Trump's Foreign Policy Research Articles

Donald Trump's Foreign Policy: Withdrawal From International Regimes and Organizations

This research delves into transformative shifts in United States (US) foreign policy during Donald Trump�s presidency, specifically focusing on withdrawals from crucial international agreements like the Paris Agreement, TPP, UNHRC, UNESCO, and UNRWA. Utilizing the Poliheuristic theory, the study aims to comprehend the rationale behind the US withdrawal from international regimes and organizations during Trump's administration. The research employs a dual-stage assessment within the Poliheuristic theory; the cognitive aspect, considering policymakers� values, and the rational aspect, evaluating potential gains and losses. President Trump confronted three options for international organizations: remaining, renegotiating, or withdrawing. Qualitative techniques were incorporated to analyze the prioritization of the America First promise and assess the country�s engagement with these entities. Rejecting the option to remain led to a rational evaluation of renegotiation or exit. The decision to withdraw was strategically made to address unmet renegotiation demands, minimizing significant financial burdens for the US.

Realist or Just Anti-Liberal? Trump's Foreign Policy in Retrospect

Donald Trump's foreign policy has been characterized as realist. His “America First” theme, economic nationalism, and scorn for traditional alliances and international norms are alleged evidence. But was Trump's foreign policy realist? Instead, it is better seen as anti-liberal. Trump was most realist in his recognition of China as a great power rival not committed to liberal values. But he was also a protectionist. With respect to Russia, Europe, the Middle East, and various international issues, Trump's foreign policy was decidedly more anti-liberal than realist. The shocking event of January 6, 2021 suggests that Trump's foreign policy be re-evaluated in a different light: Trump sought to promote anti-liberal values abroad in order to advance them at home. This article evaluates Trump's foreign policy in light of these two theoretical perspectives.

The Trump presidency, Russia and Ukraine: explaining incoherence

Abstract This article examines the Trump administration's policy on Russian aggression in Ukraine and the problem of incoherence in Trump's foreign policy. It argues that the Trump administration's policy on Russia–Ukraine was characterized by incoherence, an absence of clear relationships between the views of senior administration members and official policy, and an unprecedented lack of transparency. Its policy on Russian aggression in Ukraine highlights the unconventional behaviour of the Trump administration as a foreign policy-making body, something which limits the ability of the foreign policy analysis (FPA) field to explain Trump policy. It argues that assumptions about foreign policy and the methods for researching it need to be rethought when administration practices fall so far outside US foreign policy-making norms, particularly in an era when changes in United States domestic politics mean that the Trump administration may not remain a unique case.

Зовнішньополітичний курс Д. Трампа в умовах формування нового світопорядку

The author made an observation of foreign policy course of the United States of America during D. Trump presidency. The United States foreign policy in the 21st century is strategically oriented to global leadership, forming of the new world order, and active application of information space as a foreign policy instrument that is supposed to implement national interests. Such an approach causes significant consequences due to presidential administrations activity, their realization and reaction to global challenges and threats that appear as a result of single countries and their alliances policy. The author of the article has made attempts to analyze D. Trump foreign policy course during his presidency. Controversial rhetoric of the candidate during the election campaign considerably differs from D. Trump foreign policy as a president. Early election campaign includes public statements about renewal of relationships with the Russian Federation, staying apart from being involved in conflicts in the Middle East, refusal to extend idea of democracy in the world, reluctancy to use military troops as means of solving problems in international relations. The article focuses on American-Russian and American-Ukrainian relationships that seemed to be controversial from time to time. D. Trump foreign policy doctrine is identified and described. Its essence is in escalation for de-escalation. The author singled out and described the situations, which demonstrate public statements as effective means used in information space for strengthening of president’s power and foreign policy of the United States. The author came to the conclusion that D. Trump policy course and his international political subjectness reflect unstable policy movement from interventionism to isolationism.

Foreign support does not mean sway for illiberal nationalist regimes: Putin sympathy, Russian influence, and Trump foreign policy in the Balkans

Foreign support does not mean sway for illiberal nationalist regimes: Putin sympathy, Russian influence, and Trump foreign policy in the Balkans

The "soft power" of the United States as an instrument of foreign policy in the European direction on the example of the French Republic (2016-2021).

