The quote is actually "speak softly and carry a big stick". Trump certainly doesn't speak softly, and perhaps he should-at least in most cases. But his predecessors for the most part, as well as the rest of the world, including the UN with their pastel blue helmets, have been doing that for may years. And it hasn't worked.  It would be interesting to hear the unvarnished truth about how South Korea, Japan, Guam etc. actually feel about the situation.