Trump 2.0 and dismantling of liberal world order

Trump 2.0 and dismantling of liberal world order Isha Tripathi * World order is changing at a rapid pace.The headwinds of change have their origin in Washington and Donald Trump is at its helm. Riding on a MAGA wave, Trump is upending whatever stands in his way- be it institutions, notions or world trade. Liberal world order stands as one of the casualties of the Trump 2.0 regime. Ironically,it is the very order that the United States of America had painstakingly built and maintained.Today, however, the same United States appears increasingly sceptical of these principles. Why,then,is Trump dismantling what many regarded as America's greatest post-cold war legacy ? The answer lies in realist wisdom; which accords primacy to national interest over international rules and institutions. From a realist perspective, institutions are instruments of state power rather than ends in themselves. Renowned Political realist; Mearsheimer, in his work : ‘Bound to Fail: The Rise and Fall of Liberal International Order’, states that the liberal international order “was flawed from the start and thus destined to fail.” According to him , the liberal world order contained the seeds of its own destruction which were globalization, prioritization of internationalism over nationalism,democracy promotion and rise of China as the structural forces that ultimately undermined it. The same forces challenged American primacy and shaped President Trump's worldview. President Trump's policies reflect the belief that the U.S should prioritize domestic economic revival over maintaining an increasingly costly liberal international order and the notion of “America first”. The same has led to the U.S.A pressuring NATO allies to increase defence spending. From his scepticism towards multilateral institutions to his renewed emphasis on American centrality, President Trump has established a new precedent in American foreign policy. This stems from his belief in sovereign decision making authority of the state, unconstrained by international public opinion. The only constraining factor is the opinion of the American electorate and the guiding gospel is “ MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN”. In the realm of multilateral institutions, the United States under Trump has withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement, WHO, UNESCO. Further it has intensified the use of tariffs as instruments of economic statecraft. Europe too, has seen a resurgence of economic nationalism and rise of rightist parties, riding on the backs of MAKE EUROPE GREAT AGAIN Wave. These parties have capitalized on anti-immigrant sentiment, nationalistic zeal. Thus the western world which was once thought to be the custodian of liberal world order appears increasingly willing to redefine its foundational principles in accordance with its changing national interests. The liberal world order is not only facing challenges from western world but also emerging economies like China and others. * M.A. (Political Science) University of Lucknow, U.G.C NET(Qualified)