How Donald Trump Administration Changed International Relations
One of the agendas that Trump had during the campaign was to make changes to the American foreign policy in a bid to ‘make America great again.’ Trump has made changes that have been aimed at protecting American interests at the expense of its international allies. Trump’s view of international relations is that international politics is competitive; it is not about philanthropy, nations need to pursue a selfish interest, and foreign relations where a country has nothing to gain are as good as nothing(Walt, 2019). These perspectives have guided Trump’s decisions in foreign policy hence changing international relations
Trump’s view has been that the United States has to pursue its interest with no regard for the relationship that the United States has had with key allies. An evident example is a relationship that the United States has had with China as trading partners. Ideally, the U.S and China have had a mutually beneficial relationship since January 1979(Swaine, 2019). Whilst there have been evident negatives, the positives have been more with both nations growing in terms of trade, investments, and social and cultural investments. The relations have opened Beijing to the outside, making it grow, improved standard of living, improved infrastructure, and freedom of travel (Swaine, 2019). Trump administration has viewed that progress that China has made has been at the expense of the United States. This is oblivious to the fact that the United States has also benefited from China. Specifically, China’s reform-driven agenda was biennial to the growth of the global economy during the recession in 2008 -2010. In addition to this, U.S traders and investors who work with China have made profits that have benefited shareholders in the United States.
Another example is when Trump withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord. The rationale was that the accord did not benefit the United States. Firstly, the Trump administration has a close relationship with the fossil industry. The plan was once they withdrew from the Paris Accord, then the United States would use is the power to repeal the climate regulations which would benefit energy companies in the United States (Zhang et al., 2017). With this, energy companies such as Koch industries would benefit despite them contributing to the addition of carbon footprint and climate change.
Trump has changed foreign policy such that it speaks loudly of America First, which is different from Barrack Obama’s foreign policy, which was based on philanthropy (Zhang et al., 2017). In Obama’s view signing the Paris Accord would be beneficial to America. This is because it would enhance the nation’s climate security, promote a low carbon economy, and grow the renewable industry (Zhang et al., 2017). However, Trump has a different view and views the Paris Accord as one that undermines the United States’ competitive advantage and impairs employment and the traditional energy industries. As such, Trump’s belief is being part of the Paris Accord will undermine sovereignty and make the country have losses that will undermine economic growth. The rationale for this is the country should pursue an interest, which benefits the country economically. The decision is seen as one that is driven by domestic policy and personal preferences rather than its benefit to international relations.
Trump’s policy has been based on hyper-nationalism, as evident through how the country is relating to other countries. Particularly, Trump has criticized global corporations and U.S politicians for selling out American workers and the nation’s interests (Swaine, 2019). This is because they have supported unfair multilateral trade agreements like those with China, which the United States seems to be losing rather than gaining from them. Global corporations have moved their manufacturing facilities to China because it offers cheap labor hence affecting jobs for American citizens. As such, Trump has seen China as an economic predator because foreign policy has enriched them at the expense of the United States. China’s economy has grown rapidly over the years, becoming the largest trading power in the world its sector becoming a source of high tech innovation.
Moreover, Trump administration has disregarded the shared interest that countries have in international relations. This is evident through the United States turning away from global threats such as climate change. Trump has undermined potential mechanisms to address climate change, such as withdrawing from the Trans-pacific partnership as well as the revised World Trade Organization agreement (Swaine, 2019). Notable, the role of the World Trade Organization agreement is to manage economic problems arising from bilateral and multilateral agreements. The United States has accused China of building a Sino-centric world that is incompatible with the liberal international system that it believes in. American media has also labeled China as “debt-trap diplomacy,” where it has given loans to developing states with the aim of subjugating these nations (Swaine, 2019). This view has been supported by the fact that Trump views China as a country that engages in predatory trade and investment. Trump has disregarded multilateral bodies such as North American Free Trade and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which play a role in international relations.
Trump’s policy has disregarded the role that countries play in maintaining global order and security. This is evidenced through the United States’ withdrawal from supporting anti-ISIS action in Syria (Sperling & Webber, 2019). This reversed commitments that previous administrations had put in the fight against terrorism. Instead of the administration maximizing its interest in the Middle East through establishing a working relationship with other countries, Trump has crippled its relationship with the Middle East (Walt, 2019). Trump failed to stick to the nuclear deal with Iran and handed Saudi the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. In addition, Trump administration has expressed its interest in withdrawing from NATO. Ideally, NATO is an alliance that, over the years, has contributed to liberal international order (Sperling & Webber, 2019). Under the NATO laws, the exit is feasible if the country requesting to exit has power such that it does not need to depend on the organization. The United States has been key in maintaining peace in the North Atlantic area through its resources and contribution by its military. The United States has maintained its power within NATO, and it’s the only country that can break free from the organization and not depend on it. If it left, the country would do well on its own, given that it has invested in national defense. This means that the United States is unwilling to work with nations towards a common interest.
Conclusion
Trump has changed international relations, as evidenced by the changes in foreign policy. The administration has been keen on making America great again, with it going for policies that benefit the nation economically. Trump has changed foreign policy to one that is based on competition and ensuring that the country maintains its interests. This is seen through the strained relationship with China, with the United States viewing that it benefited more from its previous relations. America’s withdrawal from the Paris Accord is one that is based on the rationale that it will protect its traditional energy industries and protect people’s jobs. In addition, Trump has changed foreign policy and walked away from cooperating with other countries for a common interest. This is through the decision to withdrawal from NATO and removing its troops from anti-ISISI efforts in Syria.
References
Sperling, J., & Webber, M. (2019). Trump’s foreign policy and NATO: Exit and voice. Review of International Studies, 45(3), 511-526. Retrieved from https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/CECD6A4DA95D3C177531E8C10A6E562B/S0260210519000123a.pdf/trumps_foreign_policy_and_nato_exit_and_voice.pdf
Swaine, M. D. (2019). A Relationship Under Extreme Duress: U.S.-China Relations at a Crossroads. The Carter Center. Retrieved from https://carnegieendowment.org/2019/01/16/relationship-under-extreme-duress-u.s.-china-relations-at-crossroads-pub-78159
Walt, S. M. (2019, March 5). The Tragedy of Trump’s Foreign Policy. Foreign Policy. Retrieved from https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/03/05/the-tragedy-of-trumps-foreign-policy/
Zhang, H. B., Dai, H. C., Lai, H. X., & Wang, W. T. (2017). US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement: Reasons, impacts, and China’s response. Advances in Climate Change Research, 8(4), 220-225. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674927817301028