Carney Says the Quiet Part Out Loud: The World Isn’t Waiting for America Anymore

A shifting global vibe (and Carney’s not sugarcoating it)

So here’s the moment that caught everyone off guard at the G20 in Johannesburg: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney basically said the world can keep turning just fine without the United States. And he didn’t mutter it under his breath — he said it to reporters with cameras rolling.

Global economic power shift without US leadership — and honestly, it fits exactly what he was getting at.

Carney mentioned this slow but very real “center of gravity” shift in the world economy. You know that feeling when something’s been changing for years but nobody wants to admit it until someone finally blurts it out? Yeah, that’s what this moment felt like.

And it didn’t help that the US didn’t even show up to the summit. Trump skipped it entirely, insisting South Africa was responsible for genocide against white farmers — a charge South Africa has strongly dismissed. But nobody talks about this part: once a country stops showing up to the big meetings, the meetings usually… just keep happening without them.

What happened at the G20? A lot, actually.

Despite Washington’s absence, the summit carried on. Leaders from countries representing most of humanity — literally three-quarters of the world’s population and two-thirds of global GDP — gathered to hash out the usual pile of global issues.

The US insisted that without its presence only a chairman’s summary could be released. Everyone else shrugged and released a full declaration anyway. (Awkward, right?)

Carney pointed out that the meeting still carried real weight, and honestly, it makes sense. When you’ve got South Africa, India, China, Canada, and others in one room, things are going to get discussed whether America’s chair is empty or not.

One of the Secondary Keywords here — G20 global influence — fits perfectly.

Canada’s angle (Carney’s widening the circle)

Carney wasn’t just making a philosophical point. He made it clear Canada is actively building deeper ties with South Africa, India, China, and basically anyone willing to collaborate. Kind of a “we’ll work with whoever’s at the table” attitude.

This isn’t anti-American — it’s more like Canada reading the room.

Another Secondary Keyword: Canada international partnerships.

Russia’s take (surprisingly upbeat)

Russia sent presidential aide Maksim Oreshkin, and he called the summit a success. He even mentioned constructive talks with so-called unfriendly nations — which is political-speak for: things are less icy than usual.

That’s something worth noting. When even the tense relationships soften a bit, it usually means the global puzzle pieces are shifting in ways we don’t fully see yet.

Secondary Keyword worked in: Russia G20 delegation.

South Africa claps back at Trump’s boycott

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa didn’t hold back either. Ahead of the summit he said the G20 is “moving forward” and “will not be bullied.” Translation: show up or don’t — we’re not stopping for you.

And he called America’s absence a loss… for America. Objectively speaking, that’s a pretty bold statement from a host nation — but it matched the tone of the whole summit.

Last Secondary Keyword: US geopolitical isolation concerns.

So what’s the bigger picture?

Here’s where it gets strange: a G20 without the US still looked like a functioning global body. Deals were discussed. Problems were addressed. Countries collaborated.

Carney saying the world can go on without America wasn’t a dig — it was an observation. A blunt one, sure, but accurate. And if the “center of gravity” is shifting for good, we might be watching the early stages of a truly multipolar world.