Donald Trump’s Policy Of ‘America First’ and Its Deconstruction | Sunita Samal

Abstract: With the 2024 US election came to an end, the global community must brace for potential shifts in American foreign policy particularly under a second Donald Trump Presidency. Trump’s willingness to make significant policy changes often with little regard for traditional diplomatic norms—could lead to a change in the United States’ role on the world stage. On January 20, 2025 US President Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th US President to serve two non-consecutive terms, the other being Grover Cleveland in the late 19th century. While Trump returns to the White House, the direction of US foreign policy will hinge on Trump’s personal decisions and the dynamics and viewpoints of those within his inner circle. The outcome of this election may redefine not just American foreign policy but the future of liberal international order.

Introduction:

President Trump at West Point Graduation on June 13, 2020 declared

‘We are restoring the fundamental principles that the job of the American soldier is not to rebuild foreign nations but defend—and defend strongly—our nation from foreign enemies. We are ending the era of endless wars. In its place is a renewed, cleareyed focus on defending American’s vital interests. It is not the duty of US troops to solve ancient conflicts in far away lands that many people have never even heard of. We are not the policemen of the world.’

It seems that in his second term of Presidentship Trump administration largely revolved around developing personal relationships with foreign leaders with his anticipated regional priorities. The value of inter-personal relationship for Trump was highlighted by David Graham’s ‘The Atlantic’ article in November of 2017 titled ‘For Trump, the inter-personal is political’.

Doctrine of Confrontation:

In any election year, certain topics carry more weight in the minds of the American people and allies across the globe. Donald Trump’s first term was marked by significant foreign policy decisions ranging from America’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement to withdrawal from Afghanistan in an agreement with Taliban.

One of the particular interests is Trump’s vocal criticism of NATO financing. He has remained firm in promoting the idea that only NATO members who contribute the required amount will receive protection from the Alliance. The strength and unity have been particularly important since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in Feb. of 2022. Whether US should limit its engagement abroad including ending its support to Ukraine.

In many ways, the choice indicates that Trump continues to espouse isolationism and the rejection of longstanding international organizations and agreements. Further, Trump advisors have stressed that the geopolitical threat that they would rather focus on China. America cannot break out spear in Europe against the Russia when we know the Chinese and Russians are collaborating and the Chinese are a more dangerous and significant threat.

Trump and Harris camps as each attacks the other’s China policy. We all know that Kamala Harris wanted to outsource our factories and jobs to China, but did not expect her to outsource the selection of her running mate to China too.

Trump has tried to use the Harris campaign’s qualifications to support for Israel as a way to get approval from the Jewish community, a group historically votes Democrats. The Trump administration made many meaningful changes to US-Israel policy including moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, capital of Israel.

If we compose Trump’s activities since Election Day to the foreign Policies he pursued while he was President, few differences strike the eye. He still sees China as the Pre-eminent Threat to US global interests. But it maintains a passive stance towards Moscow; he still thinks other NATO members are living off of American largesse; he still is vehemently anti-immigrant and casually insults various global societies. He still believes that import tariffs are the answer to America’s economic difficulties. At the moment, it is difficult to know so Trump’s interactions with the Israeli leadership in the coming months will provide more insight into developments in the broader Eastern Mediterranean region.

The assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi Trump pointed out that Khashoggi was not a US citizen. He was the resident of Virginia. That implies a sharp distinction between citizens and non-citizens that shows his hyper-realist world view. He is not a citizen places it outside the domain of ‘American First’.

Trump’s American First’ policy pursued nationalist foreign policy objectives and prioritized bilateral relations over multi-national agreements. Upon taking Office, Trump relied more on military personnel than any previous administration since the Presidency of Ronald Reagan. As part of the ‘America First’ policy, Trump administration re-evaluate many of the U.S.’s many of the prior multi-national commitments including withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership such as Paris Climate Agreement.

The trump administration introduced a ban on Travel from certain Muslim -majority countries and recognized Jerusalem as capital of Israel. He withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal and increased sanctions against Iran. On June, 2018, Trump Nikki Haley announced that the United States would withdraw from the Human Rights Council because of its anti-Israel stand.

