Xi Cites Thucydides Trap to Warn Trump on US China Relations The concept of the Thucydides Trap has been invoked by Chinese President Xi Jinping as a warning to his American counterpart, Donald Trump, amidst escalating tensions between their two nations.
The idea, derived from an ancient Greek historian's account of the Peloponnesian War, suggests that rising powers inevitably come into conflict with established ones.
Understanding the Thucydides Trap Thucydides' landmark work, "The History of the Peloponnesian War," describes a struggle between Athens and Sparta that ultimately led to the downfall of both powers.