'New US security strategy shows America no longer runs the world'

A new 33-page US national security strategy released by President Donald Trump has drawn global scrutiny for its sharp realignment of American foreign policy priorities.

In contrast to earlier strategies that framed China and Russia as primary adversaries, the new document presents China as a 'peer' and potential partner, while warning Europe that uncontrolled migration could lead to what it calls the continent’s 'decivilisation'.

Notably absent are references to North Korea, despite previous tensions, and any direct condemnation of China’s military pressure on Taiwan or its cyber intrusions.

"It's the first real official US acknowledgement that it no longer runs the world. It's an extraordinary document," says Cilliers.

He adds that the document revives elements of the Monroe Doctrine by emphasising US dominance in the Americas, downplaying Africa almost entirely, and signalling a broader ideological shift rooted in white nationalism and retreat frommultilateral rules.

"It is really a warning to the rest of us, including Europe, that we need to stand together to look after a rules-based world, which is no longer in the interest of the United States.

"It is a triumph of white nationalism, and it is not good news for the global South."

Cilliers warns that the strategy could worsen instability, weaken global governance, and embolden strongman politics, pointing to Trump’s unpredictable stance on issues like the Russia-Ukraine war and domestic 'crony capitalism'.

He argues the approach reflects Trump’s personal interests rather than shared democratic values and cautions that the global South (already marginalised in the document) may face a diminishing role in an increasingly transactional world order.

To listen to Cilliers in conversation with CapeTalk's John Maytham, click below: