Asia Global Institute

Thanks to Trump, the gloves are off. There may be no new global order

Saturday, May 9, 2026

Thanks to Trump, the gloves are off. There may be no new global order

Andrew Sheng, AGI Distinguished Fellow, argues in the South China Morning Post that the re-election of Donald Trump signals the definitive end of the post-WWII liberal order.

With "the gloves off," global relations are shifting from cooperation toward raw power dynamics and protectionism. Sheng suggests that we may not see a "New World Order" at all, but rather a fragmented, "disordered" world where nations must navigate unpredictable bilateral deals. For Asia, this means the safety net of international law is fraying, necessitating greater self-reliance and strategic agility to survive an era of unprecedented systemic instability.

Read the full article here.

Author

Andrew Sheng

Distinguished Fellow, Asia Global Institute

Andrew Sheng

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