Abstract
President Trump’s foreign policy has developed from an “America First” ideology that encompasses both isolationism and interventionism, depending on the situation. This approach marks a pivotal shift toward prioritising the economic and security interests of the USA through transactional diplomacy. His National Security Strategy and Defense Strategy together convert the formerly predominantly rhetorical and electioneering phrase into a systematic programme that redefines goals, tools, and geographic hierarchies in the statecraft of the USA. The Security Strategy institutionalises “America First” as a sovereignty-focused doctrine that restricts the USA’s involvement to essential national interests and dismisses previous broad liberal-internationalist aspirations, focusing on states that uphold political, economic, and cultural sovereignty which must be safeguarded against supranational limitations and encroaching multilateral frameworks.
This conceptual change redefines the fundamental objective of foreign policy as safeguarding national security, enhancing economic competitiveness, maintaining technical supremacy, and ensuring advantageous regional power dynamics, rather than advocating for universal democratic principles. Consequently, Trump unashamedly promotes economic security, military strength and transactional diplomacy over multilateral commitments. Since the beginning of his second term in January 2025, he has reshaped global relations through tariffs, demands for burden-sharing, and selective interventions. The America First policy rejects globalism, focusing on fair trade deals and allies’ contributions, and countering rivals, such as China. It blends isolationism with assertive actions, such as threats and bilateral pacts, to protect the country’s interests. Unlike his predecessors’ emphasis on alliances and institutions, Trump sidelines multilateralism in favour of direct negotiations. This approach fosters peace through strength, as seen in Nato spending hikes and in stabilising regions through deals.
By April 2026 it will have enhanced the USA’s leverage but heightened multipolar tensions. Trade deals with Japan, India and others reduce deficits and protect jobs through tariffs. Demands by the USA have eroded trust in Europe and Nato, risking a breakdown of the coalition and alienating allies. Trump’s aggressive tariffs and threats provoke retaliation and instability, while his personal style leads to credibility gaps and inconsistent actions, and often to uncontrolled outbursts. Trump views Brics as “anti-American”, threatening 10% tariffs on aligned nations to curb their challenge to the dominance of the USA. Against China he escalates tariffs and restricts technology transfers, and disrupts oil supplies from partners like Iran and Venezuela, aiming to weaken Beijing’s global reach. His policy towards Cuba reimposes terrorism sponsor status and tightens embargoes to pressure regime change. In Venezuela, covert operations target Maduro, potential strikes securing oil, and blocking Chinese and Russian influence per the revived Monroe Doctrine. Furthermore, the USA commenced military operations against alleged drug vessels from Venezuela in the Caribbean in September 2025. The principal declared objective was to impede drug trafficking organisations and prevent drugs from entering the USA.
Trump demands 5% GDP defence spending from Nato allies, crediting his pressure for the 2025 Hague Summit hike from 2%. He questions Article 5 commitments under the Nato treaty and, disillusioned by allies’ refusal to join his military actions against Iran, he threatened withdrawal from the alliance. He pushes for bilateral trade with the United Kingdom and the European Union, with the counter that investments be made in the USA. He pressures Denmark over Greenland through tariffs. These actions have resulted in Europe’s shifting toward self-reliance, fostering European autonomy and a pushback against rivals. A strong pro-Israel stance includes Gaza peace plans with relocation proposals and obliteration threats to Hamas. The Board of Peace he established seeks to oversee Gaza’s peace initiative, enhance global stability, and synchronise international efforts, perhaps competing with the United Nations in conflict resolution. In the wake of the USA-Israel conflict with Iran, the Board of Peace’s commitment to regional stability is facing heightened examination. The changing regional dynamics have specific ramifications for the Gaza peace effort. Iran faces strikes on nuclear and oil sites, death to several high-ranking leaders, and infrastructure threats unless it capitulates. Aid cuts to South Africa protest land reforms, labelling aspects of certain laws as discriminatory and disapproving of anti-Israel actions. Ties with India are strengthened by praising Modi. Japan signs trade deals worth $550 billion and mutual tariffs. On Russia and Ukraine, Trump pivots to aid, sanctions and cease-fire proposals. By April 2026, he has redefined power dynamics, promoting the USA’s prosperity amid multipolar tensions.
One of the most difficult problems in contemporary international politics and diplomacy is how to approach and deal with the new Washington under Trump’s leadership without incurring his wrath. He has already reshaped US foreign policy in this term, disrupting the world with tariffs, downgrading alliances, belittling partners, and seeking confrontation with adversaries. Sometimes it is chaotic and often unpredictable. Several political scientists regard Trump as dangerous and ill-prepared to act on the international stage. Others define his actions as strategic and purposeful. All these developments indicate that when geopolitics is played properly, there are significant geostrategic consequences.
These consequences are undeniably attributable to Trump’s approach to, and handling of, foreign policy, guided by his unwavering belief in the “America First” principle. For Trump, nothing, not even peace, transcends his aggressive transactionalism, utilising tariffs as leverage and financial instruments in his foreign policy decisions, all aimed at achieving America First objectives. Even if Trump partially succeeds in executing his policies, the globe will appear altered. His actions against Iran already demonstrate this. The next seven months will be a pivotal period that will determine whether his novel foreign-relations strategy yields enduring successes or exacerbates global instability.
Keywords: Africa; America First; Board of Peace; Brics; China; Cuba; defence strategy; Europe; European Union; G20; Gaza; Greenland; India; Iran; Japan; Nato; Russia; Rutte; sanctions; security strategy; South Africa; tariffs; Trump; Ukraine; United Nations; Venezuela; Western Hemisphere
- This article’s featured image was created by Polina Zimmerman and obtained from Pexels.