When everything seemed great and was going in the right direction immediately after the assumption of the charges under the second term of the Trump administration, there seemed to be an ugly turn in its foreign policy in the form of a tariff regime. A country that always advocated a liberal world order, stood for globalisation, free trade, a number of security alliances, and its involvement in global governance, seems to be drifting apart. The first term (2017-2021) was significant for many reasons, but the second seems to have started with problems from day one.
The question that is looming large has been whether the United States is undermining its own status in the international system and the current global order. Many scholars seem to be suggesting that Mr Trump is a polarising figure in American politics, and his actions seem to be having a cascading effect even on international affairs. The US has been withdrawing from international agreements arbitrarily, straining alliances, which include security alliances too, only concentrating on transactional diplomacy, engulfed in a nationalist agenda, and, more importantly, unable to differentiate between friends and enemies. The retreat from global responsibility seems alarming as many countries seem to be wary about the US’s preeminent role in international relations.
Retreat being from the lead player to none
When the US withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord, perhaps this was the last thing that was ever anticipated. The US, being the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases, was expected to play a leadership role due to its capacity to mitigate and reconcile, but rather it chose to withdraw, signalling its unwillingness to take up responsibilities. After a massive effort and negotiations, the US was able to have the nuclear deal with Iran (JCPOA). This was not just by Obama, but a number of European countries, apart from Russia and China, all with the hope that this would bring peace to a large extent, and Iran would be less isolated. Unfortunately, Trump saw this as yet another terrible and one-sided deal and withdrew unilaterally without even consulting the stakeholders. This instance has exposed the United States as unpredictable and reckless, undermining the American commitment to international negotiations and peace efforts.
If we take the other instances, such as Trump deciding to withdraw from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shook the world. The United States was the largest contributor to the WHO, and such a withdrawal risked global public health in many nations that are dependent on the WHO and the organisation, in turn, dependent on countries like the US. These are just a few instances, and what is more shocking is the lack of consensus in these decision-making processes. Though the US’s accusation of the WHO being too close to China is valid, that can not be a reason for its withdrawal from such a crucial organisation as the WHO. This has made nations feel the US is not trustworthy, and the space for consultations and debates is shrinking.
Strains on Alliances
NATO has been a classic example of Trump undermining one of the oldest groupings/Security alliances the US has been an architect of. He has been accusing the NATO partners as free riders on American defense spending. The US, being a leading architect, has the right to suggest and ask partners to spend more; the tone and the confrontational approach have irked the NATO friends, and it has largely strained the relations. Questioning the usage of Article 5 and pushing the NATO nations to stop buying oil from Russia so that he can impose more tariffs on China is ridiculous. Le Monde reported that “The changes in attitude are subtle, but the discomfort is clear,” said a European military source at the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Brussels. Scholars like Robert Kagan have even gone to the extent of saying “the beginning of the end of NATO”. In the same manner, Trump has demanded higher financial contributions for hosting American troops from South Korea and Japan. He even threatened to reduce the American presence, and this has sent negative vibes to these nations, given the threat perception they have from China. Partners and friends stand with each other and do not indulge in arm-twisting and using someone’s vulnerability. This may push both South Korea and Japan to look for alternatives.
‘America First’ and all other next
Nationalism seems to be the flavour of the 21st century, and some nations have taken it too much into their policy-making. Trump has created America First as an outcome of this nationalism. This has been reflected in his foreign policy, leading to conservatism, protectionism, and even suspicions of his intentions in furthering globalisation. Though Trump might be saying that the US is too dependent on other manufacturing and service sectors across the world, this does not mean that one can arbitrarily withdraw or strangulate the industries or threaten them. His fallout with Elon Musk has been a classic example of how unpredictable Donald Trump can be. He called the same individual a friend and used him in the election campaign, and subsequently, for a few months, and then suddenly had a fallout.
