Trump’s hubris and the cost to the world order

The Chambers Dictionary describes hubris as insolence, arrogance, and overconfidence that can lead to disaster or ruin. The moot question is whether this description fits the actions and personality of United States President Donald Trump. To many, if not most people, it would seem an apt description of the 47th President of the U.S. who, in his second term, seems intent on completing the unfinished tasks of his first, and in a manner that leaves no one in any doubt about his narcissistic attributes. To some, this may appear too harsh a judgment, but considering reactions from across the globe, the majority would agree.

Mr. Trump’s actions at the beginning of this year in Venezuela, followed by his shenanigans in West Asia, suggest that he fully comprehends what he is doing. His supporters even cite historical precedents to justify his actions. They refuse to accept that all this only confirms the rise of the ‘illiberal international’, which is reshaping the global order today.