America’s greatest enemy smells Trump's weakness: analysis

U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as he attends Markwayne Mullin's swearing-in as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 24, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci

Atlantic editor-in-Chief Jeff Goldberg said President Donald Trump has just showed the world within the last few weeks that his administration is incapable of protecting vulnerable U.S. allies.

Goldberg said the tiny province of Taiwan has been under threat of takeover by the Chinese mainland throughout multiple presidential terms. But now, Goldberg tells Bulwark podcaster Tim Miller that no president has ever broadcast as much weakness on protecting Tiawan as Trump.

“The Chinese are watching a third-tier power, Iran — let’s say Russia’s a second-tier power and China is a near peer adversary of the United State — they’re watching a third-tier power screw with the United States in a narrow waterway. Now, what are the Chinese looking at 24 hours a day? A narrow waterway between Taiwan and China, and so are they getting the message that, oh, it turns out that America has a hard time mustering the will and capacity to secure and dominate a narrow body of water. ‘We happen to have a narrow body of water that's really important to us.’ And, you know, you don't want to come out of this Iran war with China thinking Donald Trump is never going to defend Taiwan if they launch an invasion across the strait of Taiwan.”

“We know generally that the intention on the Chinese long term is to seize Taiwan. So, like, we have now opened up a Pandora's box of challenges that were not there when we simply were monitoring the situation, as it were.

Goldberg is the editor who was accidentally included by Trump officials in a conversation about military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. This allowed Goldberg to know about the attack “two hours” before U.S. bombs hit their targets.

The incident was so embarrassing that Golberg said White House advisor Susie Wiles ordered National Security Adviser Michael Waltz to give her his phone so she could hand it off to then DOGE team leader Elon Musk to see ow Goldberg’s number got on Waltz’ phone.

“Elon said ‘no’. You just added his phone number into the chat, because he has my phone number,” Goldberg told Miller.

From Your Site Articles