The United States has long been considered a dominant global power, but recent years have seen shifts in its global influence. From economic influence to foreign policy, the United States is experiencing gains and losses in various areas. In this article, we will explore where the US is gaining and losing influence, examining the factors driving these changes and what they mean for the future of the country’s global position.
Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, recently spoke at a TED Conference in Vancouver where he discussed the diverse state of U.S. relations with other countries. According to Bremmer, the world feels as though it is heading in a difficult direction, marked by the loss of U.S. influence, and many are questioning whether any countries still maintain positive relations with the United States.
Bremmer’s views on the matter are mixed. On one hand, China has become more commercially and economically powerful than ever before and is also more willing to use its diplomatic leadership to its advantage. Conversely, the United States is more divided, and there are questions as to why the country should be the world’s leader in maintaining global trade agreements when many feel that such agreements are not beneficial to Americans.
Despite the mixed reception, there are areas in which U.S. relations with other countries are either strong or getting stronger. In Asia, the United States has built a great deal of architecture with its allies, including the Quad, AUKUS, Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, and CHIPS 4, and has also seen an improvement in its relationship with Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. This is especially important given the increasing dominance of China in the region.
Europe is another region where the United States is finding success in its international relationships. Even France, which has had a tense relationship with the U.S. administration in the past, is finding alignment with the U.S. on issues of national security, including voting with other EU countries to impose sanctions on Russia and to invite Ukraine into the EU. Meanwhile, Canada and Mexico are countries with which the United States maintains an overwhelmingly integrated level of economic, political, and security cooperation.
However, there are some areas where U.S. relations are rapidly deteriorating. For example, in the Middle East, the focus has shifted away from fossil fuels, and there appears to be less interest in the security relationship with the U.S. Congress is also less interested in providing advanced military weapons to countries in the region, and the U.S. is less engaged diplomatically than it was in the past. As a result, countries in the region are feeling a sense of urgency to handle their own affairs.
In the so-called Global South, many countries feel as though the U.S. is not aligned with their interests and policies. These countries view the United States as being more focused on nearshoring and providing jobs for Americans in the middle and working classes, which has led to fewer benefits from globalization for these countries. Additionally, there are numerous countries in the Global South which feel a level of hypocrisy from the United States, particularly with respect to their policies on climate change, economic crises, and other issues.
Finally, Bremmer notes that certain rogue states, including North Korea, Russia, and Iran, continue to pose a significant threat to the United States and its allies. Meanwhile, there is a severe lack of trust between the U.S. and China, with both countries unwilling to relinquish any power or influence to the other.
Overall, the state of U.S. relations with other countries is mixed. While the United States is finding success in some regions, there are others where its influence is rapidly declining. Additionally, there are numerous challenges ahead, including maintaining trust with key allies, building relationships in emerging markets, and tackling the threats posed by rogue states. With careful diplomacy and strategy, however, the United States may yet regain its standing as a global leader in the years to come.
