I'm not sure what you're asking. I think you're trying to make a point, but it is going over my head.

The world should read "less carrot, more stick" from the Trump admin.

But what stick? The stick doesn't work when they know you aren't going to use it

Reminds me of that scene in The Irishman: "Just show it to him, don't use it."

I think Trump will use the stick.

He caved on tariffs to both Mexico and Canada now, so I guess we'll move on to the next concept of a stick.

Soft power seems like mostly wishful thinking at best and a fraud on the taxpayer at worst. I don't think the noble savages feel forever indebted to their kind and wise master for throwing them a few scraps. Countries align with what interests them. Look how quickly countries all over Africa, South America, Middle East, the subcontinent turn to China and Russia. All the vaccines and condoms in the world aren't going to stop people and countries wanting to get the best price for the things they buy and sell.

USAID also has a fairly sketchy record in funding regime change efforts, so countries cooperate with it on a purely transactional basis, "trust" is zero.