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How did Trump's foreign policy differ from his predecessors?
Executive summary
Donald Trump’s second-term foreign policy sharpens themes from his first term—“America First,” heavy use of tariffs and trade leverage, and a preference for bilateral deals over multilateral institutions—while critics say it has become more radical and centralized [1] [2] [3]. Reporting and analysis emphasize a turn toward maximalist tariffs and more transactional diplomacy, even as the administration touts trade deals and defense spending gains from allies [2] [4] [5].
1. “America First” as a governing doctrine — not just rhetoric
Trump’s foreign policy is explicitly framed as an “America First” revolution that seeks to upend decades of U.S. global engagement: analysts at the Carnegie Endowment describe it as a program that “revolutioniz[es] U.S. foreign policy” by privileging domestic interests and reducing U.S. roles in multilateral institutions [1]. The Atlantic likewise argues his second-term approach is both more radical and more politically viable than in 2016–20, signaling intent to make this worldview the organizing principle of diplomacy [3].
2. Tariffs and trade: from tools to centerpiece
Tariffs have moved from an occasional lever to a central instrument of statecraft. A tariff tracker and multiple policy analyses document aggressive use of Section 232 and other tariff authorities in 2025, including expanded steel, aluminum, and copper duties and a broader “maximalist approach to tariffs” that the administration embraces as foreign-policy strategy [2] [6]. At the same time, the administration also announces trade deal frameworks and agreements intended to lower prices on items like food and pharmaceuticals, presenting a dual narrative of pressure plus negotiated wins [4] [7].
3. Transactional diplomacy and bilateral bargains
Multiple outlets describe a shift away from longstanding multilateralism toward transaction-focused bilateral deals. Foreign Policy and other analysts show the administration securing frameworks with specific countries (Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Argentina, and others) and pushing bilateral leverage—an approach consistent with Trump’s insistence on one-on-one bargaining rather than relying on collective institutions [4] [7]. Critics warn this can weaken established international frameworks even where it produces near-term gains [1].
4. Centralization, personalization, and institutional change
Observers note a highly centralized and personal style: the second-term national-security apparatus is described as “highly centralized, and highly personal,” with moves to replace career civil servants with political loyalists and to “demolish the deep state,” altering how foreign-policy decisions are made [8]. The Atlantic also suggests the “axis of adults” that previously moderated policy is diminished, amplifying the president’s unilateral choices [3].
5. Military posture: promises of “no new wars” amid mixed signals
Analysts record tension between Trump’s “no new wars” promise and episodes of military assertiveness. The Institute for Global Affairs captures this oscillation, finding the administration alternating between militarism and peacemaking and integrating counterterrorism into immigration and domestic policy [9]. Stimson’s testing of assumptions similarly reports a reactivated Global War on Terror posture tied to immigration aims, indicating policy mixes that complicate a simple hawk-or-dove label [10].
6. Allies’ responses and the leverage dynamic
There is evidence that allies have responded to pressure with both accommodation and increased burden-sharing: NATO members pledged higher defense spending following White House pressure, which some commentators credit as a Trump achievement, while others warn the broader destabilizing effect on institutions is a cost [5]. Foreign Policy columnists explain why Asian partners have sometimes acceded to U.S. trade demands, showing that leverage—economic and diplomatic—has produced concrete concessions in some regions [11].
7. Legal and institutional limits, and contested tools
Trump’s tariff and sanction strategies have provoked legal challenges and institutional friction. Reporting on tariff proclamations notes court rulings questioning the executive’s authority under statutes like IEEPA and litigation that has made some tariff actions legally precarious, showing the limits of unilateral economic tools [2]. This creates friction between presidential aims and judicial or statutory checks [2].
8. Two narratives: strategic success or systemic risk
Commentary divides between two clear narratives. Supporters and some realists point to negotiated payoffs—higher allied spending, trade frameworks, and leverage in bilateral talks—as evidence of effective pressure-based diplomacy [4] [5]. Critics see systemic risk: a deliberate dismantling of multilateral norms, centralized decision-making, and economic coercion that could erode long-standing global order [1] [3]. Both narratives are present in current reporting.
Limitations: available sources in this batch focus on 2025 developments and analytical reactions; they do not exhaustively compare every policy detail with every predecessor, and they do not report on internal White House deliberations beyond described centralization efforts (not found in current reporting).