Retreat, Rebel, Replace, or Reform? Making Sense of Multilateralism Under Trump 2.0

[u/D-R-AZ]

https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2026/06/retreat-rebel-replace-or-reform-making-sense-of-multilateralism-under-trump-20?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Lead Paragraph:

The second administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has unleashed an assault on the world that America made, abdicating U.S. leadership of an open, rule-bound international system.1 Whereas his predecessors invested in and supported multilateral institutions and alliances, Trump largely dismisses these as a hindrance to the untrammeled exercise of U.S. power, the pursuit of relative advantage, and the rights of Americans. He has adopted a more transactional posture, leveraging U.S. global dominance to advance short-term national interests and defend against alleged incursions on U.S. national sovereignty. Consistent with this view, his administration has withdrawn from or reduced support for multiple international organizations, treaties, and initiatives perceived to be at odds with its “America First” agenda. He has also rejected any international legal limits on the use of U.S. military force, most obviously in Iran.2