The world faces three crises today that cannot be resolved by any one country: the threat of uncontrolled artificial intelligence, the growing impact of climate change, and the disruption of shipping lanes in the Middle East. All require high-level international cooperation, yet almost nobody expects meaningful progress during this week’s meetings in Washington between President Xi Jinping of China and President Donald Trump. Beneath the pomp of Mr. Xi’s visit, the agenda appears notably unambitious. At most, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signaled that America can hope for commercial deals and modest A.I. safety progress.

The low expectations underline the damage that Mr. Trump is doing to American influence and global well-being. He is an undisciplined politician who puts his personal interests above the nation’s, running an administration with no coherent strategy for solving major problems. He is instead often exacerbating the world’s biggest problems. No matter who was president, negotiations with China would be difficult.