The Populist Donald Trump: The Beginning of America’s Disintegration (2-2)
By Ali Askouri
The danger of the populist approach lies in its direct fueling of separatist tendencies. This is exactly what happened in Europe following the Treaty of Westphalia. Populism in Europe produced regions that are difficult to accept as countries due to their limited size and population. For example, Luxembourg spans approximately 2,600 square kilometers with a population of about 700,000 people. Liechtenstein covers only about 62 square miles (yes, just 62), with a population of around 40,000. Similarly, we see examples like the Vatican, San Marino, Gibraltar, Malta, and others.
I have no doubt that the populist approach adopted by President Trump will gradually foster and lead to America’s disintegration into many smaller states. Of course, this is a historical inevitability that will unfold slowly—something future generations, not ours, will witness. Regardless of its strength, America cannot escape the inevitabilities of history and the eternal human struggle for a society that offers justice and self-fulfillment. Unfortunately, despite its reputation as the land of freedom and opportunity, America has not achieved this. Despite extreme wealth for some, about 13% of its population—approximately 45 million people, nearly equivalent to Sudan’s population—still live in poverty.
Trump’s remarks about annexing Canada, Mexico, and the Panama Canal evoke memories of European history, with their rush to colonize, expand, and exploit other nations—a process they justified as the “right of conquest.” Ultimately, these colonized peoples rose up, expelled their occupiers, and dismantled the European empires, leaving them diminished and forgotten. (As the Quran states: “And neither heaven nor earth wept for them, nor were they given respite.” [Ad-Dukhan: 29]).
I believe Trump’s statements caused unease not only in the countries he mentioned but likely within the U.S. military itself. Military leaders, for instance, would find it difficult to justify invading Canada, Mexico, or any other country, especially given America’s previous defeats in various parts of the world. These remarks will also fuel suspicions in Europe, even among America’s closest ally, England, as Canada remains under the British crown. Europeans may wonder: if America has ambitions to annex Canada and Mexico, could it harbor secret intentions to annex parts of Europe? Europeans have long harbored doubts about America’s positions and intentions toward them (refer to my article: Europe and America: Is the Breakup Imminent?).
Contrary to the prevailing belief in America’s strength and invincibility, I consider the U.S. a fragile state internally, unlike Russia. Trump’s populist tendencies will undoubtedly fuel internal separatist movements. The rhetoric of “America First” will eventually lead to “Our State First,” intensifying priority conflicts among different states and inevitably driving separatist sentiments. This trend will worsen if Trump translates his statements into actions.
In conclusion, what can be said is that “Western civilization” has reached its peak and has become bankrupt, with nothing more to offer humanity. The same process that eroded European empires will erode American hegemony. The election of a populist leader is the clearest indication of this bankruptcy. History does not move backward, and populism collapsed nearly a century ago. Yet here we see America, despite its scientists, thinkers, writers, and intellectuals, unable to produce a leader other than someone more akin to a wrestler than a statesman. Trump leads with no ideology other than imperialistic ambitions enforced through the state’s power and dominance. It has become evident that American intellectuals and thinkers have exhausted their ability to guide their country and its citizens, leaving them to ride the wave of populism.
Drawing parallels between America’s trajectory and Sudan’s situation, I point out that the primary cause of our current dire state is the long-standing suppression of national thinkers, intellectuals, and writers under successive military regimes—from Abboud to Bashir and his extremist religious state. These regimes perfected the art of silencing intellectuals, forcing them into migration or silence for safety. With the disappearance of opinion leaders under Bashir, a group of opportunists emerged, advocating regionalism, tribalism, and backward forms of populism in an attempt to fill the intellectual void. However, their inadequacy led the country into its current predicament. Today, we see groups claiming to fight for democracy yet targeting specific tribes for extermination, while so-called advocates for democracy remain silent.
Damn democracy.
This land is ours.
(Originally published on “Sudanese Echoes” website.)
