Honestly, I feel that the US collapse began the moment it lost the Soviet Union as a rival and by the time recognized its own decline it was too late. Without a near peer competitor, America became far more arrogant and complacent, turning in upon itself for grandiose ideas of exceptionalism and uninhibited self-degeneracy. It is often the enemy or competitor that is the biggest teacher and incentive for growth. Look at China, was it not Trump's ban that supercharged its domestic semiconductor industry or the allegations of Uyghur genocide that greatly helped Anta and other homegrown brands or the challenge of Tesla that incentivized China to develop its own EVs. I'm actually kind of worried not only for my home country about its decline but for China's as it has historically turned inward and complacent without a near peer challenger unlike Europe whose constant warfare and rivalry created innovation and development.