How Donald Trump destabilizes the world

Life comes at you fast: One day you’re just another reality TV star squandering Daddy’s millions and fending off a lawsuit alleging child rape along with rumours that you keep a book of Hitler’s speeches beside your bed; the next day, you’re leader of the free world.

Before you know it, there you are, marauding around Europe doing your part to destabilize decades-old international alliances and the global liberal order.

It doesn’t even take much effort! That’s what you can’t believe. (That, and the fact that you’re actually president. “Hey, I’m president! Can you believe it?!” you ask lawmakers in the middle of your own speech. And no! They can’t!)

The world can’t believe the power you wield over it either. You’ve sure showed it, tough guy. Over just a few fine spring days, you’ve thrown into question the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the intelligence-sharing relationship between the Five Eyes states, and the long-standing tradition of liberal democracies supporting each other in their mission to be liberal and democratic. This here is legacy work. Turns out, all that’s required to get it done is a few alpha moves: physically shoving aside the prime minister of Montenegro so you can attain your rightful place as the grimacing focal point of a group photo-op; literally strong-arming the new president of France during an occasion that men prissier than yourself would have thought called for a simple handshake; blithely denying the well-established fact that you’re on record as having voiced support for this same French president’s opponent, who happens to run a party of neo-Nazis, during the election of a country that you happen not to govern; refusing to publicly commit to honouring your country’s commitment to other NATO countries; publicly accusing other countries of not honouring their commitments to NATO.

Then, violating the trust of the United Kingdom by leading an administration that leaked British intelligence about ISIL to the press; personally leaking the location of two nuclear submarines in the waters off North Korea to the murderous thug leading the Philippines; being heard on tape congratulating this same murderous thug for the antidrug policy he implements through murder and thuggery. It’s all so … high-energy. Sure, the nerdiest Bush brother said you’d be a chaos president, but who could have predicted in so short a time you’d be an effective chaos world leader? Even if you hadn’t unleashed this week’s bedlam against the backdrop of suspicion surrounding your administration’s possible collusion with a foreign adversary that tried to influence the election of the country you now inexplicably lead, no one could accuse you of failing to violate a whole host of diplomatic, international and western norms.

But equally, no one should be surprised.

You’ve contravened so many liberal principles at home; why not abroad? The effects have been disastrous at home; why not abroad?

You are after all a man who gets results. Domestically, you’ve maintained connections to your company, and as a result you can sell American favour to the highest Argentinian or Saudi bidder.

You’ve been cruel and threatening to journalists, and as a result you’ve seen at least two violently assaulted. You’ve praised despotic strongmen, and as a result you’ve made strongman despotism more powerful.

You’ve made a mission of legitimizing that which should ever remain illegitimate, and in this pursuit borders cannot stop you.

Wherever they’re found, norms cease being norms when people cease following them. Especially when leaders cease following them.

You have not merely neglected to affirm one vital international commitment or another, but reject the idea of international commitment itself; have not merely ignored this or that human right, but debased the very idea of them; have not merely failed to live up to liberal democratic ideals with any measure of adequacy, but have declared open season on them while endorsing international pariahs who do the same.

Hey, an unstable world leader is destabilizing the world! Can you believe it!? Shannon Gormley is an Ottawa Citizen global affairs columnist and freelance journalist.