It’s hardly new. The United States have always been like that one popular kid in an elementary school. If you act the way he wants, he can be nice to you and your on his team. Take one step in a different direction and they’ll start badmouthing you, preferably behind your back.

They’ve been doing this to Russia and China for decades. As long as they have the stage, they can create any narrative they want and the audience will most likely adopt the opinion and start saying the same things.

The thing about propaganda is that, if it fits in your frame or reference, you’ll be more likely to accept it. If it doesn’t fit, like when it is about you, suddenly you’ll realize that this is something they have been doing about others all along and that it doesn’t break any patterns, apart from the recognition patterns of the receiver.