What Happens Next in 6 Minutes Understanding Trump’s Foreign Policy
Dec 20, 2025
Rory MacFarquhar, a former member of the Obama National Security Council, and Emma Ashford, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, dive into Trump’s unique approach to foreign policy. They discuss the surprising omissions in the new 2025 National Security Strategy and how it shapes U.S. policy priorities. Rory analyzes the complexities of U.S.-China economic ties and Taiwan's defense challenges. Emma emphasizes the need for realism in this multipolar world, cautioning against overextension while highlighting regional influences and appropriate military engagement.
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Strategy More Factional Than Authoritative
- The 2025 National Security Strategy is shorter, ideological, and not necessarily reflective of unified administration policy.
- Rory MacFarquhar suspects the document represents one faction's view and lacked a formal rollout or broad internal compromise.
Restraint Paired With Contradictory Moves
- The strategy prioritizes restraint, burden‑sharing, industrial base rebuilding, and Western Hemisphere focus.
- But it simultaneously dismantles soft-power tools and sends mixed signals on alliances and science funding.
Outsourcing Fueled China's Export Machine
- Mass outsourcing to China post‑WTO accession reshaped global manufacturing and created a persistent trade imbalance.
- Rory argues many countries will erect trade barriers as Chinese exports flood alternative markets.