How Trumpism is changing the world

What the report says

Al Jazeera’s opinion piece argues that the foreign policy approach associated with US President Donald Trump is reshaping international politics and global governance. Written by Firas Dabbagh and published on 2 September 2026, the article says Trumpism marks a break from the post-World War II order built around multilateral institutions, shared rules and Western-led leadership.

The essay describes this approach as more unilateral and transactional, with an emphasis on tariffs, sanctions, bilateral deals and national economic priorities such as reindustrialisation, energy dominance and trade balance. It also says the administration has used pressure on allies and rivals alike, including in the context of NATO burden-sharing, and has been unpredictable in its dealings with international agreements and institutions.

According to the article, the effects reach beyond Washington. It says the United Nations and the UN Security Council have faced deeper strain, while the US has stepped back from global stewardship, creating space for middle powers and regional blocs to build alternative frameworks. The piece presents this as part of a broader shift toward a more decentralised and issue-specific international order.

The article frames this change as a major historical turning point, though it notes debate over whether it could force useful reform or instead weaken collective security and legitimacy. Because it is an opinion analysis, the views are attributed to the author and not presented as Al Jazeera’s editorial position.