Background
This article originates from a discussion I had with many student friends and alumni at Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Yale University, and MIT in the second week of December 2024 about what President Donald Trump’s foreign policy in Africa could be for the next four years. After almost four hours of intense and captivating interactions, they asked if I could write an article at the African Council on Foreign Relations to answer these questions: Why did Donald J Trump lead the next world Order? Why was he chosen to lead such an important enterprise in a changing international economic order? As a loyal friend and after some hesitation, I have granted their request by writing a long article to say a few words.
Many people ask themselves why Donald J Trump would make a crucial comeback to become the 47th President of the United States of America today. Millions of experts are unable to answer this question. Indeed, the world order we are in began 2025 years ago, led by the Catholic Church, then the Roman Empire. The new world order needs to be led by a distinguished political leader who, in close observation based on history, is Donald Trump today. Every two thousand years, the world changes. That change comes under the leadership of a strong political figure. She was right when Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Emerita of the House and the Representative for California’s 11th Congressional District, declared that the 2024 US presidential elections were not a usual political race. Beyond the political race for the White House, there is a big privilege to become the leader of the next world order. And among the candidates, Donald J. Trump became the right one.
In this article, I explain President Donald J. Trump’s historical comeback was made possible to shape and execute the new rules-based international order.
The year 2025 and the definition of the rules of the new world order for the 2000 years
2025 is a crucial year in the beginning of the new world order, which is highly economic. Why this? The world order we are in today began two thousand years ago in its simple form. Every thousand years, the world starts a new world order, divided into several sub-orders: political, economic, and social. When it comes to presidents, they only have the power to shape the economic order because other forms of order are beyond their circle of control and power. Indeed, the world order we are in began 2025 years ago (25 BC), led by the Roman Empire Leader Augustus Caesar (today the Catholic Church). Leader Augustus Caesar rule defined and shaped the rules-based international order that we have had until now.
Today, we are in 2025, and history is repeating itself. Unlike in the past, the form of political government has changed. The world went from a rules-based empire governance system to an individual state rulership system, with democracy being the base upon which leaders are elected to political office.
The election of Donald J. Trump signals the beginning of a long global political and economic order. Such an order begins under the leadership of a distinguished political and spiritual leader like Donald Trump today. Trump picks several Catholics for Cabinet: Kennedy, Rubio, Stefanik, Ratcliffe, Duffy, and many more. And this is by far the most far-right cabinet in the history of the American political life. Why this? The answer is simple: the new world order is likely to be a Christian’s rules-based international order and period. And this is just getting started in 2025.
Addressing the Changing International Trade Order
Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20, 2025, is widely seen as ushering in a significant upheaval for US foreign policy and a change in how economic diplomacy is conducted in US foreign engagements. As the most important driver of America’s foreign policy, international is where Donald J Trump will focus its first 100 days to secure trade routes. In international relations since the Roman Empire, trade has always become the most powerful tool for building a strong economic power and statecraft. The first mission of Donald Trump is one of 1) a great redefinition of America’s trade policy, and this renovation must aim at making it more economic than political, which should include a regional arrangement with Canada and Mexico to reaffirm the Monroe Doctrine and 2) an economic diplomacy based on half liberal and half realism and an action plan to counter China’s growing economic influence in international trade markets.
In Europe, President Trump’s challenge is likely to win the trade war with Russia. The Ukraine-Russia war is first a global trade war to control the European market, which is by far the most sophisticated free trade market in the international trade systems. How will his administration win against Russia? Nothing is clear yet; the next two years will inform us about it.
In Africa, Donald J. Trump will not make the same mistake as he did in his first term by neglecting Africa’s role in executing the new international trade order. The African Continental Free Trade Area presents a massive opportunity for America to make a strong comeback in trade business with the African continent. Built on liberal economic principles and values, Trump’s presidency will seize this opportunity to have a strong trade and commercial footprint. Also, it is no secret that the United States has contributed to implementing most free trade agreements in the history of humanity. In 1993, the United States played a leading role in creating the EU Single Market, which is at the heart of the European integration process. Since 2018, we have begun seeing the US involved in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area through the United States Chamber of Commerce and its Africa Business Center. America can’t miss this huge opportunity to regain its trade power in Africa.
The return of a new real politics and a new global geopolitical order
Donald Trump’s return to the White House marks the return of a new real politics and a new global geopolitical order. There is a solid putting America first policy underway.
- The return of real politics
Putting America first. If Donald Trump’s election means anything, it marks the end of the liberal world order and its replacement by grim realpolitik, described by one MIT analyst as “the pursuit of vital state interests in a dangerous world that constrains state behavior.” The new realpolitik marks the end of an era in which politics was defined largely by ideology and religion. As in the 19th century, world events now revolve around control of markets, resources, technology, and military aptitude. In other words, like in the year 0025 BC, trade is becoming the real center of realpolitik. In simple terms, America’s future deepens on its capacity to control most of global trade markets and routes.
Realpolitik may be ugly but it is back. It is already being ruthlessly practiced by BRICS nations and many African countries too. Over the next few years, this will dominate America’s worldview since the challenges it faces grow daily and at a rapid space.
- A new geopolitical order emerges
As new regional powers emerge worldwide, the United States of America wants to reaffirm its supremacy as the world’s political leader. “A transition is underway to a new global order,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres acknowledged in issuing “A New Agenda for Peace,” which sets out steps to help stitch back together a world fractured and imperiled by growing “geostrategic competition and geoeconomic fragmentation.” What will happen at this geopolitical crossroads? Will Donald Trump be capable of bringing global powers into a new international political and governance system under the leadership of the United States of America and its allies?
This global geopolitical renovation, beginning with Donald Trump, will, in all likelihood, come via economic and trade policies that are designed to improve productivity and efficiency of rules-based economic and political institutions such as Bretton Woods Institutions: International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. With BRICS nations posing a significant threat to the liberal international economic and trade order, Trump has no choice but to confront the reality of the future of America in the entire global economic, governance, and political system. And he has been elected to redefine it. Will the task be easy? The answer is a big no.
Where are we heading right now?
A few questions: Will Donald Trump succeed as the pioneering leader of the new world order for the next 2000 years? What will happen at this geopolitical crossroads? Will international cooperation increase or decline under Donald Trump’s presidency? Or will growing global threats to America’s supremacy lead the White House to implement a rules-based international liberal order with a defensive realism approach to maintain America’s role as the leading global economic powerhouse?
The new world order has been under test since the year 2000, gathering lessons learned to build a highly centralized order. 2030 will also mark the second half of its implementation. By 2063, the leading country of this new world order should be known to everyone. Donald Trump’s 100 days will clarify his path to realizing this huge enterprise.
Author The Author
Jean Narcisse Djaha, PhD is the Founding President and Chairman of the African Council on Foreign Relations. He is also the Editor-in-Chief and Chief Entrepreneurship Officer at Chief Entrepreneurship Magazine. He is guided by Romans 8:30” And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified”.
