Did Trump unmask American hypocrisy?
The hypocritical and self-serving nature of US foreign intervention and American values is finally being exposed by none other than US President Donald Trump, says academic Han Dongping, who discusses the pitfalls and double standards of the US-led world order.
In the 1990s, American professor Samuel Huntington argued that American values are unique, not universal. In contrast, his student Francis Fukuyama, in his 1992 book The End of History and the Last Man, asserted that Western capitalism had triumphed following the Soviet Union’s dissolution. Fukuyama believed that American values of democracy, human rights, and freedom would come to dominate globally, marking what he called the “end of history”.
At that time, many American and Western academics viewed these American values as universal and the highest ideals of humanity. Public intellectuals from some developing countries, including China, echoed this perspective, suggesting that humanity had reached a higher level of civilisation where these principles were revered as guiding ideals.
However, when examining the historical context, the actions and strategies of the US resemble those of many past hegemonic powers, despite the country’s unique geographical advantage and diverse, immigrant-driven culture. Former President Bill Clinton was particularly vocal about human rights, even asserting that they take precedence over sovereignty.
War in the name of freedom, peace and human rights
In 1999, under the banner of human rights, NATO bombed the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for 78 days, destroying civilian infrastructure such as bridges and hospitals, and even hitting the Chinese embassy, killing three Chinese citizens and injuring many others.
US and NATO aircraft used significant amounts of depleted uranium bombs, not only causing severe casualties but also long-term environmental damage. I played a documentary on the NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in a class I taught, and understood the environmental damage that war had on Yugoslavia. In the fall of 2022, while teaching at Semester at Sea, I visited Croatia and still saw remnants of the war.
Following the September 11 attacks, former Republican President George W. Bush adopted a decisive military approach, sending troops to Afghanistan and applying pressure to regions like Xinjiang. This was a stark contrast to the Democratic Party’s focus on rhetoric around freedom and human rights, which is sometimes criticised for being lip service without substantial action.
Essentially, the US mirrors past superpowers, with the key difference being its skillful use of values, such as democracy and human rights, as narratives to uphold its global hegemony, in addition to using military force.
Under the guise of counterterrorism, Bush introduced the concept of an “axis of evil”, designating Iran, North Korea, and Iraq as enemies of the US. Then-under secretary of state John Bolton expanded this idea with the “beyond the axis of evil” concept, identifying Cuba, Libya, and Syria as additional adversaries. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice further advanced this narrative by labelling Belarus, Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Zimbabwe as “outposts of tyranny”, countries targeted by the US.
A former NATO commander revealed that the US aims to fight seven wars to create a new world order under its leadership, ensuring dominance for both the US and Israel in the Middle East and beyond. Essentially, the US mirrors past superpowers, with the key difference being its skillful use of values, such as democracy and human rights, as narratives to uphold its global hegemony, in addition to using military force.
Illusions of universal values
Many Iraqis celebrated in the streets after Saddam Hussein’s overthrow, hopeful for democracy and human rights. Similarly, Libya descended into chaos and civil war after Muammar Gaddafi abandoned his nuclear programme and was overthrown. Once Africa’s wealthiest nation with substantial social welfare, Libya now has many citizens reduced to refugees. Syria experienced stability under Bashar al-Assad, but the eruption of the Syrian Civil War led to widespread violence and suffering. Various factions, including extremist groups, vied for power, with international involvement — including from the US — further complicating the crisis.
Among the six countries labelled as the “axis of evil” and “beyond the axis of evil”, only Iran and North Korea have avoided direct military intervention. North Korea’s persistent development of nuclear weapons as a means of self-defence has deterred the US from considering an invasion. Meanwhile, Iran’s size and regional influence have made it a more complex challenge, with the US remaining cautious and potentially awaiting an opportune moment to act.
The ancient Chinese proverb “to forget war is to invite danger, and to be fond of war is to court disaster” aptly captures America’s current predicament.
Courting war and disaster?
America’s actions on the global stage are increasingly revealing a less polished reality to third-world countries and the broader international community. The US’s war on terror has led to significant suffering for hundreds of thousands of people, sparking growing resistance.
This resistance has also imposed tremendous costs on the US, with military expenditures and war-related spending escalating, diverting resources that could have been used to enhance domestic well-being. The ancient Chinese proverb “to forget war is to invite danger, and to be fond of war is to court disaster” aptly captures America’s current predicament.
China, which the US considers its opponent, took advantage of the Bush and Obama administrations’ focus on the war on terror to maintain a low profile. It bided its time and concentrated on developing its educational, economic, scientific and military capabilities, steadily increasing its global influence.
While running for president in 2016, Trump had already been gearing up for a trade and tech war, as well as a biological war with China over the origin of the coronavirus. Despite their differing viewpoints, his successor, Joe Biden, proved to be no less assertive than Trump in his efforts to suppress China.
However, over eight years, the various tactics employed by Trump and Biden against China have failed to achieve their intended results. Instead, they have contributed to a mounting debt for the US, ultimately proving China to be a resilient and enduring force.
One of Trump’s political legacies will be that he tore off America’s mask and showed the world its true colours.
Unmasking America?
Since the beginning of Trump’s second presidency, Trump seems to have been aware of the US’s fading glory, despite making grand promises to make America great again. He shifted away from the Democratic Party’s promotion of universal values and instead blatantly betrayed his allies to prioritise America’s interests above all else. He reversed the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine and pressured the latter to sign a humiliating treaty with Russia, leaving many proponents of universal values in the US and the West feeling deeply uneasy.
But this is what our world — where the strong prey on the weak — truly looks like. As US president, Trump must protect US interests first and foremost. Otherwise, the US cannot maintain its dominance. Tariff hikes are just an admission of the trade war’s failure, while the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is simply a necessary measure amid America’s looming bankruptcy. The collapse of empires often happens faster than anyone anticipates. One of Trump’s political legacies will be that he tore off America’s mask and showed the world its true colours.
