The rematch between the two political leaders of the United States, Donald Trump and Joe Biden is going to start soon. The former president Donald Trump returning to the Oval Office created many questions regarding the United State foreign policy. The question is not only, what another Trump administration might bring? It is also important to think about how the Joe Biden government is preparing for the possibility of Trump coming back to power.
During the era of the Trump government in 2016, many people hoped he would start acting more like a traditional president. People expected that by implementation of experienced Republican advice, he would moderate his approach and keep the country on a stable course. But Trump’s behavior was totally opposite to the expectations.
If we compare Trump’s foreign policy with the previous one, it was a major departure. In his era, he focused more on American interests over international commitments and alliances. During his period of rule, he changed some agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Paris climate accord. According to him, one of the worst trade deals was the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He also promised to change it.According to him, NATO was out of date, and also asked countries to pay more for their own defense.
Many aspects of Trump’s foreign policy were unclear. He was thought of as a NATO ally but has strong friendships with North Korea and Russia.
He pulled out of the WHO and the Iran deal, which upset Europe and Democrats said he was making the US isolated.
In contrast, Biden and his government have adopted a good strategic approach to international relations. This person involved Russia in the conflict in Ukraine. This action not only weakened the Russian economy but also changed the views of people across the globe of its military strength.
NATO has become more active, extending its influence, and the crisis in Europe, along with the war in Ukraine, has strengthened America’s leadership among its allies. This highlights the importance and power of the Western alliance, with the US leading the way. Furthermore, the strategy of engaging Russia in Ukraine is similar to efforts to contain China in Taiwan, promoting diplomatic and strategic measures in the Indo-Pacific region.
The future of the United State foreign policy totally depends upon the 2024 presidential elections. If Trump is reelected, then US foreign policy changes abruptly. So his administration changes the policy direction that could potentially unsettle the world order.
In a second term for Trump, Kyiv might get less help, so Europe might help Ukraine more. Trump could also get tougher on China with higher tariffs and limits on trade, and he might be less involved if China acts in Taiwan. Israel could have more freedom in the Middle East. Trump might also focus more on using the military against Mexican drug cartels, like he did before.
In Washington, many officials are discussing the possibility of Trump returning to power. The US government is also struggling with the situation and making plans about how to handle the situation if Trump wins again.
Furthermore, The State Department, National Security Council, and Defense Department are doing exercises to see how Trump’s policies might affect the United State.
If Trump gets more votes and holds the government responsibility again, then Joe Biden could struggle to prevent Trump’s planning.
Last year, Congress passed a law preventing any president from withdrawing the US from NATO without Congress’s agreement.
However, there haven’t been direct actions to stop Trump’s foreign policy. It’s uncertain how this law could be used against Trump, and efforts to prevent him from running again might not be effective.
The Biden administration proposed the $95 billion package in order to support Ukraine. It also includes the $60 billion for Kyiv, which stands out amidst global shifts since Trump’s presidency. Furthermore, the potential changes in the global dynamics occur due to increasing Macron’s attention to the Ukraine conflict and also recent terrorist attacks in Moscow. Everyone eagerly awaits the election results. This is because the future of the United State foreign policy depends upon it.
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The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) is a policy, research, and educational organization headquartered in New York State with an office in Washington D.C. NYCFPA is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan, institution devoted to conducting in-depth research and analysis on every aspect of American foreign policy and its impact around the world. The organization is funded by individual donors. The organization receives no corporate or government donations.
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