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The Imperial Isolationist President and What It Means For the World
President Trump is not an imperialist or isolationist; he’s both
Donald Trump’s foreign policy demands a new term in the canon of political science — imperial isolationist. It’s meant to capture and explain his unique blend of foreign policy that defies categorization. At times it can seem aggressive and forceful abroad, while simultaneously promoting protectionism at home.
If you followed the 2024 U.S. Presidential election campaign, you probably heard one phrase in particular on repeat from conservative media — “Donald Trump is the pro-peace candidate.” Conservative influencers like Charlie Kirk regularly highlighted that there were “no wars under Trump.” Of course, they often failed to explain why Trump didn’t end wars, like the war in eastern Ukraine that eventually escalated, or the war in Afghanistan, where the Biden Administration botched the exit. Many even described Trump as an isolationist President who promoted peace and successfully kept America out of foreign wars.
This characterization is very misleading. Trump’s isolationism extends only as far as his self-interest. If there are no clear political or economic advantages in certain foreign policy actions, Trump usually questions why America should be involved. While he…
