Congress MP and chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor, was formerly UN Under Secretary-General and former Minister of State for External Affairs. Therefore, he’s well placed to comment on the new international order (disorder) that is emerging in the Trumpian world.
Mr Tharoor’s column begins on expected lines by castigating Trump for upsetting the international order: “…it took the presidency of Donald Trump to truly accelerate the unravelling. His embrace of ultranationalism, disdain for multilateral institutions, and aggressive trade policies marked a sharp departure from the bipartisan tradition of American globalism. Trump’s administration viewed the post-war system not as a legacy to uphold, but as a liability…”
Mr Tharoor foresees three major consequences of Trump’s insular and self-serving foreign policies. By far the biggest consequence is that it puts Beijing in pole position to emerge as a genuine heavyweight equalling America in muscle & influence:
“By undermining the very institutions that once projected US influence, Trump opened the door for alternative visions of global governance. Beijing, long wary of American dominance, seized the opportunity to recast itself as a defender of multilateralism and stability. Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasised the need to “safeguard the authority of the United Nations” and promote “inclusive economic globalisation” — a rhetorical pivot that positions China as a responsible stakeholder in contrast to Washington’s perceived belligerence.
Xi’s message resonates more strongly today than it might have a decade ago. As Trump’s second term unfolds, his administration’s confrontational stance toward key Global South powers — especially India and Brazil — has alienated partners and pushed them toward Beijing. Xi used the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China to call for resistance to “hegemonism and power politics”, a thinly veiled critique of US foreign policy, and to champion “true multilateralism”…
Trump continues to dismantle the architecture of American-led globalism, Beijing’s narrative gains traction — not because it is universally embraced, but because it fills a void.”
Secondly, global politics & foreign policy have become more competitive and more confrontational due to Trump: “Critics within the US foreign policy establishment warn of dire consequences. Former defence officials argue that dismantling the post-war order threatens global stability and undermines decades of diplomatic progress….there is broad consensus that Trump’s policies are accelerating a transition toward a more fragmented and competitive world.”
Thirdly, by behaving in transactional and opportunistic manner, President Trump is encouraging – perhaps forcing – other nations to do so: “The post-war order was neither unchallengeable nor immutable. It was a construct of its time, shaped by the exigencies of Cold War rivalry and the promise of liberal democracy. Today, that promise is under strain. The world is not returning to the bipolar standoff of the 20th century, but entering a more fluid and contested phase — one where power is diffuse, partnerships are transactional, and legitimacy is up for grabs”
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