Reimagining the Global Rules-Based Order After Trump
- By taking a wrecking ball to the global rules-based order, Donald Trump has thrown the entire world into chaos, reminding us why our post-World War II forebears laid...
- The analysis, originally published by Project Syndicate on April 16, 2026, argues that Trump’s policies during his presidency fundamentally challenged the post-World War II international system, which was...
- His “America First” approach, marked by sweeping tariffs, withdrawals from multilateral agreements, and the weakening of traditional alliances such as NATO, disrupted international cooperation and undermined key pillars...
By taking a wrecking ball to the global rules-based order, Donald Trump has thrown the entire world into chaos, reminding us why our post-World War II forebears laid the foundation for that order. The task now is to re-imagine an international legal regime that works more reliably for more people, without exception for the powerful.
The analysis, originally published by Project Syndicate on April 16, 2026, argues that Trump’s policies during his presidency fundamentally challenged the post-World War II international system, which was designed to maintain global stability under American leadership through institutions like the United Nations, NATO, and the World Trade Organization.
His “America First” approach, marked by sweeping tariffs, withdrawals from multilateral agreements, and the weakening of traditional alliances such as NATO, disrupted international cooperation and undermined key pillars of U.S. Global leadership, according to assessments from foreign policy analysts and international relations scholars.