U.S. in 2025: 24% of global GDP, 750 military bases, and leadership in technology and culture sustain its global influence

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright as soon as stated, “We’re the indispensable nation,” referring to the USA. The late journalist Carlos Alberto Montaner commissioned me to put in writing a ebook with this title. His thought was {that a} ebook was wanted to tell the world concerning the distinctive contributions of the USA to the world.

He thought that every one 174 embassies/consulates and the other 98 free-standing consulates world wide would need to reward the ebook to VIPs and others. He additionally thought that the U.S. authorities would need to publicize and promote the ebook worldwide, as lately the State Division’s Workplace of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs had been established within the wake of 9/11.

As soon as the manuscript had been written, Montaner commissioned Víctor Manuel Rocha, a Colombian-born U.S. diplomat, former U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia, amongst different excessive posts, akin to Deputy Chief of Mission within the Dominican Republic, Chargé d’affaires in Argentina, and Political-Army Affairs Officer on the U.S. embassy in Honduras.

Rocha had retired from a stellar 40-year profession in diplomacy and was now a marketing consultant housed at a high-rise workplace tower in downtown Miami overlooking Biscayne Bay and Miami Seaside past. Having lunch with Montaner, I requested him who had prompt that Argentines and Uruguayans be allowed to come back to the U.S. with out requiring a visa, and he replied, “It was me, and they’re throughout there,” pointing to Miami Seaside.

Rocha gave the impression to be the perfect candidate to promote the mission. Effectively, Rocha is presently in jail, convicted of working for the Cuban authorities for all these 40 years, a real believer.

The ebook was by no means revealed.

No marvel Montaner advised me that “the U.S. isn’t enthusiastic about blowing its personal horn,” or so Rocha defined.

Regardless, there may be some fact in that assertion. I’ve tried for six many years to determine the American ethos. I’ve been residing within the U.S. since 1961. I used to be a part of Operation Peter Pan, whereby 14,048 unaccompanied youngsters landed within the U.S., despatched by their mother and father to keep away from Communist indoctrination.

I contend that it isn’t straightforward to determine the U.S. out. And I do assume Individuals are too busy with their very own life initiatives to interact in apologetics about their system of presidency. They’re happy with it, however to not the extent of sending ideological missionaries out into the world, no less than not consciously.

On this essay I’ll illustrate the “missionary” actions that the USA carries out world wide not giving it a second thought. Coca-Cola could be an instance, it’s offered all over the place, bottled regionally, and carrying its refreshing message within the first, second and third worlds. Procter and Gamble exports Tide detergent to 56 nations.

Within the U.S., or as Individuals name it, “America,” the phrase “American exceptionalism” is thrown round, as are different phrases akin to “the American Dream,” with completely different definitions. I’ll let the reader decide if any of those phrases hit the mark, as each the aim of the ebook and this essay is to put down data that one usually doesn’t ponder, particularly as we stay out our life initiatives in a land that has so many alternatives that it may be bewildering.

Not solely do individuals have the precise to innovate and create garage-launched mega companies akin to Apple, Fb, or Microsoft, however even the widespread particular person has so many avenues to discover in journey, leisure, household life and schooling that it’s straightforward for me to excuse a specific amount of American “provincialism” even from the phrase of calling the nation America, to the exclusion of twenty nation south of the border that take into account themselves equally “American”.

Think about that from St. Louis, Missouri, you may journey in any route for days and nonetheless be in the identical nation, talking English. By the best way, I’ve traveled by automobile throughout the nation listening to Spanish-language radio. The USA is probably the most worldwide nation whereas nonetheless provincial in its outlook. Hardly any nation on the planet has extra expertise incorporating immigrants than the U.S.

Italians and Irish are equally at house within the U.S. as we speak, and what was once referred to as “Spanish individuals” at the moment are Latinos (not Latinx) or Hispanics, all fully built-in in a merit-based army as properly.

