A key feature of contemporary international politics is the changing nature of American presence on the world stage. Before the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, power of the United States (U.S.) as a unipolar superpower was experiencing change, giving way to multipolarity. For the past three decades, America was the predominant global power, leading the international response to every man-made or natural crisis and calamity. This time, however, the complexity of the COVID-19 pandemic has undermined the American ability to lead the international community in managing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. By its very nature, COVID-19 is challenging prevailing international norms of hard and soft power. This paper critically evaluates the role of American power, its central position in the international political economy and global governance to highlight how deeply it is embedded in the international order, and suited to mount a global response to an international challenge.