90 minutes before Trump threatened to cause the death of a "whole civilization" if Iran didn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz, an Iranian official offered to reopen the shipping channel for two weeks—if the United States stopped bombing Iran. The U.S. has now stopped bombing Iran.
So we're back to the status quo before Trump began his war. Only now, Iran can credibly threaten to close the strait if it doesn't get what it wants, because it controls the strait—thereby causing havoc to the U.S. (and world) economies. Trump's only remaining bargaining leverage is the threat of committing war crimes.
In other words, this week's showdown was a clear victory for Iran and a clear defeat for Trump (although he'll frame it as a victory).
The Iran fiasco is only the latest in a host of examples revealing how to defeat Trump—and the pattern matters urgently for immigrant families, AAPI communities, and anyone facing his administration's power.
The Pattern: Jujitsu Beats Superior Force
In addition to Iran, similar strategies have been used by China, Russia, Canada, Mexico, and Greenland. Inside the United States, the people of Minneapolis have used them, as have Harvard University, comedian Jimmy Kimmel, writer E. Jean Carroll, and the law firms Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, Susman Godfrey, and WilmerHale.
What's the strategy that connects them all?
All refused to cave to Trump, despite his superior military or economic power. Instead, they've engaged in a kind of jujitsu in which they use Trump's power against him, while allowing Trump to save face by claiming he's won.
International Examples: Asymmetric Power Works
Iran: Cheap Drones vs. Military Might
Iran knew it was no match for the superior might of the U.S. (and Israel). So it used cheap drones and missiles to close the Strait of Hormuz and incapacitate other Gulf oil installations, thereby driving up the prices of oil and gas at the pump in the U.S., which put growing political pressure on Trump months before a midterm election. Hence, Trump has been forced (at least for now) to stop his war.
The leverage: Not military superiority, but economic pain at American gas pumps.
China: Rare Earth Metals as Tactical Lever
China knew what to do when Trump imposed giant tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S.: It put restrictions on seven types of heavy rare earth metals and magnets, crucial to U.S. defense and tech industries. Beijing continues to use these rare earth restrictions as tactical levers in ongoing negotiations over trade, rather than demand complete surrender by Trump on his trade policies.
The leverage: Control of resources the U.S. can't easily replace.
Russia: Energy Dependence and Electoral Interference
Russia has leveraged its vast deposits of oil and natural gas with U.S. allies. It has also demonstrated its power to intrude into U.S. elections (the Mueller Report detailed a "sweeping and systematic" campaign by Russia to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, primarily favoring Trump).
The leverage: Energy dependency and democratic vulnerability.
Canada and Mexico: Supply Chain Dependencies
Canada and Mexico have won every tariff showdown with Trump by leveraging America's substantial economic dependence on them for components and raw materials, but without crowing about their victories.
The leverage: Indispensable economic integration—and the wisdom not to humiliate Trump publicly.
Greenland: Global Public Opinion
Greenland has leveraged public opinion globally and in the United States—overwhelmingly against an American invasion or occupation—to curb Trump's ambitions there.
The leverage: Moral authority and international solidarity.
Domestic Winners: The Same Pattern at Home
Minneapolis and St. Paul: Nonviolent Community Resistance
The citizens of Minneapolis and St. Paul have leveraged their asymmetric power against Trump's ICE and Border Patrol agents by carefully organizing themselves into a force of nonviolent resistance to protect immigrants there. Their strategy showed itself to be especially effective, tragically, after Trump's agents murdered Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and the public outcry forced the agents to leave the Twin Cities (although there are still reports of ICE activity in other parts of Minnesota).
The leverage: Organized community solidarity and public moral outrage.
Why this matters for AAPI communities: Minneapolis shows that local organizing, rapid response networks, and sustained nonviolent resistance can force ICE to withdraw—even temporarily. The same model is being replicated in sanctuary cities nationwide.
Harvard University: Institutional Legal Power
Harvard University's strategy for resisting Trump's interference in Harvard's academic freedom has been to leverage its influence with the federal courts in Boston and the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, to get rulings that stopped Trump (although he's still trying).
