The world without a "West"

Howard French, Foreign Policy -  After less than two months in power, U.S. President Donald Trump has delivered a shock to the United States and the world so profound that even calling it that risks feeling trite.

This is not the place to compile a litany of examples of the previously unthinkable or long-feared moves that Trump has attempted. Almost every day brings new examples, from his unprovoked and senseless trade war with Canada, with its hints of old-world imperialist expansionism, to his murky but long-anticipated rapprochement with Russia.

As a long-standing provider and enforcer of a certain world order, Washington has grown accustomed to seeing whatever it does as a norm that others, like it or not, will have to adjust to—and will probably even appreciate one day. But as Americans struggle to come to terms with the seismic changes underway in their country, recent days have produced scenes abroad that show that, absent a major course correction, this time will be different.

I’m not talking about the plucky and admirable pushback of Canada and Mexico or of aggrieved smaller places such as Panama and Greenland. What I have in mind is the mounting response from some of Washington’s most important allies and partners further afield. One stunning example was the speech that Claude Malhuret gave to the French Senate last week. Precisely because of the United States’ insularity, it is worth quoting from at length:

Europe is at a critical turning point in its history. The American shield is crumbling, Ukraine risks being abandoned, Russia strengthened.

Washington has become the court of Nero, an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers, and a jester high on ketamine in charge of purging the civil service.

This is a tragedy for the free world, but it is first and foremost a tragedy for the United States. Trump’s message is that there is no point in being his ally since he will not defend you, he will impose higher tariffs on you than his enemies, and will threaten to seize your territories while supporting the dictatorships that invade you.

Never in history has a U.S. president capitulated to the enemy. Never has any one of them supported an aggressor against an ally. Never trampled on the U.S. Constitution, issued so many executive orders, dismissed judges who could have prevented him from doing so, dismissed the military senior staff in one fell swoop, weakened all checks and balances, and taken control of social media.

This is not an illiberal drift—it is the beginning of the confiscation of democracy. Let us remember that it took only one month, three weeks, and two days to bring down the Weimar Republic and its constitution.  More