Media Assess Fluctuations in Washington's Foreign Policy

President Trump's actions — before and since his official assumption of office —  continue to occupy a great deal of interest in the media and international think tanks, especially since his moves and statements are a departure from the traditional determinants of American diplomacy (Relations with Russia - NATO's Future - European Security).

Apart from the White House confrontations during Ukrainian President Zelenskiy's visit, Trump's circle of controversial statements expands to diverse issues and countries.

While there has been a partial retreat from some of his more aggressive remarks, especially regarding his initial plan to impose tariffs on Mexico and Canada, Trump recently signed an executive order imposing a 20% tariff on China.

Additionally, an extra 10% tariff will be applied to Chinese exports, adding to the 10% tariff he had already enforced earlier this year.

As for traditional relations with the old continent, Europe, the Telegraph newspaper recently revealed that the American president is considering withdrawing 35,000 American troops from Germany and redeploying them in Eastern Europe. This step will increase tension in relations between the United States and Europe.

Notable that the newspaper reported the day before yesterday that the United States had informed its allies that it would not participate in planning military maneuvers in Europe starting next year.

The report added Washington’s decision meant that its forces would not participate in the maneuvers with their European counterparts or their participation would be limited.

The media assessed President Trump's intentions to turn his back on NATO.

The British newspaper Daily Mail indicated that Trump is thinking about abandoning his country's leadership role in NATO and insists that the United Kingdom and France bear more responsibility for it after he surprised Western allies by suspending vital military aid to Ukraine, following the "White House quarrel."

This comes at a time when both Starmer and Macron have expressed their readiness to travel to Washington with Zelensky to present a "united front" on a peace plan in Ukraine.

These shifts in American foreign policy prompted the popular political journal The National Interest to publish the report “Why Donald Trump Can't Have Peace In Ukraine and Gaza?!”.

It focused that peacemaking efforts by the United States without willing parties – whether between Russia and Ukraine or between Israel and Hamas – are certain to backfire and sow the seeds of further war.

The report went so far as to assert that Washington’s desperation to achieve peace, even if it is a hollow peace that provides only a short period of respite before the fighting resumes, may make war more likely in other places and that no matter how strong the “carrots and sticks” available to Washington, it cannot impose peace from the outside. Worse still, in the estimation of the report’s author, Lawrence J. Haas, is that Washington, which appears to be seeking peace—regardless of the justice of its terms or the prospects for its sustainability—may give a green light to leaders in other regions who are thinking of waging their own wars.

Therefore, if we turn to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, we will find that the issue is not merely the ceasefire agreement but the guarantee of its sustainability, as well as the urgent need for Washington to intensify substantive and not biased diplomatic moves, to end the arbitrary decisions of Tel Aviv from time to time to halt the entry of all goods and supplies. - including medical equipment - to the sector, and the lack of urgent action is detrimental to the credibility of the international community and Washington's image in the region.

Here we cite what the Egyptian President touched upon in the speech he delivered at the opening session of the extraordinary Arab Summit and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s indication that human memory will long pause before what is happening in Gaza after the fierce war on Gaza aimed to destroy aspects and means of life, in addition to the ongoing efforts to empty the Strip of its residents.

While President El-Sisi praised in his speech Washington’s efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement and nodded that this would not have been achieved without the appreciated efforts of President Trump and his administration, El-Sisi expressed Egypt and the Arab countries aspiration for Washington’s efforts to continue the sustainability of the ceasefire in Gaza.

We also look forward to an objective and relatively neutral U.S. role regarding the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as well as to direct U.S. support for the efforts of Egypt and the Arab countries to accelerate recovery and reconstruction in Gaza.

In parallel, these fluctuations began to negatively affect important segments of American public opinion itself.

Diplomats from the State Department and the US Agency for International Development sent a letter to the US Secretary of State, rallying against the decision to dismantle the agency.

The writers of the letter stressed that the absence of the agency would undermine American leadership and security, and leave a vacuum for China and Russia.

The Supreme Court also served a blow to Trump regarding the freeze on foreign aid by reinstating a lower court ruling requiring the expedited disbursement of up to $2 billion owed to contractors for work already completed.

Relations with Europe remain the most visible sign of Washington’s foreign policy volatility at the moment. Following Trump’s speech to Congress last week, and as we approach the first half of the first 100 days, the Trump administration plans to close dozens of consulates, mainly in Western Europe in the coming months.

With more diplomatic missions likely to close, it could deal a blow to efforts to build and strengthen partnerships between Washington and its European allies.

Relations with Europe remain the most visible sign of Washington’s foreign policy volatility at the moment. Following Trump’s speech to Congress last week, and as we approach the first half of the first 100 days, the Trump administration plans to close dozens of consulates, mainly in Western Europe in the coming months.

With more diplomatic missions likely to close, it could deal a blow to efforts to build and strengthen partnerships between Washington and its European allies.