Cooperating beyond Trump

The current President of the United States, Donald Trump , was elected mainly because he embodies the feelings of those who have been excluded from economic integration, social mobility, and democratic life. That is, since his presidential campaign, this Republican devised a speech to capitalize on the disillusionment which modernity caused in large sectors of U.S. citizens.

However, one of the main characteristics of our era is economic and trade integration between nations, in order to add dynamism to local finances; this is a logic which benefits all the parties involved. It's here that the development vision between countries is based on prioritizing that what makes us similar instead of what sets us apart.

Judging by the decisions made during the Trump's administration, he's doing the exact opposite. Even when he is the President of the most powerful nation in the world, he has repeatedly shown his lack of understanding regarding the intricate international scenario, a scenario he has gotten to shape through his unpopular decisions in several areas. Luckily, it has also been proved that his influence can be restricted when the institutions of his country, together with others, work together for higher purposes. The clearest example is the recent ruling on the hosting countries for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in which the Federal International Football Association (FIFA) voted in favor of the United 2026 bid, appointing Canada, Mexico, and the United States as hosts of the World Cup. This agreement between football federations is an unmistakable sign that the possibility of creating everlasting bonds all parties can benefit from – beyond Trump.

In the American continent, we have witnessed how nationalist populism, economic narrow-mindedness, and the subsequent inability to deal with social problems has made us look to the past in nostalgia and the future with hopelessness. However, as we have seen, the only way to overcome division is through political will, social and economic integration, dialogue, and deliberation between nations.

These elements are also the basis of the relationship between Mexico, Canada, and the United States, countries which are also members of the North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ). In this regard, the decision to renegotiate the agreement – made unilaterally by Donald Trump – has pushed all three nations to the limit yet it's also clear that this is but a bitter chapter in a relationship set out to endure, long after the Republican vacates his seat of power.

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