National Post (National Edition)
Trump a revolutionary leader in world affairs
For all the domestic controversies that have surrounded Donald Trump's first term in office, the one area where America's 45th president has shown himself to be a true revolutionary is as a world leader. From confronting the emerging threat posed by China's communist rulers to laying the foundations for a new era of co-operation between Israel and her Arab neighbours, Trump has succeeded in radically transforming the international landscape.
Not every Trump initiative, it is true, has been a resounding success. The president's awkward courtship of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, culminating in a desperate attempt to send him a CD of Elton John's Rocket Man, was one of the less appetizing moments of his presidency, even if his bold diplomatic initiative did result in an unprecedented rapprochement between the Korean peninsula's rival camps.
Questions remain, too, about Trump's ambivalent approach to Russia, which has encouraged Vladimir Putin to think he can expand Russian influence without encountering resistance from Washington.
Nevertheless, Trump's unconventional approach has resulted in a radical overhaul of America's dealings with the rest of the world — in many cases, for the better.
Arguably, Trump's most significant achievement, and one very much in keeping with his “America First” mantra, has been to oversee a dramatic reduction in Washington's involvement in overseas conflicts.
Prior to his 2016 election victory, there was a general consensus among both Republicans and Democrats that it was in America's interests to maintain the role of global policeman, even if it meant involving itself in costly and unpopular military campaigns. Trump has turned this attitude on its head, overseeing a significant decrease in Washington's global presence while at the same time applying pressure on allies in Europe and elsewhere both to assume more responsibility for protecting their interests, and to pay their fair share.
NATO is a good example of how this unconventional approach has paid dividends. For the better part of two decades, successive Republican and Democratic administrations chided Europe for not fulfilling its financial obligations to the alliance, but did nothing about it. Trump, having provoked a series of very public rows with the likes of Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, has finally shamed the Europeans into agreeing to increase their NATO contributions.
Nor, by scaling down America's presence, has Trump undermined the nation's military preparedness. On the contrary, his presidency has witnessed a significant increase in U.S. defence spending, with large sums spent on upgrading the country's nuclear arsenal and the formation of the new U.S. Space Force — one of Trump's proudest creations.
Another important element in Trump's thinking is to take more targeted measures against potential foes. The destruction of ISIL was accomplished by focusing on missile strikes against key targets, instead of launching largescale ground operations.
Maintaining America's military prowess will certainly be an important factor in Washington's deepening confrontation with China, another area where Trump's involvement has led to a fundamental reappraisal of Washington's priorities.
Previously, policy-makers of all political persuasions were committed to the belief that closer engagement with China's communist rulers would encourage reform. Trump's more aggressive stance, prompted by China's refusal to trade on equal terms with the U.S., has profoundly changed the way Americans view China, a viewpoint that is likely to continue long after he has left office.
The Middle East is another region that is starting to reap the benefits of Trump's unique style.
Despite the widespread criticism the president faced for withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, the punitive sanctions regime he imposed against Tehran has curbed the malign influence the ayatollahs exerted over the region, while January's assassination of Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard Quds Force, has severely disrupted Iran's terrorist network. Meanwhile, the peace deals struck between Israel and the Gulf states of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates raise the prospect of ending decades of bitterness, while further isolating those countries, such as Turkey and Qatar, that remain opposed to making peace with the Israelis.
It is a position that, so far as the Arab-Israeli dispute is concerned, increasingly puts these rejectionist states on the wrong side of history. For, thanks to Trump, the momentum is firmly fixed on improving relations between Israel and her Arab neighbours. Only this week, Israel took a further step in thawing relations by signing four trade deals with the Emirates, a development that would have been unthinkable prior to Trump winning the presidency.
Trump may go down in history as one of America's most controversial presidents. But as a world leader, he could also be remembered as being one of the most revolutionary.
TRUMP HAS SUCCEEDED IN RADICALLY TRANSFORMING THE INTERNATIONAL LANDSCAPE.