Storella Gives First Take on Trump Foreign Policy in French TV Interview
Ambassador Mark Storella, Professor of the Practice at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, appeared on France 24 TV to discuss the Trump Administration’s Foreign Policy. He told interviewers that President Donald Trump has already demonstrated his intent to pursue a unilateral, assertive, and transactional foreign policy, with little regard for alliances, international organizations, or traditional diplomacy.
Ambassador Storella expressed concern when responding to questions about Trump’s statements on the Panama Canal, Greenland, and Canada. Storella emphasized that such treatment of U.S. allies is unwarranted. Moreover, he noted that at a time when Russia is using force to annex parts of Ukraine and China is threatening to use force to claim Taiwan, it would send a chilling message for the U.S. to invoke the use of force over territorial disputes.
Some of Trump’s initiatives, such as proposing to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, are substantively meaningless but are intended to signal to his domestic political base that he is willing to stand up to others.
Storella also highlighted what was missing from Trump’s inaugural address: any mention of allies, international cooperation, or international organizations. According to Storella, Trump is clearly seeking to take unilateral actions and implement policies transactionally. However, at some point, he will need to address major issues, such as relations with Russia and China, which will require the use of all available diplomatic tools.
The full interview is available here.