Trump’s United Nations speech: Nationalism versus globalism
By M.M. Albanyan
As the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) commences, world leaders converge on New York to address some of the biggest issues we face in the 21st century.
One of the highlights was once again the conflict between nationalist and globalist ideology. At a global organisation that promotes international cooperation, US President Donald Trump used his address to the Assembly to lay down his message that “America is governed by Americans. We reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism.” In contrast, Prime Minister Theresa May insisted that inclusivity and open economies “can best deliver security and prosperity for all our people”.
Since becoming President, Trump has gradually isolated the US from the world. His trade policies are grounded in alleged economic protectionism, which in fact hindered his country’s economy. For example, imposing steel and aluminium tariffs on Canada, one of the US’s closest allies, led to “retaliatory” tariffs on imports from the US. In two months, Canada made almost $300 million from imposing such tariffs.
Nevertheless, Trump is not alone when it comes to his anti-globalist approach. His presidency has been central to the rise of populism and nationalism in the west. For example, his ideology is matched with the Italian coalition between Matteo Salvini and Luigi Di Maio, as well as the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. This trend reflects the declining support for the international liberal order that has governed the world since the end of World War II. The rule-based liberal order promotes open markets, multilateral institutions, and liberal democracy.
Trump is not alone when it comes to his anti-globalist approach.
As the global liberal order comes under attack, an alternative ideology will inevitably replace it. As Prime Minister May stated in her UN speech, “if we lack the confidence to step up, others will”, referring to examples of “the rise of fascism or the spread of communism” in the past century.
Today, a movement of “new nationalism” is on the rise. Neo-nationalists believe that each country must preserve its distinct identity by eliminating immigration, multiculturalism, and global governance. They reject multilateral agreements as they view international co-operation as a threat to national interests. As a prominent example, the UK’s decision to leave the European Union reveals the spread of the nationalist ideology. But how far can neo-nationalism go?
Despite Trump finding like-minded leaders in countries like Italy and Hungary, his divisive style of leadership remains widely unpopular. In his UN speech, he claimed that “in less than two years, [his] administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of [the US]”. This statement was met with laughter by international delegates at the assembly. In an organisation where protocol and prestige are revered, this is likely to be the first time that a world leader was laughed at during a UN speech.
How far can neo-nationalism go?
Trump must know his audience. The rest of the world is unlikely to view his “America First” policies as “accomplishments”. His administration favours bilateral, rather than multilateral trade agreements, as the former would allegedly maximise advantages for US exporters and consumers. This opposition to multilateral agreements goes against the UN’s goal of international collaboration.
As Trump addressed the UN a few days after introducing tariffs on another 6,000 Chinese imports, he boasted that “America’s economy is booming like never before” as a result of his isolationist policies. In fact, American farmers are being bailed out by the US government due to China’s retaliatory tariffs. Trump cannot, therefore, be surprised when UN members laugh at him.
Image by Marcello Casel via Wiki Commons