The leverage: Institutional legal resources and favorable jurisdiction.
Why this matters for AAPI communities: Universities are battlegrounds (student visas, research restrictions, academic freedom). Harvard's strategy—using institutional legal power and friendly courts—shows that well-resourced defendants can win.
Jimmy Kimmel: Public Backlash as Weapon
Comedian Jimmy Kimmel turned a political crisis into a ratings victory by using the public backlash against his suspension from ABC/Disney (after ABC/Disney initially caved to Trump's demands that he be taken off the air). Since ABC/Disney reinstated him, Kimmel has continued to target Trump, and secured his contract through 2027.
The leverage: Audience loyalty and corporate fear of boycott.
E. Jean Carroll: Legal Jujitsu in Civil Court
Writer E. Jean Carroll defeated Donald Trump in two civil cases by leveraging New York's Adult Survivors Act to prove that Trump sexually abused and defamed her, ultimately securing over $88 million in damages from him—verdicts that have been upheld by federal appeals courts.
Carroll's lawyers used a civil lawsuit (requiring a lower burden of proof—"preponderance of evidence"—than criminal cases). They presented the jury with Trump's "Access Hollywood" tape and testimony from other Trump accusers.
The real jujitsu: Trump's continued public statements about Carroll, which the court deemed defamatory, led to her second lawsuit. His depositions, where he called her a "whack job," were played for the jury.
The leverage: Trump's own compulsive behavior (he couldn't stop defaming her) became the evidence against him.
Why this matters for AAPI communities: Civil lawsuits (lower burden of proof than criminal) are a powerful tool. Harassment, discrimination, hate crimes—many have civil remedies. Trump's pattern (doubling down, creating more evidence) is a vulnerability.
Law Firms: Constitutional Arguments in Friendly Courts
The law firms Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, Susman Godfrey, and WilmerHale refused to follow Trump's executive orders targeting law firms that had represented causes or clients that Trump opposed. The orders threatened to revoke the firms' security clearances, access to federal buildings and officials, and government contracts tied to firm clients.
But the firms didn't back down. They leveraged constitutional arguments with the federal courts—arguing that the orders infringed on their First Amendment rights to advocate whatever causes they wished, violated the Constitution's separation of powers (because the orders would prevent the judiciary from considering challenges to executive authority), and violated their clients' rights under the Constitution to be represented.
The result: The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia agreed with the firms and blocked these orders with permanent injunctions. The Justice Department ultimately dropped its fight against these firms in March 2026 after federal appellate judges also found Trump's orders unconstitutional.
The leverage: Constitutional law, friendly jurisdiction (D.C. District Court), and willingness to litigate rather than negotiate.
Why this matters for AAPI communities: Immigration cases, civil rights challenges, deportation defense—choosing the right court (jurisdiction shopping), using constitutional arguments (not just statutory), and finding attorneys willing to fight (not settle) can win.
The Cost of Capitulation: What Happens When You Cave
What's happened to the countries and organizations that have caved to Trump?
All have strengthened Trump's leverage over them.
Europe seems incapacitated, fearing Trump will leave NATO (despite a U.S. law prohibiting it) but unable to decide where to draw the line with him.
ABC continues to lose viewers while being subject to Trump's whims.
CBS was purchased by Trump allies Larry Ellison and his son, David, and is hemorrhaging talent.
Columbia University has been wracked by dissent from both students and faculty. The Trump regime continues to make demands of it.
The National Museum of American History has lost credibility and talent.
The law firms that caved in to Trump's executive orders have seen lawyers exit who felt the deals betrayed the firms' values and principles. Microsoft dropped Simpson Thacher to work with Jenner & Block—a firm that fought Trump—due to Microsoft's concerns over Simpson's commitment to the rule of law. Students at elite law schools have also reportedly begun to shun firms that struck deals with the Trump regime.
The pattern is clear: Appeasement doesn't reduce pressure. It invites more demands.