The relationships between the USA and the large diasporas inside its borders such because the Indian, Korean, Iranian, Arab, Filipino, Mexican and Caribbean ones is likely one of the most fascinating sides of any description of the nice ole USA. These diasporas trigger the U.S. to be the hub for journey to and from the outdated nation.

Members of those diasporas are usually not discriminated towards in massive companies the place benefit is the password. And when these diasporas department out of their entrepreneurial bursts nothing holds them again. There’s a Korean Dry Cleaners Affiliation, Indian motels dot the land, Thai eating places do sushi, Cuban Roberto Goizueta headed up Coca-Cola, the Iranian diaspora in Los Angeles is spectacular for its success.

The infamous lack of worldwide geographical consciousness amongst Individuals isn’t resulting from a scarcity of making an attempt. Having labored for 38 years within the textbook enterprise, I can attest to the truth that U.S. publishers make use of one of the best scholarship out there, and use probably the most fabulous illustrations to get American youngsters to pay attention to the world outdoors the USA, so its not for lack of making an attempt, it’s simply not within the American DNA, however that doesn’t imply that this isn’t altering.

Subsequent yr, two occasions will virtually equally take the eye of the US public, the World Cup and the 250^th anniversary of the USA. Just a few many years in the past, ingesting wine and taking note of soccer had been unprecedented within the USA, because the introduction of the metric system was failing spectacularly within the Seventies.

Let’s dive into this fascinating evaluation now that the BRICS nations, led by India and China, appear to be difficult American hegemony with their mixed 3 billion inhabitants.

What’s the Particular Weight of the USA within the World?

GDP Share of World GDP: The U.S. accounts for roughly 24–25% of worldwide GDP, making it the biggest single economic system on the planet. But the USA has solely 4% of the world’s inhabitants, standing at 347 million individuals in 2025.

The greenback is the reserve forex of the world: The U.S. greenback is utilized in over 80% of worldwide transactions and held as the first reserve forex by central banks worldwide. About 59% of worldwide reserves are held in USD.

Overseas Direct Funding: U.S. multinational companies are among the many most energetic globally. Current developments present a shift in U.S. FDI away from China in the direction of nations like Mexico, India, and Vietnam, reflecting strategic realignments.

President Donald J. Trump, in his first yr of his second time period, instituted an aggressive coverage to incentivize overseas direct funding into the USA or the fee of tariffs for imports into the USA. Greater than $214 billion have been collected in tariffs as of this writing and lots of nations have invested within the US akin to Saudi Arabia ($800 B), the United Arab Emirates ($1.4 T) and Qatar within the Center East and Japan and South Korea in Asia have pledge a complete of $2.8 T, Additionally Apple, Nvidia, SoftBank-OpenAI-Oracle/Stargate, IBM, Micron Expertise, Johnson and Johnson, AstraZeneca, Roche, Amazon and Hyundai have pledge enormous US investments.

Pax Americana is Pax Trumpiana, Peace By Energy

Peace via power was the motto of President Ronald Reagan. President Trump has taken to coronary heart this motto following the Nice Seal of the USA the place an eagle holds 13 arrows on one talon and an olive department on the opposite.

Warfare Division Spending: The U.S. spends extra the army than another nation—over $900 billion yearly, virtually 40% of world spending, which is greater than the following 10 nations mixed. The U.S. can be a key member of NATO and ASEAN amongst many different worldwide army coalitions.

International Army Presence: It maintains a whole lot of army bases throughout the globe and leads key alliances like NATO, giving the US unmatched strategic attain.As of 2025, the USA operates roughly 128 military bases across 49 countries and U.S. overseas territories with a total global presence of around 750 bases, together with smaller installations and amenities. Host nations embody Japan: 120 bases; Germany: 119 bases; South Korea: 73 bases; Guam: 54 bases; Italy: 44 bases; United Kingdom: 25 bases; Puerto Rico: 34 installations; Turkey: 13 bases; Bahrain: 12 bases; Belgium: 11 bases. The U.S. spends over $70 billion yearly to take care of its abroad army infrastructure.

