Trump's tariffs cement new multipolar global economy: Expert
The shift away from a US-dominated system is no longer theoretical, it is active and accelerating.
'Multipolarity now defines the direction of global trade,' says Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group, one of the world's largest independent financial advisory and asset management organizations.
'These tariffs are forcing countries to rewire their trade, capital, and strategic priorities. The world is moving toward multiple centres of economic power and influence.'
Effective August 7, the US will impose tariffs on nearly every major trading partner.
Countries running a trade deficit with the US face a 15% floor. Canada has been hit with 35%. Brazil, 50%.
India now faces a 25% rate, alongside a financial penalty for continuing energy and defence ties with Russia—despite being positioned by Trump as a close ally.
'India's inclusion shows how quickly partners can become pressure points. This pressure is already nudging New Delhi toward deeper cooperation with trade rival Beijing. The consequences will be long-term.'
While trade deals with China and Mexico remain under negotiation, the broader international response is already unfolding.
'Beijing, Moscow, and increasingly Delhi are coordinating more closely on trade, infrastructure, and investment. Long-time allies like Switzerland and Taiwan are reassessing risk. Many governments are seeking to reduce exposure to Washington's economic leverage altogether.
'This isn't a rerun of past trade disputes. It is a global shift away from reliance on the US as the central node. New trade networks are forming by necessity, not necessarily by preference.'
Diplomatic talks with China have intensified in recent months, with meetings in Geneva, London, and Stockholm.
Beijing is focused on securing a continued freeze on US semiconductor export controls. Washington is demanding action on fentanyl, greater access for American firms, and increased Chinese purchases of US goods. But the real story lies beyond the negotiating table.
'Tariffs are being baked in as permanent features of the new economic order. Countries are responding by building systems that can operate without US permission.'
The US tariff list now stretches across continents. Switzerland faces 39%. South Africa, Libya, Algeria, Serbia, and several others between 30% and 41%. Taiwan, Israel, Pakistan, and Norway are all in the 15–20% range. The sweep is deliberate—and global.
'Markets are adjusting. Capital is shifting. Supply chains are realigning around regional strength, not global scale.'
Nigel Green continues: 'The dollar remains dominant, but its influence is no longer unchallenged.
'Central banks are pursuing alternatives. Reserve diversification is accelerating. Regional trading blocs are pushing forward with new payment infrastructure, less reliant on Washington's rules.
'This fragmentation is the new baseline. The post-war consensus on trade and financial cooperation is fading. What replaces it is a world of multiple economic power and influence centres, each with its own rules and reach.'
For investors, the implications are direct. Correlations are weakening. Policy risk is climbing. Exposure to geopolitical realignment is no longer abstract; it's active.
"Anyone still expecting a return to the old system is behind the curve. This is the direction of travel now. Global trade will be multipolar. Capital allocation must reflect that.'
The deVere CEO concludes: 'It locks in a new world order where influence is distributed, and alignment is increasingly transactional. For global investors, it marks the start of a generation-defining realignment.
'From here, economic and trade power is going to become more fragmented—and competition for it more intense.'
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