Donald Trump has repeatedly emphasized a set of ideas that would reduce America’s role in the world. He said he would take unilateral action, move away from traditional allies and move closer to adversaries.
Foreign Policy Message in Trump's speech : US 'ready to lead' even as he warns of cost engagement.
President Donald Trump said in his first address to Congress that the US was "once again ready to lead" internationally amid concerns that his 'America First' policy and moves to curtail the State Department budget will do the opposite.
"Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead," Trump said in an address that was largely dominated by domestic concerns. "All the nations of the world -- friend or foe -- will find that America is strong, America is proud, and America is free."
Trump touted sanctions he slapped on Iran for a missile test, reaffirmed "our unbreakable alliance with the State of Israel," and said he would "demolish and destroy" ISIS.
Even as he spoke of "direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world," though, he signaled that he doesn't see some of that international engagement as a benefit to the US, but as a direct cost.
Trump reiterated the need for NATO and other allies to contribute to shared security costs.
The George W. Bush and Obama administrations also waged an effort to get greater international contributions, but the current president has threatened to move away from the alliance to an unprecedented degree.
On Tuesday, however, he definitively walked back those threats, saying, "We strongly support NATO, an alliance forged through the bonds of two World Wars."
But he added that "our partners must meet their financial obligations," Trump said. And he said that "we've spent trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled."
Donald Trump has been in office for less than a month, but US President Donald Trump has made it very clear that it's about the country first.
He's promised to re-establish the US as what he calls the "greatest country" in the world.
During last year's election campaign, his controversial slogan was "Make America Great Again".
But no one is clear on how he intends to do that.
So far he's alienated traditional allies of the US while reaching out to leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.
And two weeks into his presidency, Trump's foreign policy is still unclear.
In some ways, it mirrors that of former President Barack Obama, while in others, it's a monumental departure.
From Iran to Russia, to the Middle East and Asia - we'll explore the direction Trump's foreign policy is likely to take and what challenges he'll face.
Foreign Policy Message in Trump's speech : US 'ready to lead' even as he warns of cost engagement.
President Donald Trump said in his first address to Congress that the US was "once again ready to lead" internationally amid concerns that his 'America First' policy and moves to curtail the State Department budget will do the opposite.
"Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead," Trump said in an address that was largely dominated by domestic concerns. "All the nations of the world -- friend or foe -- will find that America is strong, America is proud, and America is free."
Trump touted sanctions he slapped on Iran for a missile test, reaffirmed "our unbreakable alliance with the State of Israel," and said he would "demolish and destroy" ISIS.
Even as he spoke of "direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world," though, he signaled that he doesn't see some of that international engagement as a benefit to the US, but as a direct cost.
Trump reiterated the need for NATO and other allies to contribute to shared security costs.
The George W. Bush and Obama administrations also waged an effort to get greater international contributions, but the current president has threatened to move away from the alliance to an unprecedented degree.
On Tuesday, however, he definitively walked back those threats, saying, "We strongly support NATO, an alliance forged through the bonds of two World Wars."
But he added that "our partners must meet their financial obligations," Trump said. And he said that "we've spent trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled."
Donald Trump has been in office for less than a month, but US President Donald Trump has made it very clear that it's about the country first.
He's promised to re-establish the US as what he calls the "greatest country" in the world.
During last year's election campaign, his controversial slogan was "Make America Great Again".
But no one is clear on how he intends to do that.
So far he's alienated traditional allies of the US while reaching out to leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.
And two weeks into his presidency, Trump's foreign policy is still unclear.
In some ways, it mirrors that of former President Barack Obama, while in others, it's a monumental departure.
From Iran to Russia, to the Middle East and Asia - we'll explore the direction Trump's foreign policy is likely to take and what challenges he'll face.