Political Editorial Opinion
Based on consideration of Stephen M. Walt’s article entitled “Predatory Hegemony” in Foreign Affairs, March/April, 2026.
Americans have become immune to what Stephen M. Walt, a Professor of International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School, calls ‘predatory hegemony’.
Americans have become self-absorbed, living in a bubble of their own reality such that they are willing to watch their government use its “privileged position to extract concessions, tribute, and displays of deference from both allies and adversaries, pursuing short-term gains in what it sees as a purely a zero-sum world”.
I could not agree more.
I have argued that due to American gravity and power that the United States may well extract a pound of economic flesh from its allies and enemies alike, but that in a short span of time, which in this case has been less than a year, nations will revolt and reduce their dependence on the United States.
And so it is that western nations in particular are doing just that.
And whereas Professor Walt suggests that “if it continues to define American strategy in the coming years, predatory hegemony will weaken the United States and its allies alike, generate growing global resentment, create tempting opportunities for Washington’s main rivals, and leave Americans less secure, less prosperous, and less influential,”, I would argue that it has already occurred.
Nations no longer trust or respect the United States, and actions are now formally underway with the middle power democracies of the world to further isolate themselves from the damage that America is intent on doing ‘to them’.
America’s benevolent hegemony and its truly, at times, altruism, has given way to predatory impulses, and Trump to his own totally misplaced confidence as to his own grasp of world affairs.
Trump and his administration of thieves and sycophants believe in one thing, one objective which could be summed up this way;
“All for one and one — for us.”
They, his sycophants actually believe that Trump is willing to look after their futures, their interests, laughably.
As Professor Walt suggests, exploitation by America includes exploitation of its former allies, as America truly has exploited and abused every opportunity to its favour.
So far, the U.S. has used financial sanctions, tariffs, “begger-thy-neighbour” trade policies, currency manipulation and any and all economic pressures to force other countries to accept US economic dominance ant Trump’s interests.
America is now using the threat of U.S. military power as a further means of coercive pressure to force smaller middle powers to acquiesce to America’s interests.
However, extortion has a price that will have long-term consequences. Economic tyranny and the demand by the US on its former allies, friends and neighbours to submit and be subservient, has now led to countries like Canada, and Prime Minister Carney effectively ‘calling out’ the United States.
No longer will nations like Canada, ‘go along, to get along’.
America’s myopic view of the world will result in an America that is no longer given credence, acceptance or trust. Middle nations are finding that America’s predatory instincts have now surpassed its relative protections, either economic or military. Short-term gains that are focused on enriching a leader is acting as nothing more than a common thief, means that the US will become poorer, more isolated, less secure and less influential.
America no longer has to seek isolationism and protectionism.
It is willfully granted by the world.
Already, former allies are not just moving away from America and its influence, but are steadily building relationships with China, India and an EU forced to recognize that it must rapidly develop the ability to defend its interests economically and militarily against both an Imperialist Autocracy in the east and and a predatory hegemony in the west, that is unequivocally the United States of America.
And while Professor Walt suggests that “predatory hegemony is a losing strategy, and (that) the sooner the Trump administration abandons it, the better,” I fear that ship has sailed and is no longer to be seen on the horizon.
Those nations that once considered the United States an ally, no longer do. And for America’s former closest allies, like Canada, today more than 68% of Canadians consider America the enemy.
For Europeans, similarly, a poll taken by the Guardian in December of last year illustrated the following results.
What is clearly now in evidence is that the United States, through its lack of leadership, greed, overt threat and hubris is no longer a nation to be respected, emulated or befriended. Allies, according to America, are no longer allies. Friends are no longer willing to be subjugated in order to receive ‘fair’ treatment.
America has squandered its power, its influence and its once respected position as a superpower.
Now, America is simply a super-predator, to be alienated, ostracized, and if not ignored to the greatest extent possible, — defended against economically and militarily, to the greatest extent possible.
The world no longer trusts America or its national aspirations.
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