Trump’s New World Order – and what it means for stability and governance.

_{Image source: The White House Gallery}

Audere Group hosted our quarterly Dinner Event on Wednesday 18 March, which this time focused on US President Donald Trump’s “New World Order – and what it means for stability and governance”. The evening, conducted under the Chatham House Rule, featured a series of speeches from speakers representing the diplomatic, government, and military sectors. The speeches and subsequent Q&A session were moderated by the former Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary, and current Chairman of Audere Group, Sir Malcolm Rifkind.

The speakers offered their perspectives on contemporary geopolitics following the re-election of Donald Trump, focusing in particular on his administration’s foreign policy decisions. Speakers emphasised the United Kingdom’s continued importance within the emerging global order, highlighting its role as a central pillar of US-led security and intelligence frameworks. While acknowledging that the transatlantic relationship may appear strained at the highest political levels, they argued that, beneath the surface, it remains resilient and deeply institutionalised, capable of enduring beyond individual administrations.

Turning to the Middle East, the discussion examined the joint decision by the United States and Israel to initiate strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran on 28 February, questioning the justification for the strikes on Iran and expressed concern over the apparent absence of broad international cooperation and due process. The conversation touched upon the role of social media and artificial intelligence in contemporary politics, noting how hostile state actors can exploit digital platforms to amplify polarisation, spread disinformation, and draw segments of the population towards more extreme beliefs, thereby eroding social cohesion and trust in democratic institutions.

Taken together, the discussion underscored the complexity of the current geopolitical landscape, highlighting the interplay between traditional military power, strategic distraction, and the increasingly influential role of information warfare in shaping both international relations and domestic stability.