The United States has become what it has become due to all its trade partners, and overnight projecting them as enemies or people who are exploiting not only undermines all the previous leadership in the US, but is also disrespectful to the nations that trusted it. The withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is another classic example of ill-perceived and shortsighted move. There are a number of other ways to reduce the deficit and have fruitful relations with nations than arbitrarily withdrawing. This signals an undermining of the rules-based world order once envisaged and anchored by the United States itself since the end of the Second World War.
Erosion of U.S. Soft Power
American soft power has been one of the most credible and visible ones in the last seven decades. This has led scholars like Joseph Nye to coin the term and use it extensively. Starting from free speech, culture, values, education, scholarships, political ideals, and even a place many dreamt of making their home, have been its greatest strengths. This seems to have diminished largely under Trump as he seems to be constantly attacking the media, the judiciary, the opposition, and even democratic norms, once pillars of American identity. The American model does not seem to be appealing, rather it seems to be threatening those who have gone there as immigrants. Its own partners in Europe no longer view the US in the same manner and have a differing perception since Trump has assumed office.
One may ponder over a question: is there no possibility of the US regaining its primacy in world politics?. The answer, perhaps, depends on the outcomes of some of the damage done so far and the outcomes that have been witnessed so far. One immediate outcome witnessed has been with India. A long-term friend and a strategic partner was tested by the United States by imposing unjustified tariffs. The backlash has been significant and is being witnessed in India, cementing its relationship with Russia and China at the SCO Summit in 2025. Trump seems to have mellowed down after continuously intimidating and is now moving positively again with India. The results are yet to be assessed based on credible outcomes in the days to come. What in the course of it has undermined is the massive efforts put in by diplomats and leaders for decades to build relationships between India and the United States.
Trump needs good counsel and also the help of long-standing diplomats who have been in business for a long time. International relations and diplomacy are not just about economics and transactions but also about relationality, dependency, and ethics. No country is capable of being in isolation and cooperation is a long-tested phenomenon that has served the purpose to keep world peace.
Is the USA Undermining Itself as a Superpower with Its Actions under Trump?
When everything seemed great and was going in the right direction immediately after the assumption of the charges under the second term of the Trump administration, there seemed to be an ugly turn in its foreign policy in the form of a tariff regime. A country that always advocated a liberal world order, stood for globalisation, free trade, a number of security alliances, and its involvement in global governance, seems to be drifting apart. The first term (2017-2021) was significant for many reasons, but the second seems to have started with problems from day one.
The question that is looming large has been whether the United States is undermining its own status in the international system and the current global order. Many scholars seem to be suggesting that Mr Trump is a polarising figure in American politics, and his actions seem to be having a cascading effect even on international affairs. The US has been withdrawing from international agreements arbitrarily, straining alliances, which include security alliances too, only concentrating on transactional diplomacy, engulfed in a nationalist agenda, and, more importantly, unable to differentiate between friends and enemies. The retreat from global responsibility seems alarming as many countries seem to be wary about the US’s preeminent role in international relations.
Retreat being from the lead player to none
When the US withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord, perhaps this was the last thing that was ever anticipated. The US, being the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases, was expected to play a leadership role due to its capacity to mitigate and reconcile, but rather it chose to withdraw, signalling its unwillingness to take up responsibilities. After a massive effort and negotiations, the US was able to have the nuclear deal with Iran (JCPOA). This was not just by Obama, but a number of European countries, apart from Russia and China, all with the hope that this would bring peace to a large extent, and Iran would be less isolated. Unfortunately, Trump saw this as yet another terrible and one-sided deal and withdrew unilaterally without even consulting the stakeholders. This instance has exposed the United States as unpredictable and reckless, undermining the American commitment to international negotiations and peace efforts.
If we take the other instances, such as Trump deciding to withdraw from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shook the world. The United States was the largest contributor to the WHO, and such a withdrawal risked global public health in many nations that are dependent on the WHO and the organisation, in turn, dependent on countries like the US. These are just a few instances, and what is more shocking is the lack of consensus in these decision-making processes. Though the US’s accusation of the WHO being too close to China is valid, that can not be a reason for its withdrawal from such a crucial organisation as the WHO. This has made nations feel the US is not trustworthy, and the space for consultations and debates is shrinking.
