We are nearly halfway through the first year of the second Trump administration, and the American people are seeing something unprecedented in American politics in the 21st Century: the development and implementation of a grand strategy.
Critics and talking heads have tried to paint President Donald Trump as brash and careless, especially when it comes to foreign relations and international affairs. Nothing could be further from the truth. Since the beginning, Trump has been clear that America’s interests are his interests, and he has designed America’s grand strategy around American priorities.
Critics say the Trump Doctrine is causing chaos. Not so. The chaos caused by the flawed designs of previous presidents and their advisers in this century alone made it necessary for a radical course correction. In other words, what Trump has done this year has also opened up new opportunities for collaboration and commerce in regions that were overlooked in previous administrations. The Middle East is a case in point.
For decades, the only narrative coming out of the region was conflict. Trump saw past that and identified opportunities for trade, commerce and cooperation. This has directly led to a transformation in foreign relations with many Middle Eastern and Gulf countries and new partnerships that have the potential to revolutionize America’s engagement in the area — as well as the American economy.
That was not Trump’s only goal. On his trip to the region, he also laid the groundwork for the now-apparent isolation of Iran. No one wants the Iran problem. Even Syria — a long-term Iranian ally — is watching from the sidelines.
The Trump administration has also simultaneously put to bed the blanket ‘isolationist’ and ‘warmonger’ caricatures, which hold no water after strategic strikes against Iranian uranium enrichment facilities. These were calculated strikes that sent two important messages.
First, it was a reminder that America supports its allies. Israel has been fighting against constant opposition long before the second Trump administration began. The lone beacon of democracy in the Middle East, it has done an admirable job of weakening the state and non-state actors that threaten not only the existence of the state of Israel but also democratic values that undergird all free societies.
Israel has stood boldly when other nations have cowered. And they did it without asking for help. This is something that has set Israel apart. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has always acknowledged that Israel must fight for itself and has ultimate responsibility for its own defense.
Trump honored that position and leveraged America’s unmatched military to support Israel through bombings that neutralized targets that were important to America, Israel, and the rest of the free world.
This reminded America’s other allies that the Trump administration is ready and willing to work in tandem when priorities are aligned. The fact that this happened ahead of the NATO meeting demonstrates just how comprehensive the new American doctrine is. It is also not a coincidence that NATO agreed to support Trump’s recommendation of 5% of GDP going toward defense spending.
The second message that Trump has sent is that he is always open to diplomacy. In fact, it is his preference. Iran was repeatedly warned against using force. They were encouraged to find a peaceful solution and explicitly told the consequences if they continued to violate the JCPOA agreement. Only when it became clear that Iran was not interested in negotiations was military force used.
The Trump administration has also simultaneously put to bed the blanket ‘isolationist’ and ‘warmonger’ caricatures, which hold no water after strategic strikes against Iranian uranium enrichment facilities.
Importantly, that was not the end of the story. Quickly after the strikes were completed, Trump again began working toward peace, personally working with top officials to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Force was only ever used in an effort to bring both parties to the negotiating table.
These are not the actions of a warmonger or an isolationist. They are the actions of a peace strategist. Someone who is unashamed to put his country first on the world’s stage but opens the hand of friendship and cooperation to those willing to join together to achieve shared goals. Sounds a bit like President Ronald Reagan, who ended the Cold War without firing a shot.