Trump's White House Show Reveals an America in Decay

By John Clarke

Toronto

3-1-25

 

The orchestrated confrontation with the Ukrainian president in the White House shows that obnoxious buffoons make history but they do not make it as they please.

Here we see the kind of pragmatic adaptations that shape the implementation of the America First approach. US imperialism is past its prime and seeks to redefine its role in the world. As the hegemonic power, it has grown used to taking the lion's share but today, beset by rivals and losing ground, it tires of the costs and responsibilities associated with being the cornerstone of a 'rules based' international order.

The Biden restoration that came between the two Trump presidencies was an attempt to preserve the post-war role of 'responsible world leadership' and it proved to be a wretched and discredited failure.

Trump returns to power with his liberal opponents defeated and rudderless. He wants none of the alliances, compromises and balancing acts associated with global stewardship. His brand of geopolitics is an extortion racket that can bring in better returns. Friend and foe alike must agree to terms that are more favourable to the US or face the consequences.

Trump's team have made a determination that Ukraine and a decades long transatlantic alliance aren't that important and that Russia isn't the main rival. Containing the rising power of China is the priority and the US is moving on.

While the role that the US has played since the middle of the last century is proving to be unsustainable, the America First turn may be an even worse option. It is an attempt to preserve hegemony that involves discarding or attacking long-time allies and this will come with serious consequences. It turns the world stage on which the US has played out its leading role into a much less stable structure.

Such a reckless effort brings to the fore the nastiest and most reactionary elements and Trump is perfectly suited to the leading role. However, it is a mistake to focus on his very ugly personal qualities and motivations. He is a morbid symptom of an unstable world order, beset by contradictions, that has become severely unstable and highly dangerous. That dangerous instability will dominate our lives and shape our struggles in the period ahead.