American Lakes

The Pacific Ocean is an American lake contemplating the arc fashioned by Alaska’s Aleutian Islands to the north, the Hawaiian Islands to the South, American Samoa to the Southwest, Guam and the Mariana Islands to the West along with smaller islands akin to Wake and Halfway, all U.S. territories along with U.S. bases in Okinawa and mainland Japan.

The Caribbean Sea is an American lake contemplating the U.S. Naval presence in Key West, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands plus bases in Panama and in Guantánamo, Cuba. The U.S. successfully initiatives energy on this space as may be evidenced by the flotilla presently off Venezuela.

The Mediterranean Sea is an American lake contemplating U.S. bases in Spain, Italy and all the best way to its different NATO allies in Gibraltar, Malta, Greece and Turkey and its particular relationship with Israel.

And speaking about particular relationships, the US can at all times rely on the UK which at all times helps the American army with its personal. Britain thus turns into an enormous plane service parked on the doorstep of Europe.

Nuclear Triad: The U.S. maintains world deterrence by the use of nuclear-powered submarines, floor Navy vessels laden with missiles, in addition to land-based missiles in hardened silos and nuclear-armed plane that may attain any goal on the planet that includes stealth.

The House Drive: President Trump had the prescient thought to deal with this new army group inside the U.S. Air Drive in command of our on-line world and outer area. Along with the army functions deriving from NASA, the U.S. has the literal excessive floor in future conflicts.

Army Intelligence: The U.S. intelligence neighborhood, encompassing 16 businesses, gives correct sign and human intelligence along with Israel and the 5 Eyes Intelligence Companies (US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand).

The Web, the Pentagon’s reward to the world

Within the Sixties, the U.S. Division of Protection funded analysis to create a communication system that might survive a nuclear assault. In 1969, the primary profitable message was despatched over ARPANET, the precursor to the Web, between UCLA and Stanford.

U.S. Innovations

Not solely had been the Web and the World Extensive Net U.S. innovations, however the U.S. had a giant hand within the invention and rollout of radio and tv as properly. A few of the extra influential innovations embody: the sunshine bulb, the airplane, and cellphones.  Moreover, the suspension bridge, potato chips, condensed milk, photographic movie, the phonograph, the skyscraper, site visitors lights, the microwave oven, bank cards, disposable diapers, nuclear submarine, nuclear weapons, the built-in circuit, laser, LED lighting, Kevlar, fiber optic cable, the PC, the e-mail, moon journey, the area shuttle, the chocolate chip cookie, frozen meals, canned meals, nylon stocking and pantyhose.

President Donald J. Trump solved the intractable drawback of the Iranian nuclear risk with mixed air and naval energy along with the State of Israel. He additionally dismantled ISIS in three weeks throughout his first administration and is presently concerned in fixing one other intractable drawback, the stream of narcotics into the U.S. from Venezuela.

Diplomatic Energy

International Management: The U.S. performs a central position in worldwide establishments being the primary contributor and host to the UN (everlasting seat in Safety Council), IMF, the World Financial institution and a myriad different worldwide organizations such because the Group of American States.

President Donald J. Trump: Achieved eight peace treaties within the first ten months of 2025. His crowning achievement is the Israel-Hamas Peace Treaty that builds on the Abraham Accords of his earlier administration. He has additionally labored tirelessly to carry peace between Russia and Ukraine.  In his earlier administration, he endeavored to sort out the issue of North Korea’s nuclear arms.

The Nobel Peace Prize is underwhelming at this level.

U.S. Nobel Prize Winners

The USA has produced over 400 Nobel Prize winners throughout all classes, making it probably the most awarded nation in Nobel historical past. These laureates span fields akin to Peace, Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Drugs, and Economics. Many others, like Albert Einstein, Nobel in Physics, 1921, though not American-born, have lived and labored within the U.S.

