Foreign Policy Live The Realist POV on Trump’s First 100 Days
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Apr 29, 2025 
Emma Ashford, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center and a prominent realist scholar, shares her insights on Trump's tumultuous foreign policy during his second term. She discusses his chaotic first 100 days, the impact of nationalist ideology on diplomacy, and contradictions in U.S. strategies regarding the Middle East and Ukraine. Ashford highlights the divergence between Trump's approach and traditional realist principles, while analyzing how this shift affects global politics and U.S. relations with major powers like China.
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Trump's Active Chaotic Foreign Policy
- Trump's foreign policy in the first 100 days has been extremely active, with peace talks, tariffs, and contentious interactions with allies.
- Despite chaos, the administration is aggressively shaping foreign relations in many areas.
America First Consistency
- Trump's consistent underlying theme is 'America first' reflecting nationalist priorities in foreign policy.
- This often leads to contradictory moves without clear strategic coherence, such as clashing actions on defense and tariffs.
Limits of Realpolitik Model
- The 'return of realpolitik' model suggests Trump attempts strategic recalibration like Nixon did.
- Yet, flaws appear, especially in incoherent tariff implementations and contradictory Middle East policies.