Carney Slams U.S. Policies, Calls Rules-Based Order a Lie

January 21, 2026

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a blunt speech criticizing the current global order and the conduct of major powers such as the United States. Carney claimed that the long-standing concept of a “rules-based international order” has effectively become a “lie” and is being undermined by powerful nations acting in their own interests rather than upholding agreed norms.

Rules-Based Order Called a Fiction

In his address, Carney asserted that the idea of a rules-based international system — one that ensures fair application of international law and mutual benefit — has never fully existed in practice. He suggested that powerful states have often exempted themselves from the rules when convenient, applying international law unevenly. According to Carney, this imbalance has revealed the fragility of the old system and the extent to which it functioned in the interests of dominant nations.

Carney said, “We knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially false … that the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient.”

Great Power Rivalry and Global Rupture

Carney warned that the world is not simply transitioning to a new phase but is in the midst of a rupture in the international system. He said that recent crises in finance, health, energy and geopolitics have exposed the dangers of deep global interdependence, where economic integration can be turned into a tool of coercion rather than cooperation. Great powers, Carney argued, are now using tariffs, financial infrastructure and supply chain leverage to exert political pressure on other countries.

“You cannot live within the lie of mutual benefit through integration when integration becomes the source of your subordination,” he said, stressing that nations must reassess their approaches to global engagement.

Allusions to U.S. Policy and Trump Era Tensions

While Carney did not explicitly name U.S. President Donald Trump in his remarks, he clearly alluded to recent U.S. actions that have strained international norms — including tariff threats and unilateral man oeuvres in global diplomacy that critics argue subvert established multilateral frameworks.

Observers noted that Carney’s speech reflects growing frustration among Western allies, particularly amid contentious issues like Trump’s push for controversial policies and trade measures that some see as undermining cooperative international structures.

Canada’s Call for Strategic Autonomy

Carney urged smaller and middle powers to band together and build resilience, with diversified partnerships and reduced over-reliance on any one dominant partner. He argued that multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and World Trade Organization have diminished in influence, requiring countries to pursue greater strategic autonomy while preserving a commitment to cooperation.

Response and Global Reaction

The speech garnered attention across diplomatic and economic circles. Some leaders welcomed the call for more equitable and responsive international systems, while others cautioned that undermining the rules-based order could lead to fragmentation and regional rivalries. Nonetheless, many analysts view Carney’s comments as a defining moment — one that reflects shifting attitudes toward long-held assumptions about global governance.