An Overview of Donald Trump's Foreign Policy as the Elected President of the United States

After taking the oath of office on January 20, 2024, Donald Trump, the elected President of the United States, and his administration will officially begin their activities. Compared to his first term, the fundamental approach of Trump, both domestically and internationally, has not changed significantly, and the slogan 'Make America Great Again' remains intact. On the international stage, this means withdrawing from leadership in certain global matters. Typically, U.S. foreign policy does not differ much from one administration to another; only the methods of implementing that policy may change. Trump's first administration from 2017 to 2021 included several unexpected developments: withdrawal from the JCPOA and the implementation of the so-called 'maximum pressure' policy, leaving unanswered the attack by the Islamic Republic on Saudi oil facilities, and the elimination of Qasem Soleimani, the then-commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards. Now, Trump's second administration faces the public intervention of the Islamic Republic in the Israel-Hamas war from multiple fronts, a nuclear program that is much closer to a breakout point than it was eight years ago, and plots to assassinate Trump and several of his former administration's politicians. However, Trump claims he is not seeking war with Iran. Brian Hook, the special representative of the U.S. State Department for Iran during Trump's first administration, stated in an interview with CNN that Trump will pursue the previous policy, which includes weakening the military and economic power of the Islamic Republic and its proxy groups. One of Trump's strategies to achieve this goal will be to strengthen relations with Israel and Gulf Arab countries. During his election campaign, Trump stated that he does not intend to overthrow the Islamic Republic's government in Iran. Brian Hook also mentioned in his recent interview that such a task is up to the Iranian people themselves. After winning the presidential election on November 5, 2024, Donald Trump expressed hope that the war in Gaza would be over by the time he enters the White House. Ultimately, he seeks to complete what he started eight years ago, which is establishing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and allowing all parties to benefit from its economic advantages. However, this time it will be more difficult, as the Israeli cabinet, which includes several members of the far-right party, has clearly expressed its opposition to the establishment of a separate state for Palestinians. Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, one of the senior advisors to the elected president stated that Trump will seek peace rather than the reclamation of Ukrainian territories from Russia. Trump wants to pressure both sides to agree. His weapon will be military aid to Ukraine, threatening Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to cut off aid if he is not willing to negotiate, and if Russia is unwilling to negotiate, he will increase the aid. European countries, especially members of NATO, are concerned about the next four years. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg recently visited Florida to meet with Trump and lay the groundwork for the future. Relations with China primarily revolve around competition in production and financial issues. Trump has threatened to impose heavy tariffs on imports of Chinese products. Continuing the previous policy towards East Asia and Southeast Asia, which involved distancing from them, could strengthen China's position.