Subject of the study: the soft power of the United States in relation to the French Republic.The object of the study is the US-EU relations during the presidency of Donald Trump.For this study, the most relevant research methods are the retrospective method, which allows us to assess the changes that have occurred in D. Trump's foreign policy course towards Europe after his inauguration. Taking into account that the work focuses on the content of cultural, educational and other American programs implemented in Europe on the example of the French Republic, the method of content analysis was used. Among other things, a systematic approach was used in conducting research. The presidency of Donald Trump really had an ambiguous, in some aspects destructive effect on the development of a "soft-power" vector in American foreign policy. Despite the fact that, de jure, the US military departments called in the documentation for the leading role of the European Union in ensuring global security and maintaining NATO's activities, de facto, Trump's rhetoric undermined the traditionally friendly attitude of Europeans towards the United States. Since the perception of "attractiveness" is a key element of "soft-power" influence, the results of this study give grounds for the following conclusions. In the period from 2016 to 2021, American influence on Europe was weakened not only by provocative statements and actions regarding NATO funding, contradictions on trade and economic agreements and problems with the Paris Climate Agreement, but also by the elaboration of the cultural and educational vector of foreign policy. Thus, by 2021, the United States had a weakened influence on the French Republic, which allowed the French side to strengthen its influence on American students and strengthen its own position in the American intellectual and managerial environment. The novelty of the study: US foreign policy is studied from the position of soft-power influence on France in the context of intra-bloc interaction in NATO.

Изменения в отношениях Европейского Союза с США после прихода администрации Дж. Байдена

Donald Trump's policy, which considered American national interests more significant than global governance, caused a deep crisis in relations between the European Union (EU) and the United States. After Joe Biden's victory in the US presidential elections, a united Europe received a good chance to "reset" transatlantic relations. Based on the official documents of the EU and the US, the article analyzes the efforts of both sides to restore the American-European partnership from the election of Joe Biden as the US President (November 2020) to the EU-US summit in Brussels (June 2021). The author briefly outlines the problems that have arisen in the EU-US relations during the presidency of Donald Trump. Then the proposals of the EU to renew the EU-US agenda for global change are analyzed. At the same time, the Biden government has set a goal to revise Trump's foreign policy legacy, restore American leadership in transatlantic relations, and strengthen relations with the closest allies and partners. The United States has returned to some international agreements that are meaningful for the EU. The United States and the European Union took a number of measures to mitigate trade conflicts between them. In June 2021, the EU-US summit adopted a joint statement “Towards a Renewed Transatlantic Partnership”, the EU-US Council on Trade and Technology was established. The EU and the US agreed to cooperate in order to end the coronavirus pandemic and ensure a sustainable global economic recovery; to protect the planet from environmental disaster; to contribute to the strengthening of trade, investment and technological cooperation; to build a more democratic and secure world. In the conclusion, the author highlights that warming in the EU-US relations could facilitate further interaction between transatlantic partners.

George W. Bush and the Political and Military Integration of the EU (2004-2008)

The aim of the article is to study European integration and the expansion of the European union together with the Atlantic alliance during George W. Bush's second term (2004-2008), for which the historical method was used. Despite the tendency that most researchers in the field of modern history and political science tend to focus on current events, and according to this logic it would be more appropriate to analyze Trump's foreign policy, in order to better understand the contemporary tension between the EU and the United States, today it is imperative to take a look at some contemporary historical processes. It is concluded that, to which George W. Bush's rhetoric has much in common with Donald Trump, he also laid the groundwork for change in U.S. foreign policy during Barack Obama's presidential term (2008-2016). The one-sided approach promoted primarily during George W. Bush's first term went from a gradual transformation of coalition building and the full support of the Atlantic alliance allies for the operation in Afghanistan in 2001, to more controversial rhetoric about "rebel states."

Trump and international relations chaotic nature

This essay serves as an introduction to the special issue on Donald Trump and Unpredictability in International Relations, which will appear later this year. In addition to analyzing each of the contributions to the special issue in turn, as they appear in the running order, it also elaborates on the intellectual and political environment in which the special issue as a whole has been written and published. Following the theme of the special issue, this introduction begins by outlining the difficulty of understanding the very notion of unpredictability as a general concept; then moves on to unpacking that theoretical complexity in more empirical terms by asking how we can understand unpredictability in relation to Trump's foreign policy; and finally investigates the contestation of that understanding by analyzing alternative explanations for unpredictability and whether this constitutes doctrine.

Пандемия, протесты, протекционизм и президентские выборы в США в 2020 г.

The article analyzes major trends in domestic, social, economic, trade and foreign policy of the USA in 2020. The last year of Donald Trump’s presidency became the most traumatic and unpredictable for the country. The COVID-19 pandemic dominated every process in the political, social and economic life of the American society and government. At the same time, it accentuated the main trends of the Trump foreign policy. Trump became the first president to be impeached twice, the 13th president who after being nominated by his party was not reelected by the society, the first president trying to fight both unknown epidemic and economic crisis during his reelection year, the first president who chose not to come to the inauguration of his successor, the first who made decisive steps to break with American-China interdependence and the first who openly declared that he put American interests above those of the other countries, even the allies. His presidency changed the USA deeply and the last year was the turning point in this transformation. He was the most polarized president and he left behind a deeply divided country. Trump spent his last year in the White House battling with the pandemic and fighting for power, and it highlighted how limited the capabilities of the American presidency are in the polarized system where political compromise between the parties is no longer possible. At the same time this last year pointed out a critical importance of a leader’s personality for politics in all spheres. In the time of deep polarization, foreign policy became the only sphere of possible compromise for the parties. Both Democrats and Republicans supported the economic instruments sponsored by Trump of ensuring American leadership in time of pandemic, despite his arrogant style so much criticized by the opposition. After four years of Trump’s presidency the policy of sanctions is considered an effective and long-lasting instrument to control the competitors and enhance the American influence. At the same time while the trend of confrontation became dominant during the Trump’s presidency and his policy of economic nationalism could have more distant and strategic consequences, the confrontation with key actors such as China demonstrated the limits of American power to influence and to control unilaterally both the global economic and political processes and the behavior of different actors. This article is a result of a collective multi-aspect research of transformations taking place in the US on a real time basis. The analysis is built methodologically on the systemic approach to studying American political, social and economic trends, both domestically and on international level.

Realism in Donald Trump's Middle East Policy

This study aims at understanding the realism theory in Trump's Middle East policy which is manifested in his election program for the presidency, his main promises of his election program and his implementation of these promises on the ground. The study uncovered the psychological factors that affected Trump's foreign policy toward the Middle East, and his economic mentality. One important constituent of Trump's policy is power. He used power to enhance the position of the United States of America in the world and to support its national interests through proposing the principle “America First”. Moreover, Trump emphasizes on the promotion of USA’s cultural values by promoting democratic values and human rights, and activating political participation through transparent democratic elections in all countries of the world. Even though Tramp focuses on these values in his speeches, they are considered secondary because he believes in America's interests. The study found out that Trump's strategy is based on the notion of power. Trump believes that the protection of other countries like the Gulf States is not free, but they have to pay money. He also insisted on restoring the position of the United States internationally by necessary force, especially in the Middle East. Based on these results, the study recommended that the use of excessive force would lead to a decline in USA’s policy and reputation internationally. Keywords: Middle East ; , Realism “Pay for protection” principle DOI: 10.7176/IAGS/85-02 Publication date: August 31 st 2020

Refocusing US Grand Strategy on Pandemic and Environmental Mass Destruction

Amidst all the criticisms of the Trump foreign policy, one aspect that has received substantial praise has been the emphasis on great power competition. “After being dismissed as a phenomenon of an...

Приоритеты внешней политики Д. Трампа в Центральной Азии

Приоритеты внешней политики Д. Трампа в Центральной Азии

The European track of Donald Trump's foreign policy

Current academic debates on Donald Trump's foreign policy have revealed strikingly divergent judgments about the subject, which are inevitably influenced by the tough political contest ongoing in the United States. Many liberal critics have accused the President of undermining some basic principles and values to which the U.S. strategy has been committed for 70 years. A thorough analysis of the European dimension of Trump’s foreign policy is incomplete without addressing the question of what implications his concept of “America First” entail for NATO, and it necessitates examining of key specific features of Brexit as well. Contemplating of arguments put forth by opponents and proponents of Brexit helps to assess probable implications of Britain leaving the EU for the US-British relations. The UK’s departure may become a challenge for the transatlantic relationship, taking into account its current complexities. The author attempts, in particular, to explain why D. Trump has supported ‘hard’ Brexiteers. D. Trump’s policy towards the EU is driven in a large measure by a desire to overhaul bilateral trade relationship on a more balanced footing. In some cases the Europeans perceive these efforts exerted by the U.S. administration as economically unfair and politically biased, facing unprecedented American economic nationalism. The scrutiny of the above-mentioned issues permits to conclude that systemic constraints significantly shape the foreign policy of the 45th American President, reining in the most controversial ideas proposed by him.

