Donald Trump and the Brutal Redefinition of the Concept of National Sovereignty

Donald Trump's return to the international political scene marks a turning point in how national sovereignty is conceived, asserted, and sometimes imposed in relations between states. Through his stances, selective alliances, and transactional diplomacy, the American president seems to be redrawing the contours of a principle that, for decades, constituted one of the pillars of the international order. For a long time, national sovereignty was associated with a simple idea: each state has an absolute right to decide its destiny without external interference. This principle, notably enshrined by the United Nations after the Second World War, aimed to guarantee a fragile balance between nations, large or small. But the geopolitical reality of the 21st century shows that this sovereignty is increasingly relative. With Donald Trump, this notion undergoes a brutal transformation. The Trumpian approach is based on a clear logic: sovereignty is not an abstract right guaranteed by international law, but a force measured by a state's ability to impose its interests. In this view, alliances become conditional, multilateral institutions are deemed restrictive, and international cooperation only has value when it directly serves American interests. This stance has manifested in several international issues: increased pressure on certain states including Venezuela and Iran, redefinition of strategic alliances, trade war, and the instrumentalization of economic sanctions. Through these actions, Trump contributes to establishing a new grammar of international relations where power takes precedence over rules. This repositioning also influences many leaders worldwide. Several governments are now inspired by this approach, asserting a more aggressive sovereignty, sometimes to the detriment of multilateralism and international law. The implicit message is clear: in a world dominated by power dynamics, norms matter less than the capacity for pressure. For fragile or dependent countries such as Haiti, this transformation raises a crucial question. What becomes of national sovereignty when power dynamics dictate the rules of the game? For states like Haiti, which already operate in an asymmetrical geopolitical environment, this evolution can reinforce marginalization on the international stage. The Trumpian redefinition of national sovereignty is therefore not limited to American politics. It contributes to a broader reconfiguration of the world order, where the logic of power risks supplanting that of law. It remains to be seen whether this transformation will be a parenthesis linked to a particular political leadership or the prelude to a new era of international relations. For behind the rhetoric of sovereignty, the very balance of the international system is at stake. Jean Mapou / Le Relief