Strains on Alliances
NATO has been a classic example of Trump undermining one of the oldest groupings/Security alliances the US has been an architect of. He has been accusing the NATO partners as free riders on American defense spending. The US, being a leading architect, has the right to suggest and ask partners to spend more; the tone and the confrontational approach have irked the NATO friends, and it has largely strained the relations. Questioning the usage of Article 5 and pushing the NATO nations to stop buying oil from Russia so that he can impose more tariffs on China is ridiculous. Le Monde reported that “The changes in attitude are subtle, but the discomfort is clear,” said a European military source at the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Brussels. Scholars like Robert Kagan have even gone to the extent of saying “the beginning of the end of NATO”. In the same manner, Trump has demanded higher financial contributions for hosting American troops from South Korea and Japan. He even threatened to reduce the American presence, and this has sent negative vibes to these nations, given the threat perception they have from China. Partners and friends stand with each other and do not indulge in arm-twisting and using someone’s vulnerability. This may push both South Korea and Japan to look for alternatives.
‘America First’ and all other next
Nationalism seems to be the flavour of the 21st century, and some nations have taken it too much into their policy-making. Trump has created America First as an outcome of this nationalism. This has been reflected in his foreign policy, leading to conservatism, protectionism, and even suspicions of his intentions in furthering globalisation. Though Trump might be saying that the US is too dependent on other manufacturing and service sectors across the world, this does not mean that one can arbitrarily withdraw or strangulate the industries or threaten them. His fallout with Elon Musk has been a classic example of how unpredictable Donald Trump can be. He called the same individual a friend and used him in the election campaign, and subsequently, for a few months, and then suddenly had a fallout.
The United States has become what it has become due to all its trade partners, and overnight projecting them as enemies or people who are exploiting not only undermines all the previous leadership in the US, but is also disrespectful to the nations that trusted it. The withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is another classic example of ill-perceived and shortsighted move. There are a number of other ways to reduce the deficit and have fruitful relations with nations than arbitrarily withdrawing. This signals an undermining of the rules-based world order once envisaged and anchored by the United States itself since the end of the Second World War.
Erosion of U.S. Soft Power
American soft power has been one of the most credible and visible ones in the last seven decades. This has led scholars like Joseph Nye to coin the term and use it extensively. Starting from free speech, culture, values, education, scholarships, political ideals, and even a place many dreamt of making their home, have been its greatest strengths. This seems to have diminished largely under Trump as he seems to be constantly attacking the media, the judiciary, the opposition, and even democratic norms, once pillars of American identity. The American model does not seem to be appealing, rather it seems to be threatening those who have gone there as immigrants. Its own partners in Europe no longer view the US in the same manner and have a differing perception since Trump has assumed office.
One may ponder over a question: is there no possibility of the US regaining its primacy in world politics?. The answer, perhaps, depends on the outcomes of some of the damage done so far and the outcomes that have been witnessed so far. One immediate outcome witnessed has been with India. A long-term friend and a strategic partner was tested by the United States by imposing unjustified tariffs. The backlash has been significant and is being witnessed in India, cementing its relationship with Russia and China at the SCO Summit in 2025. Trump seems to have mellowed down after continuously intimidating and is now moving positively again with India. The results are yet to be assessed based on credible outcomes in the days to come. What in the course of it has undermined is the massive efforts put in by diplomats and leaders for decades to build relationships between India and the United States.
Trump needs good counsel and also the help of long-standing diplomats who have been in business for a long time. International relations and diplomacy are not just about economics and transactions but also about relationality, dependency, and ethics. No country is capable of being in isolation and cooperation is a long-tested phenomenon that has served the purpose to keep world peace.
Author
Dr Nanda Kishor MS