US Delicate Energy

American tradition, media, and know-how firms

The magnificent seven U.S. tech giants, have the next market capitalization: Apple $3.66 trillion, Microsoft $3.15 T, Amazon $2.33 T, Google (Alphabet) $2.38 T, NVIDIA $3.43 T, Fb (Meta) $1.56 T, Tesla $1.26 T with a complete of $17 T characterize 35% of the U.S. inventory market. These firms be sure that within the rising Synthetic Intelligence wave the U.S. would be the main nation, though challenged by China and others.

Hollywood Movies and Streaming

The U.S. movie studios have dominated the worldwide scene for many years. It has vastly contributed to the expansion of English because the lingua franca of the world. Though the U.S. produces over 500 function movies a yr, a lot of which go on to Netflix, Hollywood has extra affect than the two,500 put out by Bollywood (India) or China’s 800 per yr. Netflix is itself an Superb American affect spreader. The cultural affect of Disney, the home that Mickey constructed, together with MGM, Paramount, and others, is at a unique degree from another.

Cable TV

Outfits like CNN compete with the BBC for world audiences. Fox and different American firms even have massive audiences overseas. Wherever you go on the planet, you may catch the Discovery Channel or the Nationwide Geographic Channel, simply to call a number of.

American Music

American genres akin to jazz and rock and roll have dominated for many years, whereas new genres are generated virtually regularly. Well-known singers akin to Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole had been adopted by Elvis Presley and as we speak, Taylor Swift. All of those have offered thousands and thousands of information and have held huge concert events worldwide, turning into family celebrities. Right now, firms like Spotify unfold American music competing with FM radio because the main vector of U.S. music overseas.

American Sports activities

Individuals invented baseball and basketball. The MLB and the NBA are worldwide influencers. Baseball was carried to Mexico, Panama, and the Caribbean and later to Japan and Korea. The video games are carried out in scores of nations. Even American soccer NFL video games are carried by Mexican TV stations, as well as, in fact, to cable TV. Individuals additionally got here up with volleyball and, most lately, skateboarding, snowboarding, and pickleball, and Native Individuals performed Lacrosse, which is a well-liked school sport. Moreover, American groups are very profitable within the NHL, and though hockey is a Canadian sport, the Florida Panthers have gained two consecutive Stanley Cups within the final two seasons!

Individuals are infamous for the Gold Rush within the Olympic Video games. The U.S. has gained 1,117 gold medals in these video games. The U.S. will maintain these video games in 2028, and the athletic prowess of American youth will as soon as once more be evident world wide. The U.S. holds its personal each within the Winter and the Summer season Video games.

Influencers on the Web and Social Media

American influencers and podcasters paved the way in selling their concepts now with out regards to geographical distance, time zones, and even language, as computerized translation is now prevalent resulting from AI. The main world social media suppliers are American: Fb, Instagram, WhatsApp, X, Fact Social. Even the Chinese language TikTok will now be independently housed within the U.S. And the best engines like google, Google and Bing are each American.

Costco and Walmart

These two grocery/division retailer giants have unfold internationally. Costco has shops within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, China, France, Iceland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the UK, and different nations. Walmart/Sam’s Membership has shops in 19 nations, and in Mexico operates underneath the banners of Superama and Bodega Aurrerá.

Quick Meals and Way of life

Manufacturers like McDonald’s, Starbucks, and KFC are discovered worldwide, symbolizing American client tradition.

Training

Over 1,000,000 worldwide college students attend U.S. universities yearly. Establishments like Harvard, MIT, and Stanford are world magnets for expertise. The American college system of Ph. D.s, grasp’s levels, and credit score hours, with emphasis on writing analysis papers and publishing in peer-reviewed journals, has taken maintain all through the world, changing rote studying and the regurgitation of notes taken in lectures. A Visible Capitalist article from July 2024 locations 36 American universities within the high 100 on the planet. Moreover, worldwide faculties in English with American textbooks and curricula dot the world. The Division of Warfare has its personal public college system for American troops stationed overseas.

Technological Management

Innovation Hubs

Corporations like Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Tesla lead in AI, software program, and {hardware} improvement.

Digital Infrastructure

American platforms (e.g., WordPress, Meta, YouTube) form how the world communicates and consumes data.

