In a noteworthy speech, on a memorable journey, we see the most obvious overview of what has ever been called Trump doctrine in foreign policy.
The current U.S. president is not inclined to indulge in big theory speeches, but he effectively ruled in Saudi Arabia.
It can be summarized as: less moral, more money.
In other words, the pursuit of prosperity takes precedence over noble rhetoric of democracy. In his story, this is the secret to peace and stability.
Of course, the speech in Riyadh on Tuesday was not the last Republican President George W. Bush, who would have been the first overseas trip to the presidency.
Barack Obama didn't have his first speech either President's speech For the Arab world, when he talked in detail about democracy to college students in Cairo.
Trump talks to business crowd. By contrast, he belittles the Western kind-hearted people who travel around the world who are trying to spread democracy.
He made the CEO applaud the CEO at the feet of the CEO when he saluted the leader of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
That was the same Mohammed bin Salman Character non grata In Washington, due to his alleged role in the murder case, and attacked columnist in The Washington Post.
Trump described the Saudi leader’s way of winning, “business, not chaos” before turning to criticizing busy Westerners.
“It’s crucial for the wider world, and it’s this huge change [in Saudi Arabia] “Not from Western interventionists or people who ride beautiful planes, they give you lectures on how to live and how to manage your own affairs,” he said.
“No, the sparkling miracles of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi were not created by so-called state builders, new officials or liberal nonprofits, such as those who spent trillions of dollars and trillions of dollars in the development of Kabul, Baghdad, Baghdad, and many other cities.”
U.S. President Donald Trump received economic commitments from Saudi Arabia during a Gulf National Tour on Tuesday. The two countries signed a US defense agreement of nearly $14.2 billion. CBC's Chris Brown reviews Trump's visit.
Trump mocked the so-called country builders, who he said have destroyed more countries than they built and intervened in complex societies they don’t understand.
The speech “maybe the clearest expression of how Trump sees foreign policy,” said Stephen Watneum, a historian of U.S. foreign policy at the Carnegie International Peace Foundation.
“He openly advocates transactionalism.”
What does this mean for the rest of us
The address helps to weave together in seemingly unrelated presidential events.
Gaza? Trump believes that this should be takeowns hotels and American investors. Ukraine? Wodimill President Zelenskyy received Browbeaten at the White House, but has since signed United States – Ukrainian minerals And back to Trump's better grace.
Trump announces hundreds of billions Commercial transactions In Saudi Arabia and the UAE, large investments include huge data centers. During his journey, he also lifted sanctions on Syria and offered a standing ovation led by Saudi leaders.
Will this approach make the world safer? Foreign policy thinkers interviewed for this story, put forward some pros and cons, so, overall, they don't know.
“To be sure,” Wertheim said, seeing some benefits—lower certain types of war risks, less accusations of hypocrisy against us while promoting democracy, but selectively choosing which authoritarians to work with. He said on the other hand, allowing dictators to release is a potential recipe for unstable.
“No one knows. There is absolutely no one,” said Daniel Immerwahr, a historian of U.S. foreign policy at Northwestern University. He agrees with Trump that state building is destructive but worried that dictators abuse citizens and threaten the world of neighboring countries without worrying about the United States, like the early 20th century.
Trump's approach to values certainly has the potential to make diplomatic affairs less, rather than more, predictable.
Now find yourself confused about your position, this is our allies and opponents, nothing else. See how he plays hot and cold in NATO, Ukraine and China, Issues and DeletesAnd turn back and forth in restricting trade High-tech products.
It's hard to plan. Especially for countries closest to the United States, especially Canada, he has been talking about certain companies taking over the target.
Perhaps Canadians may draw limited assurances from a rare thing, Trump said he will defend Canadian aggression according to the principle.
“We protect Canada militarily, we will protect Canada all the time,” Trump said during a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Trump's approach to foreign policy has some appeal. Even his critics acknowledge this. This week, two former Obama staffers paid tribute to some of the things Trump did in the Middle East on their diplomatic podcast.
They say that sometimes the traditional foreign policy attitude in Washington is not enough. They praised Trump for ignoring any criticism, including criticism from ally Israel and reopening his ties to Syria.
“I think Trump deserves a mention,” Tommy Vietor said in the podcast. Pods save the worldadding that he likes the idea that Trump doesn't care about “spots” of Washington's foreign policy.
New York Times reporters recorded mixed reactions in different parts of the Arab world In the title: “Trump's commitment to the Middle East: No more 's speech on how to live.'”
A human rights lawyer told this article that this is less hypocritical than the United States’ constant talk about rights and democracy, and then selectively ignores these things in certain places and moments. He said that at least now, Americans know it very well. Or are they?
Consistent philosophy? Not exactly
There is still hypocrisy, or at least contradiction. The United States talks with dictators and communists on multiple continents, but keeps it out in part for domestic political reasons Venezuela and Cuba.
Wertheim said this is one of the reasons for ignoring too much. This is not a philosophy of wearing iron. He said Trump was not as radical as the change agent he proposed.
For example: A few years ago, the neoconservative impulse spread democracy at the muzzle. Indeed, Joe Biden supported Ukraine and sent out weapons. But, Wertheim added that he opposed Bush-style interventionism and actually withdrew from such a task in Afghanistan.
As for Trump's potential impact on human rights, The Times also talked to people in the Middle East, worried about what this might mean.
One is the son of a 75-year-old American Suni two-person citizen who was forbidden from leaving the Kingdom after him Arrested and releasedon key social media posts. He said the U.S. government in the past may have raised this with the Saudis. But he said he hasn't managed to get anyone in the Trump administration to talk to him yet.
There is a third approach, a former Obama staffer said on the podcast. Military Adventurism and Democracy – The middle position between Gunter Point, on the other side, is almost complete indifference to democratic values.
“We shouldn’t let [Trump’s] Exactly ignoring American interventionism leads you to believe that the only option is a bunch of, let’s face it, a bunch of… White American CEOs, a bunch of royals sitting around, deciding everything about themselves,” Ben Rhodes said.
“In these discussions in this part of the world, there is a need to provide people with a voice.”
The podcast episode titled “Con Man Air: Trump's Middle East Cash Shopping” reflects the jaundice scenery of this Middle East trip A firm For Trump and His family.
This can easily be a reference for animated philosophy of Trump’s foreign policy.
With Ronald Reagan on the Hill about the shining city of America, Trump talks about a different glitter-the Golden Age, animated with a simpler, clearer philosophy: Following the money. When ideals appear, the art of trading is in it.
