"Make us great!" The colonial fantasies of Meloni and Trump

Pars Today — Analysis shows that Trump and Meloni represent a trend that fears the decline of Western power.

Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Prime Minister, in her recent meeting with Donald Trump, raised the hollow slogan "Let's Make the West Great Again." This slogan, reminiscent of Trump's famous campaign motto "Make America Great Again," is not a realistic plan for the future but rather a dangerous nostalgia for a return to the era of Western hegemony—marked by colonization, devastating wars, and the plundering of global resources.  

The "greatness" of the West: The other side of crime and exploitation  

When Western leaders speak of past "greatness," what image do they have in mind? Are they referring to the period when Europe and America ravaged continents through slaughter and slavery? Is their idea of greatness rooted in slavery, the genocide of Native Americans, the Opium Wars in China, or the colonization of Africa and the Middle East?  

Western history is filled with bloody episodes: from Belgium’s massacre in the Congo, which claimed millions of lives, to America’s devastating wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Even today, these same colonial powers, under the guise of democracy and human rights, have become the main supporters of the ongoing genocide against Palestinians. Is this the "greatness" that Meloni and Trump want to restore?  

The West today: The decline of hegemony and fear of a multipolar world  

Trump and Meloni represent a political trend that fears the decline of Western power. The rise of China, Russia’s resistance against NATO, and the awakening of the Global South indicate that the era of Western dominance has come to an end. But instead of embracing a multipolar world, Western politicians are trying to preserve the remnants of their hegemony through militarism, unilateral sanctions, and economic warfare.  

The United States’ sanctions against China, Russia, and Iran, its unconditional support for the Zionist regime, and its efforts to weaken independent international organizations all point to the West’s fear of losing global dominance. However, this strategy does not make the West "great" again; instead, it has turned it into an isolated and unreliable actor on the world stage.  

Rules-based order or organized bullying?  

The West claims to defend a "rules-based order," but in practice, this order is nothing more than the imposition of Washington and Brussels' preferred rules on others. When the U.S. disregards the UN Security Council, when Europe uses its veto power to shield Israel’s crimes, and when the International Criminal Court only pursues African and Russian leaders, it becomes clear that international law applies only to the weak.  

Gaza is a stark example of this hypocrisy: while the West supports the genocide of Palestinians, the same countries impose sanctions on others in the name of "human rights." This moral double standard reveals the true nature of Western "greatness": domination disguised as democracy, exploitation in the name of freedom.  

Does the West really want to be "great"?  

If the West truly seeks "greatness," it must learn from its dark history:  

- Instead of sanctions and war, it should pursue international cooperation.  

- Instead of supporting oppressive regimes, it should respect the rights of oppressed peoples.  

- Instead of militarism, it should commit to diplomacy and global justice.  

But the slogans of Meloni and Trump show that they seek a return to an era of bullying, not reforming international relations. "Making the West great again" in their rhetoric means reverting to 20th-century imperialism—a path that not only fails to bring stability to the world but also fans the flames of conflict.  

True greatness lies in justice and peace building, not domination  

Today’s world needs leaders who believe in justice and equality among nations, not nostalgia for collapsed empires. True greatness is not measured by the number of U.S. military bases around the world, nor by Europe’s unjust sanctions, nor by silence in the face of Israel’s crimes. If the West wants to be "great" again, it must abandon exploitation and war and become a guardian of peace, not a driver of conflict.  

But as long as politicians like Trump and Meloni cling to the dream of colonial empires, this aspiration will not only remain unfulfilled but will also accelerate the decline of the West.

MG/UR