‘Trump’s UNGA speech’

This is apropos quite a few letters to the Editor titled “Trump’s UNGA speech” from this writer carried by the newspaper in recent days. Donald Trump, furious, accused the assembly of hypocrisy and cowardice. He mocked the idea of collective will, insisting that only the United States could lead.

But the chamber had already moved on. Leaders from every continent had made clear that the era of American dictates was over. The collective will of nations would no longer bow to one country’s interest. The loudest message of the day was not in the words of presidents or prime ministers but in the silence that followed Trump’s speech—an emptiness where once applause would have echoed.

Perhaps the greatest irony is that America’s own power remains immense. Militarily, economically, technologically, it still towers over much of the world. But power without legitimacy is fragile. Influence without trust is fleeting. Respect cannot be commanded by force alone. Those nations that are weak or dependent may still flatter America out of fear, but those that are strong from within—confident, stable, and united—see no reason to follow. They do not mistake America’s bluster for leadership.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025