How the World Now Views U.S. Disability Leadership
I asked international colleagues how this administration is reshaping the world’s perception of U.S. disability leadership.
Curious Constructs is fully reader-supported. To sustain this work, please consider a paid subscription today.
Rethink This: American Disability Leadership
Welcome back to Curious Constructs, where I seek to understand and challenge the barriers that prevent us from bringing our full, authentic selves forward — whether those barriers are personal or systemic.
For decades, the United States has been seen as a global leader on disability rights. We set the tone on inclusion, access, and opportunity. But as the current U.S. Administration continues to use rhetoric and promote policies that harm the global disability community, whether through funding cuts, the use of the R-word, and sweeping policy changes, the U.S.’s role on the world stage has shifted sharply. One of the clearest examples of harm: President Trump’s cancellation of $120 million in USAID disability funding, along with cuts to disability-specific programs at the State Department.
During my time as U.S. Special Advisor on International Disability Rights, I worked closely with policymakers and advocates around the world. Recently, I reached back out to colleagues to understand how this administration’s choices are shaping the global view of American leadership today.
Changing Perceptions of U.S. Leadership
When I traveled as part of my State Department role, people wanted to learn from our model for disability rights — from independent living to inclusive education to accessible infrastructure. But now, the world has watched American priorities move in a very different direction, creating real worry about how far that rhetoric will spread — and, for some, even fear about visiting the U.S. at all.
Several people noted that because Trump dominates the news cycle, disability issues have all but vanished from public conversation. The already limited attention these topics received is now nonexistent, crowding out the focus on inclusion, rights, and accessibility.
Real-World Effects of Trump-Era Policies
Some shared that polarization in their own countries has been made worse by political dynamics in the United States. A respondent from Canada added that there is also a fear that Canada will emulate the U.S., normalizing hate and violence in their home country. They’re hoping the international disability community can come together to elevate disabled voices — and to make sure disability policy appears on every agenda and in every budget.
Others talked about rising fear of violence fueled by extremist rhetoric, and how that fear is already shaping daily life.
Beyond the USAID cuts, respondents worried about the future of other U.S.-funded programs that support disability and development work, including coordination efforts of the Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network, of which the U.S. served as Chair. Even when funding hasn’t been cut, collaboration has become harder — several people mentioned that the State Department simply doesn’t have enough staff to move existing work forward.
A respondent from Canada noted that disability payments have remained stagnant, pushing many disabled people into poverty and stripping away incomes and security.
And the sense of isolation is growing, too. “We must address the isolation many people in our communities face and build welcoming platforms to address our needs — our leaders must do more,” said Amu Urhonen, Chairperson of the Alibis Foundation of Finland.
Shifting Rhetoric — and Its Consequences
Urhonen also pointed to an increase in hate speech targeting people with disabilities, attributing the spike to Trump’s rhetoric, misinformation, and the broader villainization of DEI and other inclusion efforts.
“Persons with disabilities are thought of as objects of protection rather than independent and equal citizens, and therefore institutionalized and patronized,” they said.
A colleague from the UK echoed this, describing a noticeable shift in how people treat those with disabilities. While some of this is rooted in long-standing ableism, they pointed out a growing belief that disability is a drain on resources — “people don’t understand how disability benefits all of us, and blame the country’s money issues on us.”
International Advocates Stepping Up
If there’s one bright spot in this landscape, it’s that oppressive policies have energized many in the disability community. As policymakers slow down or backtrack, advocates are stepping up — and being loud.
A colleague from France noted that their government has recently given more legislative attention to disability issues, in part because American backsliding has made the stakes clearer.
“I’ve seen the disabled communities I belong to come together to strengthen our mutual aid, help one another, and demand better from our governments,” said Michele Anne-Marie Dickson, a disability advocate and artist in Canada.
Others pointed to the powerful work still coming out of the United States — from individual organizers, artists, lawyers, and activists — even as federal protections weaken. That energy is becoming its own form of leadership, filling the void left by policy failures.
Even as American leadership falters, the community itself is charting a new path forward. Right now, it’s the advocates — not the policymakers — who are showing the world what true disability leadership looks like.
