The Illusory Truth Effect — a psychological phenomenon where repeated exposure to falsehoods makes them seem true—has become a cornerstone of modern political propaganda. A 2023 study in Public Opinion Quarterly found that by the end of his first term, President Trump had made an estimated 30,573 false claims. The study showed how the repetition of these claims powerfully shaped public misperceptions—regardless of their factual basis.
Emboldened by its political traction, he has leaned even more heavily on this misinformed narrative in his second term.
In reality, the global trading system — far from exploiting the US — has been largely shaped by it to serve its own strategic and economic interests. For decades, the US has been a primary beneficiary of globalisation, enjoying access to cheaper goods, global expansion of its multinationals, dominance in high-value services, and outsized profits in finance and tech.
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