How not to make friends and influence people. Does it matter?

Research evidence excerpt

How not to make friends and influence people. Does it matter?

ay-25 Jul-25 Sep-25 Nov-25 Jan-26 Mar-26 May-26 Jul-26

solutions with some expiring soon and, hence, news of alternatives under Spot 1 Year Forward

administrative not emergency powers, using arguments of "forced labor",

forest fires etc. At this point it is not even clear whether already negotiated Source: Bloomberg; Macquarie Global Strategy

"deals" (e.g. EU, UK, Korea) will survive. Adjusting for refunds — following

US Favorability Rating (%)the SCOTUS ruling — net tariffs have actually turned negative, creating an

100%urgency US Favorability Rating (%) to replenish the coffers. The same "escalate to de-escalate" logic

90%

80% 86% 83% 78% 77% 76% 71% 68%is evident in Iran escalation, with predictable outcomes amid shifting US

70%

60% 50% 49%goals vs Iran's consistent strategic objectives. 3. Whether trade or wars, 62% 59% 58% 50% 41% 40% 45%

27% 31% 33% 27% 24%these strategies are reducing value of brand US. While favorability has been 40%30%

eroding since late 90s, policy whiplashes and dismantling of global norms is 20%10%

causing the historic collapse almost everywhere. The backlash is strongest 0% Poland UK Germany Japan Italy Canada Mexico France Australia Korea

among US's allies and nations in proximity. Per Pew, the average positive 2000 2026

view of the US collapsed from ~72% in '00 to ~37% while net negative view

is now 20% vs positive 15% in '24. Although mistrust of China is high, for Source: Pew; Macquarie Global Strategy

the first time, China's favorability ratings match or exceed that of the US

US vs China Favorability Rating (%) -(e.g. Australia, Korea, UK, Germany, France). Also, Pew shows that in many 2026

nations, there is now greater confidence in the president of China vs US.