“America First policies would actually be America Last. America’s great strength in this fractured world is the diversity of its allies. If the US pushes those countries away, then it becomes much more difficult for multinationals to reorganize their supply chains.”
Neil Shearing identifies a critical strategic error in aggressive unilateralism: the US bloc’s power comes from its allies, not despite them. Push allies away, and you weaken the very coalition that gives America its structural advantage.
The data is clear: the US bloc controls roughly 66% of global GDP. But that’s not the US alone – it’s the US plus Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Canada, Australia, and emerging manufacturing hubs like Mexico and Vietnam.
Why Allies Matter More Than Ever
In the fractured world, supply chain reorganization is the strategic imperative. Companies need to move production out of China into friendly jurisdictions. That requires:
Low-cost manufacturing alternatives: Mexico, Vietnam, India Advanced technology partners: Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Europe Resource access: Canada, Australia Financial infrastructure: London, Singapore
Push these allies away with aggressive tariffs or political pressure, and multinationals have nowhere to go. The reshoring project fails.
The Alliance Advantage
The US doesn’t need to do everything alone. Its strength is orchestrating a coalition that collectively outweighs China’s bloc. But orchestration requires maintaining relationships, not fracturing them.
Tariff rates under Trump 2.0 reflect this logic: UK at 10%, EU at 15%, China at over 30%. The structure follows bloc alignment – differentiated treatment that keeps allies close while pressuring adversaries.
Key Takeaway
As value chain analysis shows, supply chains are ecosystems. The US wins by leading an ecosystem, not by going it alone.
Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
