Let him eat cake! Birthday greetings for President Trump as he turns 80 – from Greta Thunberg, Piers Morgan and more | Donald Trump

Donald Trump’s 80th birthday has triggered a global analysis of his legacy, with observers citing his policies as catalysts for a “post-American world” defined by de-dollarization and the erosion of U.S. digital hegemony. According to critics and journalists like Cory Doctorow and Oliver Bullough, Trump’s tenure accelerated the global shift toward non-dollar currencies and decentralized finance, reducing Washington’s traditional leverage over international trade.

Why is the world accelerating de-dollarization?

Global financial systems are shifting away from the U.S. dollar to avoid American political volatility. Cory Doctorow reports that Ethiopia is already revaluing its national debt in yuan, a direct move away from dollar dependence. This trend suggests a future where the U.S. loses its “veto” over who can conduct global business.

Oliver Bullough notes that the rise of cryptocurrencies further strips Washington of its power. Historically, the U.S. used the dollar standard to control financial flows, a tactic Bullough compares to the leverage used during the Suez Crisis. He argues that privatized money means the U.S. will eventually become a “supplicant” in global finance, unable to dictate terms to other nations.

How is the EU reducing reliance on American tech?

The European Union is racing to build independent digital infrastructure to end American dominance over the internet. Doctorow points to projects like Eurostack and the European Digital Infrastructure Consortium as evidence of this pivot. These initiatives aim to replace American exports, such as Microsoft Office 365, with open, transparent alternatives hosted on EU servers.

This trend toward “digital sovereignty” reflects a broader desire for auditable tech that isn’t subject to U.S. law or corporate whims. If successful, the EU could create a blueprint for other regions to ditch the “Big Tech” monopoly, fundamentally altering how the global internet is governed.

What is the “unintended” impact of Trump on green energy?

Paradoxically, Trump’s foreign policy may have accelerated the transition to renewable energy. Peter Frankopan, a professor of global history at Oxford, argues that Trump’s attacks on Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz forced governments to prioritize energy security over climate concerns.

This shift is visible in concrete consumer changes. Doctorow notes that India is replacing gas hobs with induction tops to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. Similarly, environmentalist Bill McKibben suggests that Trump’s approach unintentionally turned him into a “salesman” for electric vehicles and wind energy by making oil dependence a strategic liability.

How has the U.S. judicial and democratic framework changed?

The long-term impact of Trump’s presidency is most evident in the U.S. judiciary. Jason Stanley, chair in American studies at the University of Toronto, asserts that the Supreme Court appointments made by Trump have “shut the door on multiracial democracy.” He argues this has shifted power permanently toward billionaires.

This sentiment is echoed by Pulitzer prize-winning author Jennifer Egan, who claims Trump nullified the bulwarks against fascism within the three branches of government. The result is a perceived transformation of the presidency into a vehicle for “self-dealing,” according to Egan, which may leave a permanent scar on American institutional trust.

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What happens to global humanitarian aid?

The gutting of USAID has created a vacuum in global health and disaster response. Columnist Arwa Mahdawi reports that these cuts have contributed to mass immiseration, citing an Oxfam analysis that predicts a child under five could die every 40 seconds by 2030 due to the loss of this aid.

This withdrawal of aid is framed by Siri Hustvedt as a rejection of “interconnectivity.” The resulting instability in regions like Gaza—where Mahdawi notes male life expectancy has plummeted from 73.6 to 35.6 years since October 2023—suggests a future where the U.S. is no longer the “world’s policeman” or its primary benefactor.

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