America as a Revisionist Power: Trump, “America First,” and International Order
摘要
This chapter explores how Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy seeks to revise the liberal international order (LIO), positioning the United States as a revisionist power, particularly in his second term. It argues that the Trump administration actively works to dismantle the LIO, challenging its structural and normative foundations. Beginning with a conceptual distinction between status quo and revisionist states, the analysis highlights the challenges of identifying revisionist actors. The discussion then traces the origins and evolution of the LIO, emphasizing its structural principles—such as national sovereignty, political self-determination, and multilateralism—as well as its normative foundations rooted in liberal ideals like free trade, democracy, and human rights. Trump’s policies are shown to have undermined these principles by rejecting multilateralism, questioning alliances, and embracing protectionist economic strategies. The potential trajectory of a second Trump administration suggests a further erosion or dismantling of the LIO’s core tenets. Without a strong rededication to its foundational principles by other committed states, the international system risks entering a period of profound uncertainty and instability.