Self-interest over ideology as disparate inner circle shapes Trump foreign policy
I t is a world turned upside down. In his first year in office, Donald Trump has bullied Ukraine , bombed Iran and toppled the leader of Venezuela . In the eyes of critics, he has turned the US into a rogue superpower that poses a greater threat to Nato allies than its foes. The blitzkrieg has left diplomats in foreign capitals scrambling to understand Trump’s motivations and what – or who – is shaping his thinking. Like past presidents, he has an inner circle of advisers who are playing a crucial role in determining his worldview. But Trump’s freewheeling style also allows for an unusually wide outer circle, from members of Congress to rightwing media personalities to members of his own family , to try to nudge his foreign policymaking in their direction. “Trump is more accessible to a broader range of voices than any president in recent history,” said Ian Bremmer , president of the Eurasia Group. “He’s on his pho...
