• Report cautions that Trump's 'wrecking-ball politics' threatens to create a world dominated by regional hegemons and wealthy elite
• Survey finds that 69% of Germans, 60% in France and Italy, and 53% in UK fear Trump's policies will harm the world

BERLIN

US President Donald Trump's "bulldozer" politics is destroying the international order and paving the way for a world shaped by the rich and powerful and regional hegemons, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) warned in its new report.

"The world has entered a period of wrecking-ball politics. More than 80 years after construction began, the US-led postwar international order is now under destruction," the report said ahead of the conference, which opens Friday with more than 100 world leaders, defense and foreign ministers expected to attend.

The annual report's cover featured an elephant -- a choice that seemed to refer to the Trump administration as "the elephant in the room" in world politics. It argued that Washington's disruptive agenda, including its disregard for international law and attempts to dismantle existing rules and institutions, would have a profound impact on crises and conflicts worldwide.

"The Trumpian illiberal-nationalist challenge to the international order is not merely a matter of policy adjustment or tactical divergence," the authors said, stressing that the Trump administration firmly believes the post-1945 international order no longer serves US interests and is actively seeking to dismantle it. This shift could have far-reaching consequences for world peace, they warned.

"The US under Trump disregards some of the most basic norms of the post-1945 system: territorial integrity and the prohibition of the threat or use of force against other states," the report said, citing Trump's insistence on acquiring Greenland and his use of force against targets in Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen -- all within his first year in office. "If the leading state fails to abide by the underlying principle of the international legal system it once championed, the already ailing system faces total collapse,” the authors cautioned.

Rise of anti-establishment movements and 'culture war'

The 121-page report noted that the shift in US politics under the Trump administration reflects a broader trend across many Western countries, where the rise of far-right and anti-establishment movements has unleashed a "culture war" against liberal ideals and institutions.

According to the authors of the report, these movements show particular disdain for open borders, multiculturalism, and liberal internationalism more broadly -- which, they claim, put their countries at risk of civilizational decline.

To achieve their goals, these movements readily destroy institutions. But the report questioned whether this destruction actually clears the ground for policies that will increase people's security, prosperity and freedom.

“Instead, we might see a world shaped by transactional deals rather than principled cooperation, private rather than public interests, and regions shaped by regional hegemons rather than universal norms,” it warned. “Ironically, this would be a world that privileges the rich and powerful, not those who have placed their hopes in wrecking-ball politics.”

US retreat deepens European insecurity

The Munich Security Conference report extensively covered the future of transatlantic relations between the US and Europe, examining the implications of Trump's policies for European security.

"Washington's gradual retreat, wavering support for Ukraine, and threatening rhetoric on Greenland are heightening Europe's sense of insecurity," it said. "The US approach to European security is now perceived as volatile, oscillating between reassurance, conditionality, and coercion. Facing shifting signals from Washington, European nations are striving to keep the US engaged while preparing for greater autonomy."

A Munich Security Conference survey found that European public opinion was increasingly concerned by US President Trump's policies. When asked if these policies would benefit their country, 72% of Germans said no, along with 63% in France, 60% in Italy, and 54% in the UK.

Regarding their impact on the world, 69% of Germans, 60% in France and Italy, and 53% in the UK said they would be bad for the world. As for US reliability within NATO, 66% of Germans, along with 52% in the UK, 50% in France, and 47% in Italy, said the US has become a less reliable NATO member in the last six months.

The report suggested that European states should maintain their unity, develop their defense capabilities, and forge new strategic partnerships to address growing unpredictability and strengthen international institutions.

"Effectively pushing back against the demolition men requires much more political courage and innovative thought. The actors defending international rules and institutions need to be just as bold as the actors who seek to destroy them," the report said.