The leader of the free world held true to the traditional perspectives on external relations he fervently criticized. Donald Trump pledged during his campaign to revamp the blueprint of U.S. international policy. According to Trump, previous policymakers prioritized alliance matters excessively, compromising American interests. The established leaders also displayed a strong penchant for military intervention, which ultimately cost the country lives and resources on non-critical matters. Trump, contrasting with this view, expressed readiness to break ties with allies when their interests diverged from America’s, he also revealed a preference to fallback on diplomacy and negotiation rather than force.
However, with his decision to command a military attack on the Iranian nuclear program, Trump demonstrated that his proclamation to be a revolutionary in strategic planning might have been overstated. Contrary to popular belief, Trump’s decision, albeit unconventional and seemingly personally motivated, fits within the standard international policy he often criticized. This implies a continuation of the existing status quo.
For several years, the U.S. has been primarily determined to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, employing a mixture of punitive measures (for instance, sanctions) and attractive incentives (such as security guarantees) to achieve this objective. On multiple occasions, American leaders have pondered the employment of military force to thwart nuclear advancement in other nations.
When Trump initiated an attack on Iran, he essentially undermined any long-lasting diplomatic resolution to Iran’s nuclear pursuits while simultaneously setting preconditions that could possibly drag the U.S. back into confrontation with Iran. Evaluating the situation in its entirety, it challenges the declarations made by both advocates and detractors of Trump that the current administration is dramatically altering the groundwork of American grand strategy.
Nonetheless, the power players of Washington’s foreign policy assembly have reason to celebrate. With the assault on Iran, President Trump has acted firmly within the borders of the foreign policy consensus.