American Radio, TV, and Web Overseas

American pastors akin to Billy Graham have taken the Gospel all around the world that includes American Revivals, the old style tent conferences the place the viewers is requested to simply accept Jesus Christ as their private lord and savior. Not too long ago the late Charlie Kirk’s Turning Level USA has damaged via internationally with its mixture of civics and faith by no means amalgamated to this extent earlier than.

The radio waves, AM, FM and quick wave have for many years been utilized by American pastors to hold out their sermons and Bible research. All these applied sciences have now migrated to the World Extensive Net.

Radio Free Europe, Radio Martí, Radio Free Asia, and the Voice of America have been energetic for many years broadcasting into captive nations akin to Jap Europe and Cuba. However their message is so goal as to not go close to something which will sound like propaganda. Due to this fact, they will have a message that sails so distant from controversies as to grow to be milk toast.

The current reshuffling of those stations as a part of USAID brings us to the proposition that the U.S. does attempt to exert affect via support, now to be housed contained in the State Division, however the monies spent don’t immediately cope with a philosophical protection of the American system, though not directly they do, and we listed them as direct US affect.

And a secular missionary group is the U.S. Peace Corps, funded by the U.S. authorities which is current in 77 nations, and is an fascinating parenthesis at a time within the Sixties when the U.S. underneath President Kennedy did attempt to play a direct position in what is named “comfortable energy” with initiatives such because the Alliance for Progress in Hispanic America and naturally the occupation of Germany and the Marshall Plan and the occupation of Japan and post-WWII Structure dictated by Gen. McArthur.

US Civic Organizations

American organizations akin to Lions Golf equipment, Rotary Golf equipment, and Kiwanis Golf equipment are main American civic organizations with vital worldwide presence, as are the Boy and Woman Scouts, which, though not discovered within the USA, have vital US affect. The American Pink Cross, affiliated with the Worldwide Pink Cross additionally performs a important position in offering worldwide support in lots of nations.

US Missionaries

From the U.S., missionaries, primarily Christian, exit into the world. From right-wing Mormons (probably the most American of denominations) to leftist Roman Catholic Maryknoll Fathers, Brothers and Sisters based in Ossining, New York, the position of the USA in spreading the Christian message rivals the historic position that Europe performed within the unfold of this religion. And the Knights of Columbus turned the primary American reply to Freemasonry, the latter additionally robust in the united statesA. Many Roman Catholic orders home-based in Europe however with a powerful presence within the USA, make plentiful contributions in cash and expertise to worldwide missions. American Catholics are robust contributors to overseas missionary work.

The joke was once “Is the Pope Catholic?” Effectively, even the Pope is American now!

The Jehovah’s Witnesses, although not thought of Christian, rival the Mormons as probably the most American of denominations. They’ve a powerful footprint worldwide.

Mainstream Protestant denominations, along with modern-day Evangelicals and Pentecostals, are prolific missionaries. The purpose is that, like bees, these missionaries carry American tradition with them as a byproduct, thus spreading USA affect as they perform their work. The Salvation Military and the YMCA must be counted amongst influential non secular initiatives based within the U.S., together with Habitat for Humanity, which, though secular, was based by Southern Baptist U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

The highway has not been a one-way road. Evangelical Spanish-language congregations, together with Korean and others, are as we speak widespread from coast to coast within the USA.

The particular connection of the American Jewish neighborhood in assist of Israel, though not strictly missionary, shouldn’t be ignored on this regard. American affect in Israel and vice versa is clear.

The 20^th century has been referred to as the American Century. Some appeared to assume that the 21^st century could be owned by China. Within the Seventies, the hypothesis was that Japan would take over because the main economic system on the planet. These had been the times when a International Ice Age was anticipated moderately than International Warming. Effectively, adapting Mark Twain’s quote from 1897, “The report of my demise was an exaggeration,” it appears to me that the 21^st century will proceed to be one other American century, making this nation as indispensable as ever because it celebrates its 250^th anniversary!