Dean Acheson, US Secretary of State from 1949 to 1953 in the Truman administration, wrote Present at the Creation recalling US efforts to create the post Second World War institutional architecture for international security, global finance and trade. These included establishment of the United Nations, the Bretton Woods institutions (IMF, World Bank), GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade). In addition, the US declared support for democratic nations against authoritarian threats (Truman Doctrine, March 1947), economic revival of Western Europe (Marshall Plan, 1948), and set up NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, 1949) as a military alliance to deal with the perceived Soviet challenge.
During a recent visit to Washington, I heard many analysts speaking of now being “present at the destruction” of frameworks through which US hitherto engaged with the world and used the example of its own domestic politics to project soft power: through the functioning of a strong democracy, with checks and balances, accommodation of diversity equity and inclusion, rule of law and due process.
A primary focus of the current Trump administration is to reorder US domestic politics. The US Congress, with Republican majorities in both the House and Senate, is unable to play its constitutional role of a co-equal branch of government. Unfavourable rulings by courts are at times being ignored or criticised for being against the “will of the people.” The heralded autonomy of universities is being tested through coercive measures, withdrawal of grants and financing for research, and even the ability to admit international students. Many powerful corporations and law firms have submitted to diktats. Norms for creating a gap between being in government and generating profit for self are being breached with impunity. The bureaucratic framework that emerged over decades, imbibing the evolving societal norms, is being gutted through large scale retrenchment, also causing immense personal and family anxieties.
At present there seem to be only three sources of occasional checks on the administration: the markets (turmoil in the bond market led the President to pause “reciprocal tariffs” for 90 days), the courts (who are continuing to challenge many decisions on immigration, universities, law firms etc.), and the voter base (their negative reactions to anticipated shortages and inflation led to reduction of tariffs on China from 145% to 30%).
Isolationism and Opportunism
In the international context, building on an isolationist strain in US society, angst in 40-50% of US population at being ignored during the elite preoccupation with globalisation, and seeking a legacy defining presidency, Trump is undoing decades of US policy choices in Europe, West Asia and potentially the Indo-Pacific.
