Might Makes Right: Can the U.S. Bully the Entire World?

Photo Courtesy: US Air Force via Flickr

For much of modern history, the United States has held the position of global primacy in both the economic and political spheres. This dominance has been wielded repeatedly to pressure allies into compliance. While many nations remained sceptical of U.S. influence, they found some comfort in the fact that America was bound by multilateral institutions and international agreements, mechanisms that imposed a semblance of checks and balances. 

But with Donald Trump’s second term now underway, that fragile balance is unraveling. His administration has wasted no time in withdrawing from key international organisations, including the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Human Rights Council. Having the world’s most powerful economy led by a man whose campaign slogan has been "America First" does not bode well for global stability, signalling the retreat from international cooperation and the disintegration of carefully built alliances. It is clear that his strategy is to govern through intimidation, forcing allies and adversaries alike into submission. And in some ways, it seems to be working.

In January, Trump issued an ultimatum to NATO: unless all member states allocate at least 5% of their GDP to defence spending, the U.S. will withdraw its military support. This demand, which far exceeds NATO’s current 2% target, is financially untenable for many countries. Yet, in an effort to placate Washington, European leaders have reluctantly proposed a revised defence spending goal of 3%, a figure that will stretch national budgets to their limits.

Meanwhile, Trump's aggressive posturing has extended beyond military alliances. In an unprecedented move, he threatened to take control of Greenland, citing its strategic importance to the U.S. Denmark chose the route of pacifism and attempted to defuse the situation by urging the EU to avoid direct confrontation with Washington. This act of de-escalation, however, only worked to reinforce the popularised notion that Trump’s foreign policy operates on the assumption that fear will keep the world in check.

Trump's economic policies have also sparked global resistance. His controversially high tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China were meant to force trade concessions, but the response was anything but submission. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly denounced the move as “insulting and unacceptable”, while Mexico opted for firm diplomatic dialogue to express their dissatisfaction with the tariffs. China, rather than yielding to U.S. pressure, decided to double down, imposing heavy duties on American goods and announcing the launch of an antitrust investigation into Google.

Trump’s relentless use of tariffs as a weapon against Mexico, Canada, and China is an effort to reinforce American economic dominance. However, by treating key trade partners as adversaries, he is dismantling decades of carefully built alliances and replacing cooperation with resentment. Mexico and Canada, once reliable allies, now view Washington with suspicion, while China has initiated actions that will further deepen the divisions between the states.

Nowhere is the backlash against Trump’s foreign policy more pronounced than in the Arab world. His latest proposal to “own” Gaza and rebuild it as the “Riviera of the Middle East” has ignited outrage across the region. While framed as a humanitarian reconstruction effort, the plan is widely seen as a thinly veiled attempt to exert U.S. and Israeli control over Palestinian territory. In response, five Arab foreign ministers issued a formal letter rejecting Washington’s plans, refusing to endorse any effort that displaces Palestinians from their own land. Even Gulf states, which had previously maintained cautious engagement with Trump, have been forced to take a bolder stance, realising that silence will only embolden further encroachments. His actions could accelerate the decline of U.S. credibility in the Middle East, pushing longtime allies toward opposing powers like China and Russia.

As history has shown, power wielded without restraint often leads to unintended consequences. The more the U.S. attempts to dictate global affairs through brute force, whether through military ultimatums, economic coercion, or political intervention, the more other nations may seek to forge their own independent paths.

There is no doubt that the America of 2025 has been a destabilising force, isolating itself from allies and creating diplomatic rifts that will not be easily repaired. But this strategy has an expiration date. As countries resist, adapt, and form new alliances, America’s once-secure dominance will steadily slip away. Trump’s gamble to bully the world into submission may yield short-term gains, but in the long run, it is a losing strategy.