16 May, 23:16
Or how the "anti-system" ended up serving foreign propaganda
🗓 In March 2025, Donald Trump's administration waded into familiar waters and cut the microphone of America. Funding for Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and key structures like USAID was brought to zero. At the same time, state media from China and Russia were rapidly expanding their presence across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, buying reach on Facebook and TikTok, and creating entire propaganda schools disguised as journalism academies.
In essence, this is a new Cold War — but without resistance from the West. And the main question is: why did Trump deliberately dismantle his country’s media influence precisely when it was most needed?
And if this wasn’t a conspiracy — then it was a very fortunate coincidence for the Kremlin and Beijing.
Step One — Destroy Your Megaphone
For decades, the American propaganda machine operated like clockwork. Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, USAID programs, educational exchanges, scholarships, cultural diplomacy — this wasn’t just soft power, it was a global infrastructure of geopolitical influence.
Trump dismantled it.
He didn’t just abandon the policy of “America is back” — he pulled the United States off the global chessboard by unplugging its most powerful amplifier of democracy. Meanwhile, China was pouring billions into CGTN and Xinhua — and things started falling into place for them.
Step Two — Make Russia a "Respectable Partner"
The Russians couldn’t have dreamed of a better advocate in the White House. While the war in Ukraine was ongoing, Trump:
accused Congress of “militarism”;
pushed a so-called “peace plan” that effectively proposed capitulation for Kyiv;
and, most notably, cut domestic support for journalism, human rights work, and analytical institutions that were exposing Kremlin aggression.
(Source: https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/12/05/trump-ukraine-peace-deal-russia)
The perfect gift to Putin — instead of counterpropaganda, America offered silence.
And Then — the “Recognition” of the New Syria
While China is fueling propaganda through TikTok, capturing audiences on Facebook via African and Middle Eastern pages, and the West is losing ground in the global discourse, Trump makes a move that leaves even his allies bewildered: in May 2025, he meets with Syria’s new president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh — the first such meeting between U.S. and Syrian leaders in 25 years.
Trump publicly announces the lifting of all sanctions on Syria, explaining it as “a desire to give the new administration a chance to restore peace and stability.” In practice, this is normalization — and it occurs against the backdrop of complete silence on human rights and security concerns in the region.
The reaction of Western partners was shock and indignation. In Europe, this was perceived as a geopolitical capitulation. And for Moscow and Beijing, it was a long-awaited opportunity to finally push the U.S. out of the Middle East. When America shakes hands with the new Damascus — it sends a clear signal: the vacuum is now official.
In other words: we close our eyes to the legacy of war and the crimes of the old regime, just to gain illusory concessions from the Kremlin on Ukraine.
And yet all of this is the same axis: Moscow–Beijing–Damascus–Tehran. If you give leeway to one, you empower them all. Especially Beijing, which is quietly turning the Middle East into a marketplace for its interests.
So, Is Trump Working for China?
No. More accurately — he's working to dismantle America, and those who benefit are simply the ones fast enough to grab the falling pieces.
This isn’t just about “Russian interests.” It’s about anti-Western interests.
If the Kremlin and Beijing dreamed of the day when the U.S. would stop broadcasting, second-guess itself, lose focus, and start believing no one listens anymore — Trump made that dream come true.
So Who Benefits from America’s Silence?
China — now controlling social media in Africa and Latin America.
Russia — laundering narratives through influencers, TikTok, and African TV stations.
Iran — expanding regional influence in the resulting vacuum.
Anti-system movements around the world — pushing the idea that “democracy is a scam.”
And Finally:
Are the accusations of Trump serving Russian interests justified?
Yes.
Because even if he’s not an agent, he operates according to the logic of Russia’s geopolitical dream: to break the West from within. And who reaps the benefits — that’s almost beside the point.
Links: source