THE LIBERAL WORLD ORDER IN DILEMMA: DECONSTRUCTING TRUMP’S AMERICA FIRST VISION
Abstract
The international liberal order that emerged after the Second World War was sustained by U.S. hegemonic leadership through the promotion of free trade, multilateral institutions, and enduring economic and military alliances. For nearly eight decades, this order provided relative stability to the global political and economic system. However, President Donald Trump's "America First" doctrine marked a significant departure from the normative foundations of liberal internationalism, raising serious questions about the future of U.S. global leadership and the liberal world order itself. This study examines how the "America First" vision challenges the principles of hegemonic stability theory by undermining the United States' traditional role as a stabilizing hegemon. The primary objective of this research is to analyze the implications of Trump's unilateral and transactional diplomacy for U.S. hegemony and the sustainability of the liberal international order. Employing a qualitative research design, the study relies on content analysis of policy documents, official statements and secondary literature to assess shifts in U.S. foreign and economic policy under the Trump administration. The findings suggest that the liberal international order was already experiencing structural strains prior to Trump's presidency; however, his neo-mercantilist policies characterized by protectionism, economic nationalism and disregard for multilateral norms significantly accelerated its crisis. The study concludes that the survival of the liberal world order depends on institutional reform, adaptation to multipolar realities and a reconfiguration of leadership beyond unilateral hegemonic dominance.
Keywords: International liberal order, America First, US hegemony, HST, Neo-mercantilism, Multilateralism, and Unilateralism.
