Concerns Among Allies Over Trump's Second Term Foreign Policy System Characterized by Personalization and Hollowing Out

Under Trump’s second term, the U.S. foreign policy system is showing clear signs of personalization and hollowing out. According to a Reuters investigation, after Trump threatened Iran on April 7, saying “a complete civilization will be extinguished tonight,” European allies urgently inquired whether the U.S. was considering using nuclear weapons. However, officials from the traditional channels within the State Department admitted they were unclear about the meaning of the president’s remarks or what follow-up actions might ensue. This incident exposes a serious breakdown in the transmission of U.S. foreign policy signals. Among the 195 ambassadorial positions worldwide, at least half remain vacant. Last year, approximately 3,000 State Department employees left—about 15% of the domestic workforce—nearly half of whom were terminated, while the rest accepted buyouts. Rubio also ordered the recall of around 30 overseas ambassadors. The Trump administration claims these reforms have streamlined decision-making and strengthened presidential control over diplomatic representation. However, multiple diplomats and former ambassadors argue that this has weakened America’s ability to understand complex situations, maintain alliances, and prevent crises from escalating. As a result, allies are now rewriting their rules for engaging with the U.S. European and Asian countries are increasingly bypassing American embassies and the State Department, turning instead to a small number of individuals who can directly reach Trump—including Jared Kushner, who holds no formal government position; Steve Witkoff, lacking diplomatic experience; and Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff—non-traditional channels. South Korea, for instance, circumvented its regular trade negotiators and established direct contact with Wiles to discern the true intent behind Trump’s 25% tariff threat. Japan turned to Masayoshi Son, founder of SoftBank and a golf partner of Trump, as a backchannel for communication. During the Iran crisis, European allies chose to treat Trump’s extreme rhetoric as mere “background noise,” even suppressing a joint strong statement originally prepared by Britain, France, and Germany to avoid provoking further bombing from the White House.

Image source: internet

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1866225209690313/

Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author