How Trump’s Rudeness Hides American Imperialism History

Source: The post How Trump’s Rudeness Hides American Imperialism History has been created, based on the article “There is a crisis of leadership in the Middle East” published in “Indian Express” on 8th March 2025

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-International Relations

Context: The article argues that the focus on Trump’s rudeness distracts from the long history of American imperialism. It criticizes the portrayal of Putin as mad, highlighting Western hypocrisy and the realpolitik behind actions of all modern nation-states, including America.

How has the United States intervened in other countries since World War II?

Since World War II, the United States has intervened in over 70 countries to destabilize or overthrow governments. Key examples include:

1. In 1947, under President Truman, the US supported pro-monarchist forces in Greece against communists.
2. In 1953, during Eisenhower’s presidency, the US helped overthrow Iran’s Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, restoring the Shah’s autocracy.
3. In 1960, the CIA was involved in the assassination of Congo’s leader, Patrice Lumumba.
4. From the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, US actions escalated the Vietnam War.
5. In 1973, during Nixon’s presidency, the US supported the rise of Augusto Pinochet’s regime in Chile.

Is Trump’s foreign policy fundamentally different from previous US presidents?

1. Trump’s foreign policy is not fundamentally different from his predecessors. The main difference lies in Trump’s lack of politeness, not in the substance of his actions. For example:
2. Under President Obama, US special operations were active in 138 countries by 2016, marking a 130% increase from the Bush era.
3. Obama’s actions were similar to Trump’s but were more diplomatically presented.

How does Western media portray leaders like Putin and Trump?

1. Western media often simplifies and psychologizes global politics by depicting Trump as rude and Putin as a madman.
2. This narrative masks the imperialist actions of past US presidents by focusing more on style than substance.
3. It contrasts European “civilisational values” with non-Western leaders, ignoring European colonial brutality, such as King Leopold II’s exploitation of Congo.

What are the real motives behind nation-state actions?

1. Nation-states, including Russia and the US, primarily act to protect their interests.
2. Framing Russia’s actions as madness while presenting US actions as rational reflects hypocrisy.
3. Past US aggressions, like the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, are analyzed in terms of national interest rather than madness.
4. The focus on manners distracts from understanding realpolitik and the true motives of powerful countries.

Question for practice:

Discuss how the focus on Trump’s rudeness diverts attention from the history of American imperialism, as highlighted in the article.