How US foreign policy changes under Donald Trump’s leadership

How US foreign policy changes under Donald Trump's leadership
Credit: Brian Snyder / Reuters

The victory of Donald Trump now brings many changes in the United States’ foreign policy. He wants to change the way ‌the US makes deals with other countries. Trump removed many officials and government workers he calls part of the “deep state,” including diplomats. It means he fired many people, especially workers in the State Department, and reshaped the diplomatic efforts of the United States

Now Trump’s wins might force the Biden administration to take instant actions on different matters, such as helping Ukraine and managing Israel’s actions. Trump has already said that he will stop ‌military aid to Ukraine and decrease ‌efforts to control ‌Israel’s aggressive action in Gaza. Trump also has plans to lessen the size of the United States’ agencies, as well as the State Department. 

Even though some people have the opinion that now Trump will be more organized in his 2nd-term Presidency. But it is still uncertain how much of his promises will be fulfilled. 

One of the senior diplomats said,

“I’m skeptical that the transition process will be super-impactful since the instinct of the new team will be to toss all of Biden’s foreign policy in the dumpster.”

In the first Presidency of Trump, many promises were not fulfilled. It includes having Mexico pay for the border wall or a secret plan to defeat ISIS. The CEO of the Center for a New American Security pointed out that the unfulfillment of these promises makes the president’s plans uncertain. Targeting the government, especially those involved in foreign policy is one of the clear goals of ‌Donald Trump. He wants to bring back Schedule F, which would remove protections for many federal employees, making them easier to fire. 

This step would give Trump more authority to remove employees he considers “rogue bureaucrats.” Many are worried that Trump may cut agencies that focus on immigration issues. This is because he criticized these complexities. This could result in the elimination of bureaus such as the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, which resettled many refugees, and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, which focused on human rights violations.

Although a victory in Wisconsin put him over the finish line, Ms. Harris faced an overwhelming challenge as a result of Mr. Trump’s wins in the three biggest battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina. Mr. Trump is also expected to win the popular vote for the first time, and Kamala Harris has yet to win any of the seven battlegrounds. That would be just the second Republican victory in the popular vote since 1988 and the first since 2004.

Trump won reelection, and the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 document proposes a new strategy for US foreign and immigration policy. The strategy, authored by former State Department official Kiron Skinner, suggests utilizing additional resources to address immigration issues, which may include temporarily discontinuing the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).

The document also suggests halting several State Department operations for a thorough examination. This would entail holding off on foreign aid, unratified treaties, and new hiring choices. The objective is to reduce international commitments and reorient U.S. foreign policy to emphasize conservative priorities.

Diplomats were worried about these possible changes, and some were considering quitting their jobs if the plan was implemented. A significant change is hinted at by Project 2025, which puts American domestic concerns ahead of global accords and collaboration.

Trump has pledged to restructure U.S. federal agencies by dismissing those he considers to be “corrupt,” particularly in the intelligence and security sectors. This indicates that if he is re-elected, he wants more authority over these agencies.

As Biden’s term draws to a close, his administration is working to establish a ceasefire in Gaza and get $6 billion in aid approved for Ukraine, both of which are difficult tasks. These actions demonstrate Biden’s attempts to aid Ukraine and restore peace in the Middle East.

Global allies are worried about the implications of a potential Trump comeback for American obligations. To allay any concerns about changing policy, Biden’s staff is expected to reassure other nations at the next G20 conference that the United States will remain dedicated to its previous international initiatives, even if leadership changes.

Author

  • NYCFPA Editorial

    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.

Recent Posts

Follow Us

Sign up for our Newsletter

Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit