remarks. Experts analyze that Trump views this "taming of allies" as a negotiation tactic to maximize American interests. As the leader of the world's sole remaining superpower and hegemonic state, he sees it as a surefire way to force other nations to accept U.S. positions and interests. He is reportedly confident that even if allied nations outwardly protest and refuse to cooperate due to domestic public sentiment, they will ultimately have no choice but to follow the U.S. lead. Analysts interpret that Trump bases this confidence on past events, such as when he unilaterally imposed high tariffs globally; although various countries, including the EU, initially protested strongly, they eventually backed down and promised massive investments in the U.S. It is also true that there has not yet been a coordinated global movement to unite and resist Trump's bullying remarks. However, experts diagnose that, from an international relations perspective, the U.S. is already paying a massive price.

① Practical Loss of Alliance Mobilization: Allies Resorting to "Sabotage"

The reason the U.S. can maintain its powerful hegemony is its "alliance mobilization capability"—the ability to get allies to shed blood or share economic costs on its behalf during crises. However, publicly insulting allied leaders dampens their willingness to cooperate. Just as France refused to deploy warships and Spain rejected requests for base cooperation, this behavior provides allies with a justification to back away when the U.S. desperately needs their military or economic support in the future, leaving them to say, "Handle it yourself under America First."

② Creating a "Domestic Political Environment" Where Allied Leaders Cannot Cooperate

Leaders of democratic nations are highly sensitive to domestic public opinion and voters. If leaders like Macron or Meloni, who have been insulted by Trump, meekly comply with U.S. policies, they will face devastating criticism from their own citizens for "acting as the U.S. president's lapdog" or "abandoning national dignity." Consequently, Trump's harsh rhetoric forces allied leaders to adopt a tougher, more confrontational stance toward the U.S., if only for the sake of their own domestic political survival.

③ Providing Windfall Benefits to Rivals Like China and Russia

As Prime Minister Meloni pointed out to Trump, the U.S. president is actually conciliatory—at least in his rhetoric—toward the leaders of nations hostile to the West, such as China and Russia. In contrast, he does not hesitate to heap harsh insults on the leaders of allied nations. This weakens and even threatens to dismantle the solidarity of the Western alliance. In effect, it opens up a perfect strategic window for China and Russia to win over European nations or push for the diplomatic isolation of the United States.
Trump's "oral risk" may provide temporary catharsis for American conservatives. In the long run, however, it is akin to "diplomatic self-harm" that turns away the very allies who would open their wallets and deploy their troops on behalf of the United States. Even if one does not know how to speak words that can "repay a debt of a thousand gold pieces," shouldn't one at least refrain from speaking words that "incur a debt of a thousand gold pieces"? The ruler of Zhongshan had no idea that a single bowl of mutton soup or a bowl of cold rice would return with such monumental consequences. Similarly, President Trump's endlessly light words could return as a massive historical boomerang, crumbling the very foundations of America's global hegemony.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.