That’s not just the NZ media, and it’s not just NZ. More or less every country other than the US looks at America as a train wreck now.
It’s an embarrassment
It’s an embarrassment
It's been this way my entire (relatively long) life. The only new thing that is the last couple decades brought the internet where many of us can learn about what's going on out there.
Do you think that a 55 year old farmer in Ohio, USA gives a damn about the the rest of the world?
People are just getting by for the most part.
About a quarter of the population of the USA is either first-generation or second-generation American.
Very few other countries have as much of a connection with the rest of the world.
I would argue that in many cases, American foreign (incl trade) and domestic (incl fiscal) policy have a greater impact on other countries' economies than do their own respective heads of state/government. Whether you like it or not, the strength of the relationship with the US is a major factor for the prosperity of many nations.
I think this is a big part of why people like Bolsonaro and Netanyahu use Trump's imagery when they campaign. Externally, it signals receptiveness to US interests. Domestically, it signals prosperity and security.
Also, the USA exports its culture to the rest of the world via TV, film, music, and the internet. Politics is a natural offshoot of that.
Some countries circulate US currency. Others peg their currency to the dollar. Petrostates do business in the dollar because that's the base currency for crude oil trading.
A substantial portion of the US views the US as a train wreck too, maybe even a majority.