Many critics on both sides of the aisle have scrutinized President Trump’s flurry of foreign policy decisions in the first weeks of his presidency. Democrats struggle to process the fast-paced, action-oriented approach of Trump’s foreign policy team, while some hawkish Republicans have criticized his cuts to foreign aid. Meanwhile, other libertarian minded conservatives have complained over some of his more Trump-y ideas such as the US “taking over” the Gaza strip.
At first glance, it may seem difficult to find a common thread in the administration’s sometimes unconventional foreign policy approach. However, a pattern is beginning to emerge. Trump’s foreign policy reflects his "America First" promises, but in addition, it demonstrates his administration’s commitment to honoring the will of the people.
"I want to see peace. Look, you know why I want it? Because I don’t want all these people killed anymore. I’m looking at people that are being killed—they’re Russian and Ukrainian people, but they’re people… and I think I have the power to end this war," Trump said on February 18th.
In his signature style of pointing out not so common, common sense, Trump has made it a point to remind the international community that dead people cannot have a voice in anything. He is making peace a priority for the sake of Americans first and foremost, but also for civilians around the world caught up in conflict.
On Tuesday, while policy hacks griped about Trump’s team meeting with Russian officials in Riyadh without inviting European or Ukrainian representatives Trump’s team moved forward with their commitment to ending the war in Ukraine. They also highlighted the glaring lack of elections in Ukraine, reminding the world that the Ukrainian people have not had a voice in this war since their 2024 elections were postponed. Additionally, during negotiations, Trump’s team emphasized the Russian people's growing discontent with the war and the ever-expanding draft in Russia. While Putin and the Russian government may ignore domestic dissent, Trump’s team is bringing it front and center to the conversation. Rather than dilly dallying in prolonged negotiations with European elites who could only agree on one thing--spending more money, as the Biden administration did for four years, Trump’s team is listening. Not only to the American people, who have voiced their discontent with the ongoing conflict—but also to the Ukrainian and Russian people, whose perspectives have been largely sidelined as diplomatic complexity has increased in the alter years of the war.
In the Middle East, Trump’s suggestion to resettle the Palestinian people may initially seem like an outlandish idea. However, upon further investigation reports indicate that for some Palestinians, having suffered under Hamas rule for generations, this is exactly the kind of fresh start opportunity they are looking for. In other countries such as Lebanon, the Trump administration is working to restore the will of the people to government by rooting out the Hezbollah terrorists hold on the country and supporting the formation of a new government free from Iran and Hezbollah’s influence.
In Europe, Vice President Vance has also embraced the administration’s agenda. During his fiery speech at the Munich Security Conference, he called out Orwellian censorship by certain European leaders, bringing the issue of free speech to the forefront of global discussions. In response to critics who claimed Vance was supporting fascism with his speech Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, “Why would our allies or anybody be irritated by free speech?” making this administration’s stance on protecting the voice of the average citizen unequivocally clear.
Trump and his team have fostered an environment where citizens in foreign countries feel inspired to speak up. Even in some unexpected places that don’t have protections for free speech we are seeing sparks of protests and an increasing desire among citizens who want to make their voices heard, since they know someone in the White House is finally listening. This is why it’s important for America to lead on the world stage.
Foreign policy is never black and white, and it would be naïve to suggest that these policies enjoy universal support within their respective countries. However, a common theme has emerged: Trump’s presidency is committed to doing the hard, and sometimes unpopular, work—whether at home or abroad—to ensure that ordinary citizens have a say in their own destinies. This often starts with pursuing straightforward goals, such as ending war, rooting out terrorism and foreign influence from bad actors, or even as we’ve seen here at home simply ending fraud, waste, and abuse. Trump is making it clear that America not only stands for "America First" policies, but also serves as a reminder to citizens around the world that their governments should work for them—not the other way around.