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Soft Power under Trump: How Investments in Soft Power Influence International Opinion

Hallberg, Jonatan LU and Strand, Hugo LU (2026) FKVA23 20252
Department of Political Science
Abstract
The Concept Soft Power was coined toward the end of the Cold War in order to explain the power of attraction, as opposed to coercion. Through the lens of Soft Power, the Beatles and Coca-Cola may be as important as tanks and sanctions in achieving foreign policy goals. Generally, periods in history when the United States cooperates with its allies and prioritises diplomacy over unilateral military action, its international image improves. During the first and second Trump administrations, the U.S has signalled a loss of interest in being heavily involved in international politics. As the current administration shifts its focus from international obligations to domestic issues, this essay seeks to understand the effects of shifting... (More)
The Concept Soft Power was coined toward the end of the Cold War in order to explain the power of attraction, as opposed to coercion. Through the lens of Soft Power, the Beatles and Coca-Cola may be as important as tanks and sanctions in achieving foreign policy goals. Generally, periods in history when the United States cooperates with its allies and prioritises diplomacy over unilateral military action, its international image improves. During the first and second Trump administrations, the U.S has signalled a loss of interest in being heavily involved in international politics. As the current administration shifts its focus from international obligations to domestic issues, this essay seeks to understand the effects of shifting priorities on the ability of the U.S to wield and produce Soft Power. Although we are careful not to draw any final conclusions, there seems to be a connection between increased investments in Soft Power Resources and a consequent improvement of the international perception of the United States. Conversely, decreases in budget allocation to agencies responsible for wielding and producing Soft Power during the Trump administrations have yielded a negative effect on how the U.S is perceived internationally. Our essay highlights the role of Soft Power in achieving foreign policy goals, without having to resort to economic and military hard power. (Less)
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author
Hallberg, Jonatan LU and Strand, Hugo LU
supervisor
organization
course
FKVA23 20252
year
type
L2 - 2nd term paper (old degree order)
subject
keywords
Soft Power, Donald J. Trump, Public Diplomacy, Joseph Nye, International Perception
language
English
id
9218211
date added to LUP
2026-04-10 14:45:14
date last changed
2026-04-10 14:45:14
@misc{9218211,
  abstract     = {{The Concept Soft Power was coined toward the end of the Cold War in order to explain the power of attraction, as opposed to coercion. Through the lens of Soft Power, the Beatles and Coca-Cola may be as important as tanks and sanctions in achieving foreign policy goals. Generally, periods in history when the United States cooperates with its allies and prioritises diplomacy over unilateral military action, its international image improves. During the first and second Trump administrations, the U.S has signalled a loss of interest in being heavily involved in international politics. As the current administration shifts its focus from international obligations to domestic issues, this essay seeks to understand the effects of shifting priorities on the ability of the U.S to wield and produce Soft Power. Although we are careful not to draw any final conclusions, there seems to be a connection between increased investments in Soft Power Resources and a consequent improvement of the international perception of the United States. Conversely, decreases in budget allocation to agencies responsible for wielding and producing Soft Power during the Trump administrations have yielded a negative effect on how the U.S is perceived internationally. Our essay highlights the role of Soft Power in achieving foreign policy goals, without having to resort to economic and military hard power.}},
  author       = {{Hallberg, Jonatan and Strand, Hugo}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Soft Power under Trump: How Investments in Soft Power Influence International Opinion}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}