Populism Is Dead: The World’s Had a Front-Row Seat to America’s Chaos, and It’s Over
Populism had its moment. From rally cries and red hats to nationalist slogans and late-night Twitter tirades, it roared across the world promising to tear down the establishment and give power back to “the people.” But now, the dust has settled and what’s left is dysfunction, division, and a global audience that’s frankly had enough.
Populism is dead. And its death knell isn’t being rung by global elites or left-wing think tanks it’s being tolled by everyday voters, weary of uncertainty and unimpressed by drama.
The U.S. Was Populism’s Lab—And Trump’s Second Term Is Already Off the Rails
Donald Trump has been back in the White House for just 100 days. No cabinet churn. No mass walkouts. Just a bunch of panting sycophant lapdogs begging to have their bellies tickled by the ‘Negotiator-in-chief’. Just a presidency that has, in record time, reminded the world exactly why populism is a bad investment—politically, economically, and reputationally.
And while the 2026 midterms are still a long way off, they already loom as the inevitable referendum on Trump 2.0. Markets are uneasy. Allies are bracing and coming to terms with a West with a reliable partner. Business leaders are whispering what they can’t yet say aloud: this is not what stability looks like and as for the tech bros they are thinking – WHAT HAVE WE DONE!
Yesterday’s press briefing told the story in one absurd snapshot: Trump’s communications director, Caroline Leavitt, held up a photo of Jeff Bezos and claimed he was “working with China.” No evidence. No policy. Just a tabloid-worthy stunt posing as governance. The room blinked. The rest of the world winced. What’s with all the DIY style props anyway? Anyone would think they are in crappy gameshow.
This is populism's core flaw in 2025: it doesn’t solve problems—it performs them, if’s it’s not on TV it didn’t happen.
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Caroline Leavitt
Trump Didn’t Just Fracture the U.S.—He Handed Canada to the Liberals
As Trump’s brand of populism roared back into the West Wing, Canada took one long look and went the other way. Mark Carney’s rise to Prime Minister wasn't just a Liberal victory—it was a global statement. It was a rejection of the noise, the recklessness, and the performative politics infecting democracies elsewhere.
In many ways, Trump handed Canada to the Liberals. By dragging the conversation ever further into chaos, he made calm, competent leadership not just preferable—but essential. Canadians didn’t just vote for Carney—they voted against everything Trump stands for.
And in doing so, they effectively buried Pierre Poilievre, Canada’s own Trump-lite figure, made-for-social-media populism have become politically radioactive in the current climate. Trump didn’t just break the mould—he ruined it for the next guy too.
Mark Carney
Leadership at Pace—Without the Tantrums
To Trump’s credit, his presidency—both terms—have shown that governments can move faster. That bureaucracy can be shaken. That decisions can be made on timelines previously thought impossible.
But what leaders around the world have learned is this: you can move quickly without the tantrums. You can drive change without waving conspiracy theories at cameras. You can lead without throwing daily fits on a world stage.
Mark Carney is the anti-populist blueprint. Decisive without being divisive. Urgent without being erratic. Strategic without being stuck. He’s proof that it’s possible to move the dial without setting fire to the whole boardroom.
The Real Cost of Populism? Uncertainty
The populist experiment has come with a heavy price tag: political instability, economic unpredictability, and geopolitical volatility. For CEOs, investors, and institutions trying to navigate global markets, this brand of chaos isn't thrilling—it’s dangerous.
Markets don’t price in press room rants. Business leaders can’t plan quarterly targets based on whether the Gulf of Mexico is being rebranded as the Freedom Waterway—yes, that actually happened. This isn’t leadership. It’s performance art with nuclear codes.
Mark Carney
The Grown-Ups Are Back in Charge or at least they will be
The era of populist grandstanding is collapsing under its own weight. Its promises were loud. Its results were thin. Its consequences? They're still rippling through every sector, every market, every alliance.
But the tide has turned. With Mark Carney in Canada, and Trump’s second-term circus already wearing thin, the appetite for serious leadership is back. Leadership that can make decisions without turning every one into a meme. Leadership that can bring calm without compromising strength.
Populism won’t disappear overnight. But its influence is fading. And its tactics—tantrums, tribalism, and tired slogans—are wearing thin with voters and business leaders alike.
The world is ready for action but not at the cost of sanity. Populism had its chance. It blew it.
Their time is up.
