The article argues that perceptions of a declining US are overstated, suggesting India's influence is underestimated. While the US's actions in Venezuela and its unilateral policy shifts might seem to erode its legitimacy, the author contends that a superpower's authority wanes only when a credible alternative emerges that not only matches its power but also offers a more convincing vision or set of values. China, despite its economic and military growth, fails to provide this compelling alternative vision, leaving a vacuum that the US, despite its perceived missteps, still occupies.