The Trump foreign policy record and the concept of transformational change

ABSTRACT While there has been debate about the extent to which US foreign policy has been transformed since President Trump first took office in 2017, the concept of transformational policy change has not been defined with any degree of precision. The purpose of this article is, primarily, to establish such a definition. It does this by drawing upon a number of the literatures that address domestic policy processes, in particular the work of Karl Polanyi, to suggest that transformational change rests upon paradigmatic shifts, the reconfiguration of interests, large scale institutional re-ordering and changed logics. Application of the definition to the Trump foreign policy leads us to conclude that while the Trump foreign policy owes much to the militant internationalism of the Bush years its understanding of nations and “globalism” and abandonment of a defining moral purpose represent, although incipient, partial and variegated, the beginnings of transformational change.

An Unwilling Commitment: Trump's Foreign Policy Strategy in Central and Eastern Europe

An Unwilling Commitment: Trump's Foreign Policy Strategy in Central and Eastern Europe

What makes America great? Donald Trump, national identity, and U.S. foreign policy

ABSTRACT This article contributes to the debate over Donald Trump's foreign policy by bringing in perspectives on American nationalism, reframing the current debate as an identity contestation between civic and ethnic nationalism. The article argues that the Trump administration's “America First” agenda represents a radical departure from how civic nationalism and U.S. leadership in the “liberal world order” was coupled after the end of the Cold War. In the context of a civic nationalist narrative of liberal progress, Trump represents reactionary change. If we question this narrative of liberal progress, however, the conclusion is less obvious. Rather than argue for change or continuity from immediate predecessors, the article places Trump's “America First” platform in the historical context of how narratives on American nationhood have been coupled with foreign policy. The conclusion is that how one decides upon continuity vs. change depends on the underlying narrative of nationhood with which one begins.

America First and the Populist Impact on US Foreign Policy

Trump's foreign policy does not spell the end of the liberal international order but does challenge the notion that liberal hegemony lacks a legitimate alternative.

Modification of the Agenda Setting as a Tool for Political Maneuver in International Politics: Twitter Diplomacy and International Politics of Donald John Trump

From the past to the present-day studies on political communication have focused on the agenda setting influenced by the media tools being constantly evolving due to technological opportunities and their areas of use. In changing and developing processes, the agenda setting is determined not only by the media but also by public and political factors. As a result, each of the media, public and political agendas defines or modifies the agenda as factors and actors. While the power of agenda setting was left unilaterally to the media in the past, it is seen that politicians tend to take more initiative under this power ownership. On the other hand, politicians who see the power of setting the agenda in political communication, in addition to influencing the public and politics through the media, also realize the role of influencing the public through politics. New media, renewed every day since the beginning of the 21st century, have also made it easier for politicians to access the public in this race of power supremacy. The use of Twitter for political communication, which provides access to many more viewers and followers among the tools of the new media over the internet much more than classical media, has made Twitter important. The use of Twitter as a means of diplomacy and international politics by US President Trump has made it more popular among the new media. In this study, as emphasized the importance of agenda setting, Trump's ability to engage in diplomacy and international politics through Twitter and its influence on international markets was examined. In addition to the literature research, the study examines the tweets that Trump publishes periodically and gives examples of the issues that affect the media agenda. As a result, it is seen that Trump is effective in determining the political agenda via Twitter and pioneering information about Trump's foreign policy and diplomacy have been caught on the international agenda through his tweets. Keywords: Agenda Settings, Twitter, Trump, Political Communication, Diplomacy. DOI: 10.7176/JSTR/5-8-12

Aftermath of Trump Foreign Policy towards Pakistan: Present and Future

“Do more” refers to the United States (U.S.) counter-terrorism policy suggesting Pakistan to take strong measures against Islamist militant groups especially Haqqani network. The U.S. government has pursued this policy for most of the time during Obama and now under Trump administration. This study not only explains the relations between the United States and Pakistan as a result of ‘do more’ policy but also analyzes the facts as to what would be the effect of this policy on Pakistan under Trump administration. However, knowing the fact that the Islamic state did not change its counter-terrorism strategy in past when President Obama suspended its aid to Pakistan to build pressure. Moreover, the study also evaluates how Trump administration’s strategy affects the foreign policy of Pakistan. Therefore, this research reviews the main features of the policy and analyzes its consequences on both the countries followed by discussion on the policy’s future prospects.