Why Trump’s victory maybe good for the rise of a multipolar world

Donald Trump’s election as the 47th President of the United States is likely to have a cascading effect on the country’s  domestic situation and in the foreign policy domain.

Internally, the Trump Presidency is likely to confront the neoliberal elite supporting climate extremism, LGBTQ movement, Woke culture in general and  a foreign policy of impunity based on regime change packaged as advocacy of democracy and human rights.

With the US deep state in shambles but unwilling to give up the fight after Kamala Harris’ loss, a divided United States is likely to face considerable internal societal turbulence during the Trump Presidency.

Beyond US borders, panic would have already set in NATO and the Atlantic Alliance in general, given Trump’s neo-isolationist proclivities. During his first term in office, Trump had demonstrated that his foreign policy is generally pragmatic, non-ideological, focused more on gaining geoeconomic advantages for the US rather than advancing Washington’s global geopolitical interests. Trump is not a flagbearer of  unipolarity, nor promoter of  the idea of US exceptionalism. He has been indifferent to pernicious ideas such as Francis Fukuyama’s end of history doctrine, or exporting human rights and democracy to the rest of the world as the templates of a new age pax Americana. With focus on by default on reviving the US economy, Trump can be expected to guillotine America’s forever wars whose positive impact, at some point, would be felt on the Ukraine-Russia military situation. Trump shares no personal animus towards Russian President Vladimir Putin. That opens the opportunity for a re-set of ties between US and Russia—a game changing situation with major global implications.

Even with China, Trump is not interested in targeting the Communist Party of China and the unique system of governance crafted by the PRC. In other words, he in not interested in regime change in China as the end-game. On the contrary, Trump’s run-ins with Beijing would be on the geoeconomic platform such as trade and investment, technology and in the digital new economy space. But being naturally transactional in temperament, Trump would not be averse in cutting a deal with China after lengthy cut-throat negotiations. Consequently, divisive peace and security issues such as Taiwan and the South China disputes are less likely to feature on Trump’s radar.

With India, Trump and Modi have already hit the ground running. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already spoken with Trump after his impressive victory. “Had a great conversation with my friend, President@realDonald Trump, congratulating him on his spectacular victory. Looking forward to working closely together once again to further strengthen India-US relations across technology, defence, energy, space and several other sectors,” PM Modi tweeted.   

Contrary to the views of several sections of punditry, a non-ideological US Presidency with caveats  is  good for the rise of a multipolar world, where the US has a chance to shed the mentality of unipolarity and accept its status as one of the strongest pillars of a multipolar world. For the first time Russia’s President Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump can become drivers and symbols of a new world order based on cooperation and collaboration rather than blind and destructive  confrontation.