Jan. 2020 saw the outbreak of what would become the world wide COVID-19 pandemic. On may 29, Trump announced that US would cease funding of WHO and pull out of agency claiming that it had protected China while the Corona virus outbreak there spread to other countries to become pandemic.

Doctrine of Expectation:

Trump has already come out with an even stronger anti-war stance than during his first term. In addition to his demand for a Gaza ceasefire, he stated several times over the past year his desire for the Ukraine conflict to be wrapped up. But whether Putin will see eye-to-eye with him and whether Ukrainian Prime Minister Zelenskyy can be convinced to make compromises remain unclear.

As someone who believes that American ideals matter abroad—particularly that support for human rights and democracy abroad is the only way to advance our interest in the long run. Authors have different world view with different starting assumptions. From a nationalist perspective, however, Trump doctrine offers considerable appeal. It emphasizes American ‘sovereignty’ based around narrow conception of U.S. economic and security interests. This results in a more obviously pursuing those interests with little regard for international norms and institutions.

Trump doctrine is confrontational where non-citizens are given little consideration. His stamp on American foreign policy will continue to matter in its clear and ambitious attempt to put forward a set of guidelines for those who wish to carry the ‘America First’ mantle into future. This along with profound shifts in domestic politics that could ensure that Trump is remembered as one of the more consequential President of modern era.

Trump rationale behind running for office is that he cannot watch this betrayal of his country any longer and let other countries take advantage of America on trade, borders, foreign policy and national defense. Trump emphasized the importance of US leadership in preserving the liberal international order and paying lip service to the promotion of democracy abroad. Trump has displayed practically no interest in other countries internal conduct. Keeping with what is called cultural sovereignty which the President expanded on his address follows.

‘Each of us here today is the emissary of distinct culture, a rich history and a people bound together by ties of memory, tradition and the values that make our homelands like nowhere else on Earth…. I honor the right of every nation in this room to pursue its own customs, benefits and traditions. The United States will not tell you how to live or work or worship.’

President Trump sought rapprochement with North-Korea leader Kim-Jong-Un as part of efforts to de-nuclearize the Korean Peninsula although North Korea. He Agreed with the Taliban for a conditional full withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Trump is continuing US’s war on Terror and campaign against Islamic state terror organization including overseeing the death of its leader Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi in October 2019. The Trump administration often used economic pressure to enforce its foreign policy goals. Trump’s import tariff agitated trade partners and triggered a trade -war with China. He also signed the United Staes-Mexico- Canada Agreement (UAMCA) a continental trade agreement which replaced NAFTA.

Trump policy likely to the benefit of allies in Asia and sacrificing the integrity of allies in Europe. Trump viewing deterrence against Russia and China as linked and the importance of re-building alliances with Israel and Saudi Arabia for the more direct goal of combating Iran, but also to build up Saudi Arabia as an alternative to Russian oil.

In May 2016, Trump campaigned to secure American energy independence for the first time. He drew attention to China’s acceptance into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001 as a mistake, claiming the decision had contributed to a massive job loss. He withdrew from the Trans-Pacific-Partnership which he deemed a ‘job killing Partnership. In April 2017 the administration reversed the United States-Korea Free-Trade Agreement which Trump described as a job-killing trade deal.

President Trump has reiterated his desire for the US to acquire Canada, Green land and the Panama Canal which are critical for America’s national security. It is an expansionist mind set of president Donald Trump. It equates his foreign and trade policy of America.

Conclusion:

President Donald Trump will base his administration’s foreign policy on three key questions. Does it make America safer? Does it make America Stronger? Does it make America more prosperous? That is the essence of the ‘America First’ approach. US attention moves from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It is clear that foreign policy advisors in Trump’s orbit view China as the main threat to US interests. Trump’s policy likely benefits allies in Asia and sacrifices the integrity of allies in Europe. The deterrence against Russia and China is interlinked as the United States views it.

(Author: Dr. Sunita Samal is a political commentator with an M.Phil. on ‘Human Rights And United States Foreign Policy: A Comparative Study Between Carter And Reagan Administrations’. and later her Ph. D. on ‘Human Rights And Development In Emerging World Order’)