The Decline of the American Empire

Abstract

AbstractThe decline of the American empire has been an important topic of international debates since the beginning of the 21st century. The rise of China to a world power, the transformation of the international system and the crises within America have raised the question of whether the United States can remain a hegemonic power. This article discusses the problem with a focus on the Trump administration and the first few months of the Biden administration. With his radical unilateralism, president Donald Trump had removed the basis of the American alliance system and thus damaged an important pillar of American foreign policy. He further isolated America by attacking American democracy. The result was a massive loss of soft power, a central element of American foreign policy. A dramatic low point in American global prestige was the storm on the Capitol in Washington initiated by Trump, when American soft power melted down close to zero. The Democratic President seeks to restore America’s influence in the world. In his quest for imperial global hegemony he intensified Washington’s pressure on China. However, this assertive policy runs the risk of American imperial overstretch (Paul Kennedy).KeywordsSoft powerDonald TrumpJoe BidenImperial overstretchEconomic sanctions