The New Art of Geopolitical Freelancing

The Rise of Unaligned Power: Disruption, Opportunism, and a New World Order

In an increasingly fragmented world, a bold new style of diplomacy is taking center stage—unpredictable, self-directed, and devoid of long-term ideological alignment. This is geopolitical freelancing. It is not diplomacy as we once knew it. It is power projection without the burden of principle. And it is fast becoming the defining style of leadership in a multipolar world.

The clearest embodiment of this strategy is U.S. President Donald Trump. But he is not alone. From Saudi Arabia to India, Turkey to Indonesia, a new generation of leaders is challenging traditional alliances, striking opportunistic deals, and pursuing short-term national gains over long-term global commitments.

From Strategic Allies to Solo Acts

The post-World War II global order, built around blocs, institutions, and shared rules, is showing cracks. NATO, the United Nations, the European Union, and Bretton Woods institutions once formed the pillars of global order. Today, leaders find them increasingly irrelevant—or worse, obstructive.

Trump’s handshake with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh on 14 May 2025 was not just the revival of US-Syria dialogue—it was a deliberate violation of every expectation set by decades of bipartisan American foreign policy. Only months earlier, Trump had declared Syria to be “not our fight.” But in Riyadh, he lifted all sanctions on Syria and praised al-Sharaa—once a militant commander of a former al-Qaeda affiliate—as “a young attractive tough guy.”

It was classic geopolitical freelancing: strategic shock for maximum attention, moral ambiguity traded for tactical flexibility, and a total disregard for institutional continuity.

A Global Trend, Not a Trump Anomaly

While Trump draws headlines, this approach is hardly his invention. He is simply its most audacious practitioner.

Take Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Under his Vision 2030, MBS has moved beyond traditional alliances with Washington and London, forging bold relationships with China, India, and even Israel. His diplomatic maneuvers defy the old Cold War playbook. Riyadh now sells oil to Beijing in yuan, invites Russian investors, and courts Silicon Valley—all while projecting itself as the new center of moderate Islam.

In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has perfected the balancing act between NATO and Moscow. He buys Russian air defense systems while maintaining American military installations on Turkish soil. He attacks Kurdish forces aligned with the U.S. while hosting peace summits that include both Ukraine and Russia. Erdoğan is not picking sides. He’s selling influence to the highest bidder.

Even India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is increasingly assertive in its geopolitical self-definition. India is a member of the Quad with the U.S., Japan, and Australia—but also buys oil from Russia, invests in Iran’s ports, and attends BRICS summits alongside China. New Delhi isn’t confused. It’s freelancing—with a purpose.

The End of Doctrine, the Rise of Deals

In this emerging order, doctrine is dead. Deals are in. Leaders no longer feel constrained by ideology, international law, or even consistency. What matters is leverage—and timing.

Geopolitical freelancers are agile. They respond not to institutional frameworks but to windows of opportunity. They abandon allies when convenient and forge new ones in real-time. For them, diplomacy is not a strategy of stability—it’s a tool of disruption.

Trump’s Riyadh moment wasn’t just about Syria. It was a message to the world: America under Trump will no longer be predictable, restrained, or tied to its past promises. Instead, it will act when it sees advantage, speak when it can command attention, and retreat when the costs are inconvenient.

Risks and Rewards

This approach comes with real risks. It undermines trust, emboldens autocrats, and destabilizes regions where consistency is critical. It makes conflict more likely and resolutions more temporary. In the absence of norms, everyone becomes a competitor—and no one a partner.

But it also reflects the reality of our time. Institutions are weaker. The West is divided. The developing world is rising. Leaders no longer ask permission—they act. And in this volatile new world, freelancing may be the only way to stay relevant.

What Comes Next?

The real question is whether this new era of geopolitical freelancing can lead to a new order—or only more chaos. As the U.S., China, and other powers drift toward transactional diplomacy, the possibility of a stable global consensus fades.

But perhaps that’s the point. In a world where borders are contested, alliances are fluid, and information is weaponized, traditional diplomacy looks archaic. Freelancers don’t seek order. They seek advantage.

And that may be the most honest reflection of international politics in 2025.

Dr Brian O Reuben is the Executive Chairman of the Sixteenth Council