The Three Questions for U.S. Foreign Policy Under Trump

By The Kurdish Center for Studies

The new U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has outlined the broad contours of U.S. diplomacy under Donald Trump in a statement published on the U.S. State Department website. What stands out about this brief statement is that anyone familiar with its content might think it pertains to the Department of the Interior or another federal agency, rather than a department responsible for charting the main paths of international relations as a whole—not just U.S. foreign policy. There is no mention of the Middle East, China, or the vision of the world that Washington seeks. This emphasis on domestic U.S. interests in the initial statement allows the State Department greater leeway to craft a foreign policy that is more consistent with the principles of “America First.”

In any case, the State Department’s statement does not seem to reflect the actual approach of the department under Rubio; rather, it appears to serve as a message to appease Trump and reassure him that his strategy is the foundation for action in Washington’s international relations. Therefore, reviewing this statement will serve as an introduction to later analyses and interpretations of the “international features” of U.S. foreign policy.

The introduction to the statement reads: “Serving as the 72nd Secretary of State of the United States is the highest honor of my career. President Trump has given me a clear directive to place our core national interest as the guiding mission of U.S. foreign policy. Every dollar we spend, every program we fund, and every policy we pursue must be justified by answering three simple questions:

Does it make America safer?

Does it make America stronger?

Does it make America more prosperous?”

Rubio states: “To advance our national interest, we will build a more innovative, agile, and focused State Department. This requires replacing certain priorities, de-emphasizing specific issues, and eliminating some practices.

First, we must reduce mass migration and secure our borders. The State Department will no longer engage in any activities that facilitate or encourage mass migration. Our diplomatic relations with other countries, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, will prioritize securing U.S. borders, halting illegal and destabilizing immigration, and negotiating the return of undocumented immigrants. Additionally, we must reward performance and merit, including within the ranks of the State Department.”

President Trump has issued an executive order to eliminate ‘DEIA’ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) requirements, along with the corresponding programs and offices across the government. This represents a significant shift from the U.S. diplomacy established by former President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who appointed the first U.S. Special Envoy for LGBT rights abroad.

Rubio emphasizes: “We must return to the fundamental pillars of diplomacy by ceasing to focus on political and cultural issues that are divisive at home and unpopular abroad. This will enable us to conduct a pragmatic foreign policy in cooperation with other countries to advance our core national interests.”

Rubio also spoke about rebuilding the foundations of counter-propaganda: “We must stop censoring and suppressing information. The State Department’s efforts to combat malicious propaganda have expanded and fundamentally changed since the Cold War era, and we must reprioritize. The State Department I lead will uphold and defend Americans’ rights to free speech and end any programs that contribute to the censorship of the American people. While we will combat genuinely hostile propaganda, we will do so based on the fundamental truth that America is a great and just nation, populated by generous people, and led by leaders who prioritize the core interests of Americans while respecting the rights and interests of other nations.

Finally, we must capitalize on our strengths and eliminate climate policies that weaken America. While we will not ignore the threats to our natural environment and will support reasonable environmental protections, the State Department will use diplomacy to help President Trump fulfill his promise of restoring American energy dominance.”

Rubio concludes: “In short, President Trump’s agenda for our country and foreign relations will guide the State Department’s refocusing on America’s national interests. Amidst today’s emerging superpower competition, I will empower our talented diplomatic corps to advance our mission to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”

During his Senate confirmation hearing last week, the former Republican senator stated that he aims to implement Trump’s ‘America First’ mantra, which rejects the multilateralism central to the Biden administration’s diplomacy. Upon his arrival at the State Department, he warned hundreds of employees that “change is coming, and it doesn’t have to be destructive or punitive.”

Author

  • The Kurdish Center for Studies (KCS) is the general term given for articles which are collaborations by the Co-Directors, contributors, or staff from the KCS—where listing each of the specific authors is unnecessary. The KCS Editorial Board reviews and approves such pieces before publication.

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