Although Donald Trump certainly deserves blame for disrupting global trade and security arrangements, the roots of today’s crisis of multilateralism run deeper than his presidency. As new powers emerge to rival the United States, the world should prepare for a future in which global cooperation is no longer an option.
PARIS – In the immediate aftermath of Donald Trump’s election to the US presidency, it was reasonable to wonder if the man would prove to be “all bark and no bite” once in office. For various reasons, many people were convinced that Trump’s beliefs and personality would have no real bearing on the exercise of American power, which is supposed to be stable over time. Yet after more than a year of Trump’s presidency, it has become increasingly clear that the malicious aspersions he cast on the international system are capable of drawing blood.
PARIS – In the immediate aftermath of Donald Trump’s election to the US presidency, it was reasonable to wonder if the man would prove to be “all bark and no bite” once in office. For various reasons, many people were convinced that Trump’s beliefs and personality would have no real bearing on the exercise of American power, which is supposed to be stable over time. Yet after more than a year of Trump’s presidency, it has become increasingly clear that the malicious aspersions he cast on the international system are capable of drawing blood.