Washington Post: Trump and “America First” Philosophy

Citizens around the world expect to international leaders to speak out against wartime atrocities and offer policies that promote moral values including justice and concern for human rights. “President Trump has vowed to follow a radically new approach to foreign policy that jettisons the costly mantle of moral leadership in favor of America’s most immediate economic and security interests,” notes Greg Jaffe for the Washington Post. “This week, crises in Syria and North Korea have put Trump’s ‘America First’ foreign policy to perhaps its biggest test.” Complicating US policy: Russia supports the Assad regime in Syria, and China opposes destabilization for North Korea. Few countries want to cross the US as an economic or military power, and many question selfish-sounding policies and vague tough talk overlooking the world’s complex connections. Trump has admitted to a change of heart on Syria and Assad after a chemical weapon attack on civilians. Trump complains that he inherited a foreign-policy mess, describing balanced approaches – carefully crafted criticisms that underscore values and aim to avoid the costs of war – as weakness. Trump resists discussing foreign-policy specifics in fear of alerting opponents, but policy analysts admit to confusion about where the country stands on pressing issues. Lack of strategy could mean Trump would attract little support, at home or abroad, for military endeavors. – YaleGlobal