By Sagina Walyat
The assassination attempt on a former U.S. President and presidential candidate for 2024 elections, from a nation often seen as the cradle of modern democracy, has sparked serious concerns about the health and stability of democratic principles in the country. This incident is particularly alarming as it coincides with the critical election period in the states, a time when global attention is riveted on American politics due to its far-reaching implications on global politics and economic dynamics.
The gravity of this event is exacerbated by the context of recent years, during which the U.S. has witnessed significant democratic erosion. The tumultuous and violent transition of power in 2021 served as a stark indicator of this decline. As the world continues to grapple with the waning influence of the U.S. with countries like China and Russia jostling to expand their influence such destabilizing occurrences threaten to erode global confidence in the U.S.’s ability to be the leader of the free world.
The recent attempt on the former President’s life, amidst a hysterical election season which now includes the current President Joe Biden dropping out of the race and Vice-President Kamala Harris’s candidature still not completely sealed, add to the doubts in international corridors about the health of American polity, potentially destabilizing global trust in the US.
The assassination attempt on President Trump, who is once again the Republican party’s candidate for the upcoming Presidential elections, further undermines the U.S.’s moral authority on democracy — a doctrine it has championed and attempted to enforce globally, through diplomatic pressure and sometimes through military intervention as seen in the broader MENA region in the past and Iraq. And who can forget it’s humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The U.S.’s historical stance of supposedly promoting democracy with separate billion-dollar budgets and dedicated official bodies like USAID (United States Agency for International Development) with a key object of pursuing ‘the latter bottom- up’ approach promoting and helping fund democratic groups inside other countries to strengthen democratic governance, bolstering democratic movements abroad, now comes under scrutiny amidst internal instability.
Undoubtedly America has been the sole superpower in the world after the collapse of USSR with tremendous soft power primarily built on the premise of values like freedom, liberty and democracy, which seems to be under threat now. The credibility of its ideological battles, such as challenging China’s authoritarianism and forming strategic alliances or blocs of democratic nations, is now in question.
The recent events depict a nation grappling with internal violence and instability, diminishing its influence and reliability as a global leader. This instability not only weakens America’s democratic fabric but also jeopardizes its economic and security interests, erodes the confidence of global investors and partners.
The assassination attempt holds profound implications for America’s foreign policy, including concerning Tibet. The US recently passed the ‘Resolve Tibet Act’ advocating for democratic principles as Tibet remains under Chinese occupation. A bipartisan US Congressional delegation recently visited India and met with the Dalai Lama (Spiritual leader of Tibetans) who lives in exile in India.
However, America’s current domestic turmoil undermines its ability to effectively champion democracy both at home and abroad and potentially weakens its ability to take on authoritarian regime of China.
Following the assassination attempt on Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping has once again seized the opportunity to subtly discredit ‘American-style democracy’ while attempting to showcase the Chinese governance model.
This underscores a calculated strategy to undermine US influence and an attempt to punch its weight and position itself as an alternate global leader amidst the US power decline and the evolving world shifts towards multipolarity. Undoubtedly, this event has clearly given a chance not just to China but also to other foreign adversaries of the US including – Russia and Venezuela to question America’s ‘democracy’ rhetoric that many allege is used to destabilize countries or to interfere in other nation’s domestic affairs.
The violent and chaotic nature of America’s recent political landscape impair its moral authority and could diminish its influence among allies and partners.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one of the first among world leaders in his condemnation of the attack, highlighted the weakening state of American democracy and expressed solidarity with the former President Donald Trump and tweeted: “Strongly condemn the incident. Violence has no place in politics and democracies”.
This marks the first occasion where India has directly commented on American ‘politics and democracy’. Viewed critically, this statement can be seen as a form of critique directed at the perceived instability of the United States’ democratic system.
The U.S. has a well-documented history of interfering in the domestic affairs and electoral processes of other countries, the coup in Iran against the democratically elected Pime Minister Mohammad Mossaddegh in 1953 is a case in point. There have also been reports of US trying to interfere in domestic affairs of India and Bangladesh.
In a sharp critique of Washington, Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry referenced the recent assassination attempt and stated, “We are deeply concerned by the incident,” diplomatically highlighting issues of political stability and security in the US.
Furthermore, this could signal a strategic pivot for India, leveraging its influence as the world’s largest democracy and leader of the global South, to firmly have dialogues on sensitive issues such as Khalistan extremism, which India views as being supported by factions within the US under the pretext of free speech and promotion of democracy.
In conclusion, the assassination attempt on the former President represents more than a domestic tragedy—it sends geopolitical tremors. This event marks a critical juncture for American democracy, carrying far-reaching implications for its global standing, alliances, and ideological battles. As the U.S. wields significant soft power, the international community closely watches its democratic health amid the alarming normalization of political violence in first-world countries, including recent incidents in both the U.S. and the West. The escalation of political violence within the U.S., historically seen as a bastion of democracy, is particularly concerning, underscoring the urgent need for a resilient American democracy that can restore faith in its institutions and maintain its influential role on the world stage.
Contributing Author: Sagina Walyat is an analyst, a researcher, an AsiaGlobal Fellow, The University of Hongkong and a delegate of Australia-India Youth Dialogue (AIYD), writes on India-China Relations.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
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