The Blueprint: How to Defeat Trump (Applicable to Immigrant Defense)
Bottom line: There's now a clear blueprint for how to defeat Trump, available to any country, organization, or person on which he seeks to impose his will:
1. Reject his demands
Don't cave. Don't negotiate from a position of fear.
2. Identify your asymmetric power
What do you control that he needs or fears?
- Iran: Strait of Hormuz (oil prices)
- China: Rare earth metals (defense supply chain)
- Minneapolis: Public moral authority (ICE can't operate with community resistance)
- Carroll: His own statements (he kept defaming her)
- Law firms: Constitutional protections (courts willing to enforce them)
3. Use his power against him (jujitsu)
Turn his strengths into vulnerabilities:
- His impulsiveness (creates evidence, e.g., Carroll)
- His need to claim victory (give him face-saving exit while you hold the line)
- His economic/political constraints (gas prices, midterm elections, corporate dependencies)
4. Allow him to save face
Don't demand public surrender. Let him claim "victory" while you achieve your actual goal.
- Iran: Trump can claim he "stopped the war" (while Iran reopened the strait on its terms)
- Canada/Mexico: Let Trump claim tariffs "worked" (while they got exemptions)
5. Sustain pressure over time
Marathon, not sprint. Iran didn't surrender after first strike. Law firms litigated for months.
What This Means for AAPI Families and Immigrant Communities
This pattern isn't just for nation-states and Harvard. It's for you.
Your asymmetric power:
- Documentation (ICE raids, hate crimes, discrimination—evidence defeats denials)
- Community organizing (Minneapolis model—rapid response, sanctuary networks)
- Legal process (civil lawsuits with lower burden of proof, friendly jurisdictions, constitutional arguments)
- Public pressure (media, social media, moral authority)
- Economic leverage (boycotts, worker organizing, small business coalitions)
- Institutional protection (universities, nonprofits, legal aid—use their resources)
Your jujitsu moves:
- Don't open the door (ICE at home—make them get warrant, creates legal record)
- Document everything (turns harassment into admissible evidence)
- Use their overreach (unconstitutional orders = grounds for lawsuit)
- Build coalitions (you + others = harder to isolate and defeat)
- Friendly courts (file in jurisdictions with judges who uphold Constitution)
- Let them create evidence (Trump kept defaming Carroll; ICE creates paper trail with every unlawful action)
The Pattern Applied: Specific Scenarios
Scenario 1: ICE comes to your door
Don't cave: Don't open door, don't consent.
Your leverage: Constitutional rights (4th Amendment—they need warrant).
Jujitsu: Make them get judicial warrant (creates legal record, time for attorney, potential grounds to challenge).
Face-saving: You're not "refusing to cooperate"—you're "exercising constitutional rights" (sounds less confrontational).
Sustain: If detained, fight in immigration court; use every procedural tool; appeals take time; public pressure builds.
Scenario 2: Employer discriminates (fires you for race/national origin)
Don't cave: Don't just accept it.
Your leverage: EEOC complaint, civil lawsuit (lower burden of proof than criminal).
Jujitsu: Employer's own emails/statements become evidence (like Carroll—let them create the record).
Face-saving: Settlement with NDA (they pay you, claim no wrongdoing publicly).
Sustain: Filing charges, litigation takes months/years—stay the course.
Scenario 3: Hate crime/harassment
Don't cave: Don't stay silent.
Your leverage: Documentation, witnesses, community support, media.
Jujitsu: Harasser's own actions = evidence (restraining order, civil harassment claim, hate crime data used for policy change).
Face-saving: If mediation, frame as "both sides moving forward" (even though harasser stops behavior).
Sustain: Multiple complaints, legal filings, community organizing—persistent visibility.
The Moral of the Story
You don't need military might or billions of dollars to resist effectively.
You need:
- Courage to refuse the first demand
- Clarity about your leverage
- Creativity to use their power against them
- Patience to sustain pressure
- Community to make you less vulnerable
Iran used drones. China used rare earths. Minneapolis used organized resistance. Carroll used Trump's own mouth. Law firms used the Constitution.
What will you use?
