Why the Trump Administration is Redefining American Power and Purpose

This paper analyses the foreign policy orientation of the second Trump administration. It argues that this does not represent an attempt at reform, but rather a fundamental departure from the liberal international order that has existed since the Second World War. Contrary to initial assumptions, the administration is not pursuing the goal of making the existing order more efficient or cost-effective, but rather views the international order as increasingly irrelevant. Foreign policy is instead understood as an instrument of a domestic, explicitly anti-liberal project that aims to promote social hierarchies, traditional role models and the prioritisation of a collectively defined ‘common good’ over individual rights. First, the emergence and logic of the liberal post-war order is traced and shown how it linked economic globalisation, military alliances and liberal values. Afterwards the three foreign policy factions within the Trump administration are described: primacists, prioritizers and ‘America First’ supporters, with the latter – embodied by Trump and especially Vice President J.D. Vance – increasingly dominating. The rise of anti-liberalism is leading to deglobalisation, selective bilat-eral trade relations, a withdrawal from alliances and a military strategy that focuses more strongly on homeland security. Particularly noteworthy here is the possible de-escalation of the confrontation with China, as global leadership claims are being deliberately abandoned. Over-all, the analysis highlights the profound redefinition of American power, identity and foreign policy objectives, the implementation of which is heavily dependent on domestic political dynamics and Trump's personal behaviour.