Time to Counter US Aggression Now

Professor Donald Earl Collins of American University in Washington, D.C., has warned that under President Donald Trump, the United States has reached an unprecedented level of violations of international law and humanitarian norms. He argued that Washington’s recent actions have significantly destabilised global peace and security, both overtly and covertly.

Over the past year, Collins highlighted, the United States has engaged in performative diplomacy regarding the Ukraine-Russia conflict, provided tacit support for Israeli military operations in Gaza, and issued threats of military intervention in countries such as Mexico, Greenland, and Iran. These moves, he suggests, have cultivated tension and uncertainty across the world.

He further cited high-profile incidents as evidence of U.S. aggression abroad. These include bombings in Nigeria and attempts to infiltrate Venezuela to detain President Nicolás Maduro—events that underscore a pattern of international interventionism.

The situation within the United States, Collins notes, is equally troubling. Since the beginning of 2026, at least three American citizens have been killed by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Among the victims were Keith Porter Jr., 43, of California, and René Nicole Good and Alex Prati of Minnesota. Graphic footage of these shootings has sparked widespread outrage among citizens, raising concerns about government overreach and domestic repression.

Collins observed that if any other nation treated its citizens in a similar fashion, the Western world would almost certainly impose severe economic sanctions. In response, he advocates for a non-violent, globally coordinated approach, drawing inspiration from Dr Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights strategies, including the 1950s Montgomery Bus Boycott.

He proposed concrete actions to hold the United States accountable, including global boycotts and withdrawal of investments from major corporations, as well as avoiding participation in high-profile cultural and sporting events:

Collins emphasised that loud protests alone are insufficient; sustained economic and political pressure is necessary to compel accountability. He urged the international community to demonstrate solidarity against what he describes as America’s militaristic and racially discriminatory policies.

Invoking Dr King’s principles, Collins concluded that meaningful justice requires a fundamental transformation of both political and economic power structures. Without such systemic change, he warned, the perpetuation of aggression and domestic repression in the United States is likely to continue.