Diplomatic Contradictions in the Age of Trump

It is now July of 2018, and as we approach the halfway mark of the Trump presidency, I think it’s interesting to look not at the ways that he has impacted domestic politics, but the ways that he has altered the international political realm. One of the fascinating things about Donald Trump is the effect he has on foreign political leaders. Because the United States is arguably the world’s greatest political power, foreign leaders are basically forced to meet with the president; after all, how do you turn down the world’s greatest power? The vitriol and hatred that Trump elicits, however, travels with him internationally, and foreign leaders who meet with him often face backlash for their actions in their own countries. This catch-22 effectively damages the political careers of foreign leaders, and in 2018, when the president uses Twitter to communicate publicly rather than rely on the political backchannels and diplomatic connections of the past, the notion of diplomacy itself is shifting. Nowhere is this shift more obvious than in Trump’s interactions with Britain, where his official visit to London earlier this month to meet with Theresa May was greeted with thousands of protesters and rallies across Britain opposing his visit. But political protest isn’t new, so why do I mention all this?

I think that it is important to examine the effect his presence had in Britain to better understand why traditional diplomacy is crumbling. Essentially, Trump is disliked by British people, who were frustrated by Theresa May’s meeting with him, which ultimately had a detrimental effect on her politically. Moreover, Trump was met with derision in London, which led him to state, “’When they make you feel unwelcome, why would I stay there?’” Animosity between Trump and foreign citizens is driving a wedge between potential diplomatic efforts between nations, and while tension isn't new, Trump's coping mechanisms (or lack thereof) certainly are. This is concerning! Sound the alarm!

Diplomacy has experienced periods of radical change in the past, such as in the 1950s. The circumstances for that change, however, are the exact reason for my concern. The Cold War was born out of 1950s tensions that are not dissimilar to the ones apparent today, where, like Harold Nickelson said of the 1950s, "old standards, conventions and methods of international negotiation have been discredited." While the logical evolution of political affairs might be shifting from closed doors to Twitter timelines, the United States is becoming increasingly isolated while transforming alliances into neutral or even negative relationships. Now, as someone with absolutely zero formal foreign policy education, I am in no position to give advice or propose a solution. That being said, however, I think it is absolutely necessary to change our diplomatic strategy. 

NAFTA is changing, NATO is threatened, foreign leaders are disgruntled, and we appear to be blissfully ignorant. This shift towards isolationism is extremely dangerous, and I think that now is as good a time as any to examine the contradictions of diplomacy. Trump is, and always will be, a controversial figure domestically and abroad. However, it is also crucial that the United States maintains diplomatic ties with other nations. Anger and threats are a short game in the centuries-long scope of international affairs, and while it is undoubtedly difficult to smile and shake hands with someone who dislikes you, it is still necessary. Trump has shattered the tenuous house of cards that is foreign diplomacy, and now we are left with two paths: rebuild connections or abandon them entirely. So, for the American and international diplomats who will never see this, I urge you to rebuild. Diplomacy is shifting. It has been altered, probably permanently. We need to find new ways to reconcile and maintain open communication, regardless of who is sits in the Oval Office.

REFERENCES:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/britain-greets-trump-with-protests-baby-trump-balloon/2018/07/13/a30cfe54-7f02-11e8-a63f-7b5d2aba7ac5_story.html?utm_term=.930281e07b69

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/1961-10-01/diplomacy-then-and-now