U.S. President Donald Trump’s straight away comments on the recent mid-air collision, bits of which ramped up again the issues of diversity, inclusion and the rest of (we won’t go into those) it, seem to cast him more in the mould of a neo-nationalist. And this again calls up the need to examine closely some aspects of first proclamation earlier as American President.

Ordinarily, we try to locate the hue of the foreign policy of a country in the inaugural proclamation of its newly sworn in president such as Donald Trump of the United States (U.S.).

At least officially, the U.S. still sticks to the practice where her foreign policy is meaningfully utilised not just to protect its territory and Americans, but to the advancement of democracy, human rights, and the other well-known interests, and to which one can add the promotion of international understanding of American values and policies. 

All through, the fingers that grind the mill can also be felt in trade diplomacy, sanctions regime, military/defence, intelligence, foreign aid, and global environmental policy. Yet, what the American Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) can elucidate on foreign policy, is only what is deemed “safe” for unveiling. 

There are indeed many layers of intents and recognitions about core foreign relations values of nations that will take a whole lifetime to come to complete grasp of as they keep evolving with the dynamics of the times.

President Donald Trump’s conviction about the American “golden age beginning right now” at his 2025 inaugural speech, was infectious. His was laden with high authenticity! 

Yes, he did speak about the middle east, “war (of competition and fairness) with China”, retrieving the country from the terror of neighbours as well as a host of domestic policies. But for us, conscious of our prism, we would be more inclined towards unfolding the tissues around lines that should be ringing some bells in Nigeria while we soak in the learning curves. 

And yes, many were not so stunned by the Executive Orders issued so far. These were supposed to be for the “complete restoration of America” and the revolution of common sense!

In ending what was referred to as “the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life” and forging a society that is colourblind and merit-based, and in inflating the flattened balloon to raise the policy of only two genders-male and female, President Trump connected with pure naturalism and the good old school values.

Trump’s missive to his countrymen and the world was also full of linkages. He drew one between inflation and the energy crisis while declaring a national energy emergency.

When in one fell swoop, a president ended the Green New Deal, revoked the electric vehicle mandate, and overhauled the trade system to protect American workers and families, wouldn’t citizens who are now going to be taxed less, reap the benefits?   

Always a gadfly and like or hate him, Trump comes across as a nationalist, or should we saw now, a neo-nationalist? A man with a nose for country glory. We easily see this now in the decision to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America!   

The U.S. had always been strong militarily. But in recent times it would seem she had been jaded by not a few inroads of competing powers and, strange, by a few daring neighbours even if they be proxy moves.

So, the American military state of play was not spared by Trump’s searing glances, stating gleefully (while stressing the need to build the strongest military the world has ever seen), among others, that “We will measure our success not only by the battles we win but also by the wars that we end — and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into.”  Now, I think the last words in the fore paragraph is worth paying attention to.

As always, the Republican American President speaks his mind, calling a piggy, a pig, leaving you to discern what, during his presidency, could be the U.S. Foreign Policy and how that might affect your country, dealing with the world’s most powerful nation.   He deftly reminded the world that: “Our American ancestors turned a small group of colonies on the edge of a vast continent into a mighty republic of the most extraordinary citizens on Earth.  No one comes close.”
 
He went on and on charging Americans further and very, very proudly: “Americans pushed thousands of miles through a rugged land of untamed wilderness. They crossed deserts, scaled mountains, braved untold dangers, won the Wild West, ended slavery, rescued millions from tyranny, lifted billions from poverty, harnessed electricity, split the atom, launched mankind into the heavens, and put the universe of human knowledge into the palm of the human hand.” 

Surely, he must have lifted the spirits of “unity government, one people” proponents when he assured his country men that working together means “there is nothing we cannot do and no dream we cannot achieve” 
 
Americans must have been proud to hear their new president tell the world about the steel of his ancestors who “laid down the railroads, raised up the skyscrapers, built great highways, won two world wars, defeated fascism and communism, and triumphed over every single challenge that they faced.”

For a leader to be able to say: “We will stand bravely, we will live proudly, we will dream boldly, and nothing will stand in our way because we are Americans…” clearly presupposes that there are now shoulders of hard work set up to be stood upon. 

In a presidential communication that was punctuated endlessly by standing ovations, He blurted “Our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored. The scales of justice will be rebalanced…”  yes, the scales of “justice”! 

There was also this pledge of his, to use sheer momentum to “annihilate” challenges. The momentum which might have eluded Americans had he not been saved from the assassin’s bullets.  Hear him in this regard: “…I believe even more so now that my life was saved for a reason.  I was saved by God to make America great again” Such confidence. Or might we call it something else?

Judging from his travails and a toxically divisive public opinion, one big lesson about having quality state institutions that has not escaped the periscope of keen observers was also touched by Trump who talked up elections conduct and outcomes: “For American citizens, January 20th, 2025, is Liberation Day.  It is my hope that our recent presidential election will be remembered as the greatest and most consequential election in the history of our country.” 

Now, a person such as the late M.K.O Abiola (loved by a growing many by the day) of blessed memory, could have easily made this kind of assertion following the historic June 12, 1993 elections, but alas, he was not allowed to! And today given the performance of INEC and the political class, no one is sure there is a Nigerian leader in the horizon who would be able to say anything near this.

In Trump’s America today, immigrant cartels are now designated foreign terrorists’ organisations whereas for a long time in our recent past, a Nigerian government struggled to designate those who killed, maimed and sabotaged the Nigerian economic and political infrastructure, as a terrorist group!

I thought President Barack Obama’s inauguration after being sworn in for his second incarnation in 2013, was a smooth and gracious. With his hand on two Bibles- one, once owned by Dr. King and another, once owned by Abraham Lincoln, then 51-year-old was relishing his victories having earlier in 2009, spoken directly to the nation’s adversaries, warning terrorists that “we will defeat you,”and telling dictators that “we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”

When earlier in 2009, I witnessed the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the U.S., in Washington DC, citizens and a huge chunk of the global citizenry jumped on the sheer oratory and promise of that historic moment. 

Today, people are dancing to a rekindled nationalistic fervour coming from both the lips and body language of Trump.  Now, the 78-year-old’s adversaries and perceived enemies of his country, are a bit different from those of the Obama years. And if Trump’s inauguration sound bites were this fierce, one wonders how his State of the Union speech would be like when it is delivered. 

Remembering the fun I had during the 2009 inaugural balls, I am wont to recall also, the days when the big masquerade known as Ojuju Calabar used to be dreaded in parts of Nigeria. Well, in trump, it looks like we are now having an Ojuju Calabar on the world stage!

But what are the limits of neo-nationalism? Just how “dangerous” could it be? What are the sensible ways to check the rampaging globalisation should any leader or nation-state be uncomfortable with it? Another discourse is needed on this.
Obayuwana is a former Foreign Affairs
Editor of The Guardian, now with the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja.