The World Feels More Dangerous, and Democracies Are Struggling to Keep Up. That’s the sobering takeaway from this year’s Halifax International Security Forum (HFX 2025), where 300 leaders from the world’s democracies gathered to assess the state of global security. But here’s where it gets controversial: while the forum buzzed with concern, the elephant in the room was the accelerating pace of change under the Trump administration, which has left even seasoned observers stunned. Trump 2.0, as some are calling it, is a far cry from its predecessor, and its impact on global stability is deeply unsettling.
The Absence of American Leadership Was Palpable. This year, the Pentagon’s ban on U.S. officials attending events by organizations deemed ‘America Last’ meant no senior U.S. commanders were present. This symbolic snub underscored a broader trend: the erosion of American reliability as a global leader. And this is the part most people miss: it’s not just about Trump. European and British participants quietly admitted their own democracies are vulnerable to rising populism, fueled by inequality and porous borders, which are chipping away at public trust in democratic institutions.
Beneath the surface-level talk of shared democratic ‘values,’ there’s a grim realization: the liberal order built on U.S. leadership after World War II is crumbling. The pillars of this order—reliable alliances, free trade, and democracy—are faltering. The fallout? Fractured political cohesion and weakened intelligence sharing. Take Ukraine, for instance. Its defiance against Russian aggression remains a beacon of democratic resilience, but the Trump administration’s murky ‘peace plan’ has sown confusion and concern, even among U.S. Senators.
Security Isn’t Built on Goodwill Alone. It relies on logistics, intelligence, equipment, and political will. When a key partner like the U.S. sends mixed signals, the entire system cracks. Democracies now face a dual challenge: externally, the rise of revisionist powers like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea (dubbed ‘CRINKS’ at last year’s forum) are flexing their muscles, often with coordinated aggression. Internally, the certainty of alliances is eroding as domestic politics and shifting public opinion threaten the stability of U.S. leadership.
Where Does This Leave Other Democracies? Canada, for one, made promising commitments at Halifax—new personnel, procurement funding, and a stronger presence in the High North. But the real challenge lies in capability interoperability, secure supply chains, and sovereign intelligence. Democracies must not only stand together but operate as one. The question is: will this unity come through NATO, the EU, or a new ‘coalition of the willing’?
The Middle East Exposed the Cracks. While Ukraine united allies around territorial sovereignty, the Gaza war revealed how humanitarian, sectarian, and domestic pressures divide responses. Conflicts with deep moral and domestic resonance threaten alliance unity more than conventional wars. Democratic governments must find ways to speak with one voice, not just on security, but on rights, values, and shared risks.
The Next Battleground Is Technological. Artificial intelligence, quantum computing, secure communications, and satellite intelligence are the new frontiers. Democracies must compete here or risk falling behind. China, for instance, is far better at scaling innovation and making it affordable for the Global South. The West’s drastic cuts to development assistance, particularly Trump’s gutting of USAID, are shortsighted. NATO’s new framework for emerging technologies highlights AI, hypersonic weapons, and quantum computing as priorities, but commercial firms, regulators, and defense planners rarely collaborate effectively.
HFX 2025 Was More Than a Conference. It commissioned essays by Nobel Peace laureates, launched initiatives like the Peace with Women Fellowship and the 15@15 Youth Building Democracy competition, and awarded the John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service. It’s a vital platform for informed public discussion on collective security.
The Era of American Reassurance Is Over. Democracies can no longer rely on Cold War-style dependence. They must invest in sovereign capabilities, deepen alliance interoperability, and build resilient technology ecosystems. Ukraine is a symbol, but the next test could come in the form of a drone-induced blackout, a cyberbot-driven data cascade, or a divided allied response.
The Rules-Based Order Is Evolving. For middle powers like Canada, survival depends on both rhetoric and readiness. Declarations of solidarity are important, but deliverable arms and a mutually reinforcing industrial defense capacity are critical. Democracies must become operationally aligned, not just values-based. Halifax delivered that message loud and clear. The hard work starts now.
Thought-Provoking Question: As democracies grapple with internal and external challenges, is the current alliance structure enough to ensure global stability? Or do we need a fundamentally new approach? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s spark a conversation that matters.
