The Empire Strikes Back: How Right-Wing Oligarchs Are Becoming the “Globalists” They Claim to Hate

From Nationalists to Empire-Builders: How Right-Wing Oligarchs Are Quietly Becoming the Globalists They Claim to Hate

For decades, the American right-wing has railed against the ominous specter of "globalism." The term—vague by design—has been weaponized to signify everything from free trade agreements to imagined plots by shadowy elites to undermine national sovereignty. Yet, in a twist worthy of an Orwellian plotline, the same oligarchs who decry "globalism" seem increasingly hellbent on becoming the very thing they claim to despise: empire-building globalists.

The latest example? Donald Trump’s outlandish musings about annexing Canada and Mexico. It’s not a serious policy proposal—of course, Trump doesn’t do those—but it’s a symptom of a deeper trend: a shift among right-wing elites toward a kind of 21st-century imperialism disguised as nationalism.

---

From Nationalism to Empire: A Historical Echo

History offers a cautionary tale. The great empires of the past—from Rome to Britain—didn't start as globalist ventures. They began with national consolidation, couched in patriotic fervor. What followed was expansion, justified by the same logic Trump is flirting with today: "Why should we subsidize other nations when we could just absorb them?"

Right-wing oligarchs, who market themselves as nationalist defenders of borders and sovereignty, are now inching toward a model where borders become irrelevant—so long as they’re the ones redrawing the map. Annexing other countries isn’t just a strategy; it’s the logical endpoint of their worldview. If you can own the land, the resources, and the people, why not call it all yours?

---

The Oligarchs’ Globalist Playbook

The hypocrisy of the right-wing elite becomes clearer when we break down their actual priorities. They aren’t nationalists, at least not in any meaningful sense. Their loyalty isn’t to a nation; it’s to wealth, power, and control. Here’s how their version of “globalism” plays out:

1. Economic Exploitation

The right-wing oligarchy’s primary interest is economic domination. Whether it’s tax havens in the Cayman Islands or labor outsourcing to developing countries, these so-called nationalists have global portfolios. Their disdain for “globalism” conveniently ends where their profit margins begin.

When Trump talks about “subsidizing” Canada and Mexico, he’s parroting a tired myth. The U.S. doesn’t hand over billions to its neighbors out of charity; those figures come from economic interdependence—trade, investment, and, yes, exploitation. If the oligarchs had their way, that interdependence would evolve into outright ownership.

2. Cultural Imperialism

Right-wing ideologues have long criticized globalists for undermining cultural traditions. Yet, they’re happy to impose their own culture on others. Just look at the export of American-style culture wars. Anti-LGBTQ laws, abortion bans, and "anti-woke" rhetoric are being adopted in countries where U.S. oligarchs fund far-right movements. It’s cultural imperialism, plain and simple.

If Canada and Mexico were to become U.S. states, does anyone really believe their unique cultural identities would be respected? Or would they be steamrolled by the same forces that have turned parts of the U.S. into battlegrounds for social control?

3. Military Expansion

The right-wing’s obsession with militarization is another hallmark of their imperial ambitions. A bigger empire means more justification for ballooning defense budgets. After all, you can’t protect your newfound “states” without more tanks, planes, and private military contracts, can you?

---

The Myth of Anti-Globalism

Here’s the kicker: the right-wing oligarchs love to rail against globalism because it distracts their base from realizing that the real enemy isn’t the globalists—it’s them. They’ve perfected the art of projection, accusing others of their own sins.

• Trade Deals: They denounce NAFTA as a globalist plot but ignore how it enriched corporations at the expense of workers on both sides of the border.

• Open Borders: They claim globalists want open borders while simultaneously pushing policies that create economic refugees—only to exploit them later as cheap labor.

• World Government: They warn about shadowy cabals, yet they use organizations like the World Economic Forum to lobby for policies that protect their wealth.

This isn’t anti-globalism; it’s a hostile takeover of globalism.

---

Annexation as Empire-Building

Let’s return to Trump’s Canada-Mexico gambit. On the surface, it’s a joke, a distraction, a typical Trumpian spectacle. But it reveals the underlying logic of the right-wing oligarchs: the world is theirs to carve up. Forget national sovereignty, forget borders—if it can be owned, it should be.

This isn’t just limited to Trump. It’s a mindset creeping into broader right-wing thought. Whether it’s Elon Musk eyeing Mars colonization or Peter Thiel buying up New Zealand, the same principle applies: the world is a resource to exploit, and boundaries are just speed bumps.

---

A Tale of Two Globalisms

There’s an irony here worth savoring. When Bernie Sanders or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez talk about global solidarity, they’re vilified as globalists. But their version of globalism is cooperative: nations working together to tackle issues like climate change and economic inequality.

The right-wing’s globalism, by contrast, is predatory. It’s about taking, not giving. Colonizing, not cooperating. It’s globalism with all the worst parts of imperialism, capitalism, and authoritarianism rolled into one.

---

Where Does This End?

If the right-wing oligarchs succeed in their empire-building, what’s next? Does every country with a McDonald’s get annexed? Do we start calling the Arctic Circle "Alaska North"? And how long until this empire implodes under the weight of its own greed?

The lesson of history is clear: empires built on exploitation don’t last. The oligarchs may think they’re playing a winning hand, but their globalist empire will face the same fate as all the others. And when it falls, it won’t be the billionaires who pay the price—it’ll be the rest of us.

---

The Real Globalists Are Already Here

The next time a right-wing politician rails against globalism, remember this: they’re not against globalism. They’re against a globalism they can’t control. Their version of globalism isn’t about unity or progress—it’s about domination. It’s empire-building with a new coat of paint, and we’re the ones who’ll pay for it.

So maybe it’s time to stop fighting each other over globalism vs. nationalism and start asking who’s actually profiting from this mess. Spoiler: It’s not you.