European elites published a critical report at the Munich Security Conference, framing Trump as a destructive force to the world order.
The Report’s Narrative
The report, released during the Munich Security Conference, aims to establish a narrative positioning current America as a source of global destruction. Authors acknowledge hypocrisy within the existing world order but proceed to build their case as if defending something valuable. The title, “In Demolition,” with a disintegrating Republican elephant symbol, ironically references “In Progress,” used by creators worldwide.
The report states, “Trump destroys things to build something completely different.” It distinguishes between “Demolition People,” driven by a “desire for destruction” rooted in frustration with official structures, and those seeking to reform the world order, whose alignment with the old system is less clear.
Destruction vs. Reform
The report charts low enthusiasm for the old order among societies governed by liberal parties, suggesting “Demolition People” have social roots. A cited study shows a strong majority believing current governments will leave future generations worse off, particularly in France (60% vs. 12%), Germany, and the UK.
Chinese respondents (80%) are the largest optimists, attributed to the state-promoted “great rejuvenation of China.” The report suggests Western reliance on respondents’ honesty, while controlling the narrative domestically, effectively undermines Western morale.
International Law Concerns
The report ironically references former US Secretary of State Dean Acheson’s “Present at the Creation,” stating they are now “present at the destruction” due to withdrawals from international organizations and disregard for international law. It contrasts previous administrations’ legal arguments with the Trump administration’s apparent indifference.
The core concern is the emergence of a “order without standards,” based on individual leaders’ moral senses, citing Trump’s claim that international law limits him only by his “own morality.” His actions, like the Maduro abduction and Iranian nuclear bombing, aimed at good ends but bypassed international norms.
Accusations of Bloodshed
The report accuses Trump of bloodshed, citing data that eliminating USAID will cause 14 million deaths by 2030. Europeans thus confront Trump’s team with charges not only of destroying the liberal world order based on human rights but also of having blood on their hands.
