Why American power is declining

Over the 500 years, there is no country in the world other than the United States of American which started from scratch and transformed into a superpower. From a nascent state in 1776, the US gradually became a regional power in 1898 after defeating Spain in a war and then emerged as a global power after the end of Second World War. Unfortunately, in 2025 after around 250 years of independence from Great Britain, the US leadership is fast declining. The war in Ukraine and the Israeli attack on Qatar, a close US ally, are clear evidences of Washington losing its writ in global affairs.

Former US Secretary of State Dr Henry Kissinger in his pioneering book on leadership correctly stated that, "leadership is most essential during periods of transition, when values and institutions are losing their relevance, and the outlines of a worthy future are in controversy. In such times, leaders are called upon to think creatively and diagnostically. The leaders as strategist face an inherent paradox: in circumstances that call for action, the scope for decision-making is often greatest when relevant information is at its scantiest." From America's first president George Washington in 1789 to Donald Trump in 2005, one can witness gradual erosion of US leadership in terms of prudent decision-making and use of power for the success and glory of America.

The decline of the US leadership is a reality despite Trump's pledge to 'Make America Great Again'. But the greatness of America is not reflected by letting Israel, its strategic ally, carry out relentless genocide in Gaza and the occupied West Bank and spending around one trillion dollars on defence without ensuring peace around the world. America has the world's largest economy amounting to 30 trillion dollars, but its debt too has reached 38 trillion dollars. The quality of life of 330 million Americans, excluding some billionaires, is getting low with the passage of time. In this scenario, the role and responsibility of American leadership must be to prevent unabated use of force against non-combatants. What Israel is doing against Palestinians and what it recently did to Qatar, an American ally and the mediator between Hamas and Israel, means that American leadership has no control over the Jewish state. Here, one needs to ponder as to why American people are unable to push their leadership - whether in the White House or in Congress - to play a role which could mitigate anti-Americanism in the world and control Israel's belligerent acts.

The US still wields the instruments of global military power, technology and economy, but it is fast losing its edge in global affairs. Under the leadership of China and Russia, the threat to American influence is real. For how long the West will remain united under the American leadership to prevent Moscow and Beijing deepen their influence in global affairs is yet to be seen. The recently held SCO and BRICS summits give a clear message to the US: days of American leadership are over and soon the world will move towards inclusive and multipolar mode of governance.

When history will be written about the rise, decline and fall of American power, it will certainly refer to six major realities: the surge of far right forces in the form of neo-conservatives; failure of American leadership to prevent racism; failure to provide equal opportunities to all Americans in education and employment; failure to control the surging debt; failure to rein in Israel and adopt a just foreign policy narrative about Palestine; and failure to prevent anti-Americanism in the world and use American power for a just world order. To top it all is the reality of decline in ethics in American leadership. When the US president doesn't care about judiciary, laws, rules and regulations about immigration and equal opportunities, one can expect further erosion of US leadership. As long as America was receptive to ideas promoting democracy, multiculturalism, rule of law and justness, it had a high moral ground; but when it drifted towards an exclusive mode of governance, it caused a surge in polarisation in American society.

The decline of American leadership needs to be analysed from three sides.

First is the need to re-think, re-invent and revitalise American dream. It was because of the hard work, intelligence and integrity of American leadership in the formative phase of the country that caused it to transform from a nascent state to a regional and a global superpower. The present generation of Americans is a beneficiary of vision and planning of those who founded the United States and governed it in its formative phase and later on. It is essential that the contemporary American leadership learn from the past and understand what made their country so special and so great. Since the US leadership has deviated from the principles that were followed by their predecessors, the outcome is a steady decline of America. Instead of pursuing an arrogant, unrealistic and chauvinistic approach on issues central to domestic and foreign policy, the US leadership should follow a pragmatic line so that America is less polarised and again becomes a role model for the outside world. The 'Make America Great Again' slogan would remain hollow unless the American leadership learns from its failures and move on.

Second, despite its decline, the US is still capable of strengthening its position because of its research and development, in particular. Even if Trump administration's exclusive policies have caused damage to the American power, one needs to understand the resilient nature of American people. For a long period of time, the US had been a source of attraction to talented and capable individuals who played a pivotal role in the greatness of America. Creativity and innovation became the hallmark of American society. Even if the Trump administration manages to prevent talent from abroad, it will not have a huge impact. Taking steps against Harvard and other world class universities in America will not cease the influx of talent from abroad.

Third, it is President Trump's bad luck that America's big cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York are controlled by the Democratic Party. Trump is trying to control these cities by deploying US military under the cover of dealing with law and order and curbing illegal immigrants. As long as there is demand for innovation, creativity and talent, there is only a marginal likelihood of the US losing its edge in global affairs.