Donald Trump, the quirky US President known for his unconventional statements about US allies and rivals both, is now reportedly mulling another project concerning the world order. Trump is reportedly weighing the formation of a new elite grouping of global powers called the "C5" or "Core Five".
This proposed bloc would include America, Russia, China, India and Japan, effectively sidelining the Europe dominated G7 and other alliances built around democratic and economic benchmarks, Politico has reported.
What is the Core 5 idea of Trump
Although there is no official confirmation, Politico reported that the concept appears in a longer, unpublished version of the National Security Strategy released last week. Politico noted it could not verify the existence of this extended document, which had been mentioned by Defense One.
The idea is to create a body of major powers not bound by the G7’s requirements. According to the report, the proposed grouping would meet regularly and would begin with discussions on Middle East security including “the normalisation of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.”
White House response and expert views
The White House has denied the existence of any such document, with press secretary Hannah Kelly insisting “no alternative, private, or secret version” of the 33 page official plan exists. Nevertheless, national security experts say the concept has a distinctly “Trumpian” tone and could suit the current administration’s outlook.
Torrey Taussig, who served as director for European affairs on the US National Security Council during the Biden administration, said the idea matches the President’s non ideological approach which favours strong players and cooperation with powerful states that influence their regions, the report said.
She also noted the absence of Europe in the proposed C5, “which, I guess, would make Europeans believe that this administration views Russia as a leading power capable of exercising its sphere of influence in Europe.”
Shifting global order
The report surfaces at a moment when Washington is already discussing how much the second Trump administration might reshape the global order. The idea portrays existing platforms such as the G7 and G20 as insufficient for a multipolar world and appears to prioritise deal making among major population and military economic powers.
US allies see this as a move that legitimises "strongmen” by placing Russia above Europe and potentially weakening Western unity and NATO cohesion.
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