The Atlantic: Trump Issues Scathing Rejection of “Globalism”

The US president’s speech before the UN General Assembly undercut the organization’s mission of global cooperation. Instead, he lashed out at what he called an unelectable bureaucracy, lacking accountability: “We reject the ideology of globalism and accept the doctrine of patriotism.” Uri Friedman writes for the Atlantic: “More than going after a specific leader or country, Trump used this year’s gathering to denounce the international system itself – escalating an argument he outlined in his 2017 speech for sovereign, self-interested nations to collaborate if and when their interests align.” Trump claims to support absolute sovereignty, though not for nations like China and Iran. The speech left many global observers uncertain about how the rest of the world might respond – whether such attitudes will prevail, eroding trust in global institutions and governance, or other nations will recognize the impossible contradictions, going beyond laughter to actively demonstrate the potential of global cooperation. Trump criticizes multi-nation blocs like the European Union and the Organizaion of Petroleum Exporting Countries, as his isolationist strategy succeeds only if others do not unite. In another Atlantic essay, Thomas Wright writes about the Trump administration’s incompetence and refusal to ponder long-term challenges, and whether that might unite the rest of the world in forestalling crisis. – YaleGlobal