How Global South can resist US hegemony and its isolationism

US foreign policy is torn between president-elect Donald Trump’s transactional nationalism and the establishment’s fixation with global primacy. To achieve a more inclusive and equitable world order, the Global South must strategically counterbalance these contrasting American tendencies. This year, Malaysia will chair the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), under the theme of “inclusivity and sustainability”. The new year also marks Malaysia’s entry into the Brics grouping as a partner country, alongside Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan. Malaysia is also scheduled to host the Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council summit with a notable invitation extended to Chinese President Xi Jinping. These developments underscore a broader movement – the Global South’s continued pursuit of a more representative and just global order and an alternative to the prevailing Western-centric international framework. Meanwhile, even before his inauguration, the prospect of Trump 2.0 has already sent shock waves across the globe. True to form, Trump remains unpredictable, delivering a flurry of mixed messages. He has threatened retaliation against any Brics-led efforts to undermine the US dollar, extended an invitation to Xi to attend his inauguration and suggested that the US and China can solve all the world’s problems together. However, Trump’s deal-making track record, exemplified by the Hanoi summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has largely failed to produce substantive outcomes. Though unpredictable, one constant about Trump is his staunchly nationalistic world view. He perceives US global commitments as detrimental to American interests and believes that to “Make America Great Again”, the US must scale back its involvement in alliances. Indeed, Trump has shown little interest in upholding or defending the US-led international order. Trump’s nationalism has sounded alarm bells among the US’ allies and its own political establishment. In response, US President Joe Biden has worked to “Trump-proof” US foreign policy by fast-tracking key initiatives, such as the acceleration of military aid to Ukraine. Meanwhile, retiring US Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, in a Foreign Affairs article, passionately advocated for preserving American primacy and defending US global hegemony, underscoring its pivotal role in maintaining the rules-based international order. Despite their domestic political differences, Biden and McConnell share a fundamental world view: the US-led international order is indispensable to America’s survival and global dominance. Both seem to embody a bipartisan belief in American exceptionalism, with the US envisioned as a “shining city upon a hill”, destined to lead the world. Given how deeply ingrained this belief is, Trump’s rejection of US global leadership is not only an anomaly but, to some, makes him appear un-American. Whether Trump’s “America First” nationalism will endure beyond his presidency remains an open question. The US inclination towards global hegemony may persist even under Trump 2.0. According to US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell, American initiatives in the Indo-Pacific aimed at containing China and maintaining US dominance in the region, such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and Aukus security pact, are expected to remain largely intact. Herein lies the added complexity facing the Global South’s quest for a more equitable world order. Aside from its long-standing challenge to counter US hegemony, it must also deal with the detrimental impacts of Trump’s isolationist policies over the next four years. Trump’s disruptive tariff policies are poised to provoke retaliation and ignite a trade war, endangering the stability of the global economy. Additionally, Trump has reiterated his intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and recently hinted at pulling the US out of the World Health Organization. In response, Asean and the developing world must resist the pull of economic nationalism, stay committed to free trade and counter Trump’s drive towards deglobalisation. Unity will be vital – strengthening collective readiness to address climate change and future pandemics is essential for the Global South’s resilience and progress, regardless of US leadership. However, the more profound and enduring challenge lies in countering Pax Americana, which has consistently failed to deliver justice for all. The ongoing Gaza conflict serves as a stark illustration: the US stands as the only permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to repeatedly veto resolutions calling for a ceasefire or humanitarian access. One of the proposed resolutions condemned Israel’s actions – actions that are widely regarded as genocidal. Despite his disdain for global alliances, Trump is unlikely to deviate from Biden’s policy on Israel. This reflects not only the enormous sway of the pro-Israel lobby on US politics but also how deeply rooted the tendencies towards global domination are within American politics. Trump’s recent suggestion that the US and China could jointly address global crises has reignited discussions around the G2 concept of shared power. However, Beijing has shown little interest in this idea. Xi’s vision of a “community of shared future for humankind” emphasises inclusivity and multilateralism, rejecting the notion of global governance dominated by a duopoly. The isolationist tendencies of Trump 2.0 threaten to weaken humanity’s capacity to address global crises, while a US fixated on global hegemony perpetuates widespread injustices. The world needs an America that is willing to coexist as a responsible global citizen and committed to sharing international responsibilities as an equal partner. This year, the US is poised to be entangled in the interplay between Trump’s transactional nationalism and the establishment’s drive for global primacy. To achieve the theme of “inclusivity and sustainability”, Malaysia, as Asean chair, along with Brics and the broader Global South, must uphold a policy of open engagement while championing equal representation and collaboration among nations.

How Global South can resist US hegemony and its isolationism

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Open engagement is key to countering both Donald Trump’s transactional nationalism and the US establishment’s drive for global hegemony

Open engagement is key to countering both Donald Trump’s transactional nationalism and the US establishment’s drive for global hegemony