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"On Point"
MINSK, 18 December (BelTA) – A world order based on strength and dominance and the end of the migration era are the tenets defined in the national strategy of the United States put forward by President Donald Trump, Elena Ponomareva, Doctor of Political Science, Professor at MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of International Relations) said in the latest episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA’s YouTube channel.
The U.S. national strategy under Donald Trump has changed significantly compared to the one proposed, for example, by Barack Obama in 2015. Elena Ponomareva noted that the current White House administration has called it “a roadmap to ensure America remains the greatest and most successful nation in human history and the home of freedom on earth.” At the same time, the country’s dominance on the global stage remains an imperative for the United States. “To be the strongest, most powerful country, certain actions on the global stage are required. This is because America’s very rise to power was built on harnessing resources from across the world and other countries. Its climb to the top of world politics came after the two world wars, which also meant the elimination of its competitors. Of course, the strategy laid out by Barack Obama in 2015 stands in stark contrast to the one we are witnessing today, 10 years later. However, Obama and his team framed the core question as: “The question is not whether America leads in the world, but how.” Trump’s strategy, essentially, provides his answer to that very “how,” outlining how the USA will lead and transform both itself and the world with this new strategy,” the political expert said.
Elena Ponomareva explained what key points are outlined in Trump’s national strategy. “The concepts of ‘peace through strength’ and leadership based on power are so central that an entire chapter of the strategy is devoted to them. This is coupled with predisposition to non-interventionism in the affairs of other nations,” the MGIMO professor emphasized. “But that doesn’t mean it will always be the case. They say that they are inclined not to, but they can intervene. Flexible realism. We know that the realist tradition, tracing its lineage to Henry Kissinger and like-minded thinkers, implies that a state must evaluate its capabilities, resources, and goals. But this is flexible realism. Another key objective in the U.S. planned overhaul of the global system is to reassert the central role of sovereign states on the international stage and in the international system. The clear target of this principle? The European Union, above all. By the way, the strategy often mentions that the world needs new regional leaders, that the USA is for sovereignty. That’s great. For us, this is a very important point. And if you strive to work precisely with states, and not with national organizations mired in corruption, bureaucracy, and the pursuit of self-interest, that’s wonderful.”
Elena Ponomareva stressed that the U.S. national strategy also outlines areas of domestic policy, for example, supporting workers, upholding the rights and freedoms of Americans. “How do you support workers in the USA? One can impose tariffs against all competitors, which, in fact, Trump has already done. Next is fairness and competition. Great! But it is only for the U.S. enterprises, as Trump says,” the political analyst noted.
Another important point in this strategy is dealing with migrants and ending the era of mass migration. “Migration policy is being transformed into a cornerstone of a new global order,” the MGIMO professor explained, adding that the White House administration considers all those who support migration as its adversaries. “The fight against uncontrolled migration is also aligned with ‘peace through strength’ principle.”
The political expert emphasized that this delineates the matter of sovereignty. “That is, it turns out that the central element of sovereignty and a criterion for belonging to the ‘right’ camp is control over the movement of people. And accordingly, this brings crime, drug trafficking, and other related activities. At the same time, it is control over transport corridors. That is also important,” the expert believes.
Elena Ponomareva concluded that the outlined strategy does not radically change U.S. policy but details it. “These are some tactical or even, one might say, structural changes in the vision of the situation, because systemic changes are still a long way off,” the professor noted.
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