Donald Trump’s international scheme was, during his first name, not only effective, it was the most successful international policy of any leader since Ronald Reagan. Pseudo-experts on foreign legislation have refused to give Trump payment for his apparent victories, including a passive Russia, a contained Iran, Middle Eastern peace agreements signed by Israel and several of its Arab companions, an exceedingly remote China, and burgeoning libertarian movements in South America. Rather, these supposed geniuses suggest that Trump’s foreign policy is disorganized, dangerous, crazed, they long for the purported calm of Democratic foreign policy, based on fallacious nostrums about politics, lack of protection mechanisms and infinite negotiations that result in more issue.
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In fact, Trump’s international policy has always been straightforward and effective. That’s become wholly clear owing to his foreign policy pulls for his next name: Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary, Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, Mike Waltz for National Security Adviser, John Ratcliffe for CIA Director, Mike Huckabee for Ambassador to Israel, among people. Each of these foreign policy picks embodies the Trump Doctrine in their own unique vision of the world.
That doctrine is simple. As Trump himself expressed it to me on my show some two weeks before the election,” Our policy is very simple: peace through strength. We had no wars– and I’m not an isolationist– I helped a lot of countries. I prevented war between nations. This policy can be expressed in a few key propositions.
First, America’s interests are paramount. The American government should be in charge of serving the interests of its citizens, not by ignoring the rest of the world. This ought to be a truism. These concerns range from the protection of American interests in contentious regions to the strength of American allies in conflict areas, which would otherwise require direct American intervention.
Second, America’s interests must be carefully calibrated to our investment in them. We should n’t accept Wilsonian bromides as a justification for heavy investment if we only have a weak interest in democracy in a far-away country. None of the scarce resources are more scarce or priceless than the American military’s blood and treasure. Self-deception about the ease of war is dangerous. If we’re going to draw a red line, it ought to be a red line. As Joe Biden learned, saying “no” is no substitute for actual foreign policy.
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Third, all measures and means necessary to achieve America’s interests are on the table. These measures and means range from seriously threatening American military force when necessary to seriously destroying America’s economic resources. The ancient Latin adage” si vis pacem, para bellum”– if you want peace, prepare for war– is a key principle for the Trump Doctrine. What’s more, war is ugly and cannot be made antiseptic. That means that America’s might, when unleashed, must be calibrated toward victory rather than hamstrung by niceties and pieties. The shortest and most successful war, if there is one, would be the most humane. In short, the Trump Doctrine says: f— around, find out.
Fourth, all of this ought to be publicly proclaimed. If our enemies know our principles, they will avoid the fight. When one side has the best chance to win, either through sheer capacity or as a result of the other side’s growing weakening their will, war breaks out. America must broadcast both our will and capacity. This leaves no room for errors that ultimately lead to war.
In both of his administrations, Trump has firmly adhered to these principles. The administration that came after had been the most peaceful in modern American history. As long as it is followed, the Trump Doctrine will continue to bring more peace. And by all indicators, President Trump is determined to do so over the next four years.
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