THE FAILURES OF TRUMP’S INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENTS

Much of Trump’s international engagement has been a hodgepodge of impulsive and contradictory actions. To the extent there is a Trump doctrine, it amounts to this: Use tariffs, sanctions and other means of economic pressure to compel U.S. adversaries and, as often, allies to accede to White House demands. This has not worked. First, Trump set wildly unrealistic goals. Trump’s next mistake was assuming that unilateral U.S. action was enough to succeed, and that he didn’t need the international cooperation obtained by previous presidents.