The Art of the Deal: Trump’s Rare Foreign Policy Wins

By: Brady Condon

President Donald Trump has a knack for rupturing the status quo. He did so in the United States, where his unorthodox campaign won the adoration of millions while isolating millions more. Internationally, much of the same has happened, though to much less success. President Trump has dedicated much of his foreign policy to leaving established treaties and agreements. From the Paris Climate Accord to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Trump presidency has begun to break America off from the rest of the world. However, like every president in history, Trump’s ideology has some exceptions. While in most cases his actions have left all involved dazed, confused, and annoyed, some of his foreign policy has led to real discussion, and a potential for a better few. Here are listed some of his major foreign policy achievements.

USMCA

One of President Trump’s major policy shifts from his predecessors is his opposition to free-trade agreements, especially when they appear to put America at a production disadvantage. In most cases, his trade policies can lead to disaster. When Trump withdrew from the TPP, America lost its primary bulwark against China in the region. Sometimes, his policies would lead to trade wars, like with China and even the EU. However, President Trump did use his trade policies to his own political advantage, if not for the country as a whole.  

The North American Free Trade Agreement (or NAFTA) was spawned during the peak of neoliberalism, when free trade was popular and American economic influence was unmatched. However, as China grew in economic power, jobs were outsourced to Mexico, and America entered the Great Recession, NAFTA became increasingly unpopular, violently shifting the Republican party from its past standard of free trade. President Trump’s inauguration may not have begun the troubles for NAFTA, but they did finish them. While President Trump withdrew from most other multi-lateral trade pacts, his administration was willing to renegotiate the deal. The result, the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) fixed several problems from the last deal. 

One of the main concerns spawned from NAFTA was the massive outsourcing of jobs to Mexico and elsewhere, where labor is cheaper. In worrying about elsewhere, the USMCA requires that at least 75% of an automobile be made within the trade organization’s borders – that being the US, Mexico, or Canada. To not only improve the livelihoods of Mexican laborers, but to also slow the outsourcing of jobs, the agreement also requires 40% to 45% of the manufactured goods to be made by workers making at least $16 an hour, while also strengthening labor oversight within Mexican factories. 

Although Mexico is normally the main focus of criticism about NAFTA, Canada is not perfect either. The main issues between the US and Canada were drug prices, and dairy. Because Canada has universal healthcare (which is partially subsidized by American healthcare being so expensive), drugs are much cheaper in Canada. Rather than hammer out an agreement directly in the USMCA, the document continues to give Congress the ability to regulate drug prices within its borders, while also removing a controversial addition – allowing Big Pharma 10 years protection from cheaper, generic drugs whenever a new drug was created. Canada also had a monopoly over dairy production, which was protected under NAFTA. Fortunately for American dairy farmers, the USMCA opened the Canadian market to their dairy, ensuring that free trade worked both ways.

Although success was never guaranteed, President Trump was able to score a rare bipartisan win in foreign policy by doing what he does best, threaten to destroy the status quo. Although it will no doubt face scrutiny in the future, the USMCA temporarily seems like an improvement on NAFTA. 

For the full agreement, read the agreement highlights here. 

US Taliban Agreement

The war in Afghanistan is the longest ongoing war in America’s history. Today, people born after the wars beginning are now able to enlist in the military, and be sent to Afghanistan, with no real sign of the US winning. Almost every major politician has pledged to withdraw from the war-torn country if ever given more power, though little progress has been made. President Trump, however, has begun to take steps of withdrawing from the country. 

In a historic agreement, four main points have been agreed upon. First, a ceasefire between American and Afghan troops has been reached. Second, the US alliance has agreed to slowly withdraw all troops from Afghanistan. Third, the Taliban and the Afghan government have agreed to talks. Finally, the Taliban has promised not to engage in foreign terrorism which would threaten the US or its allies. 

These are obviously lofty goals in the long run. It’s hard to instantly bring peace to a place racked by wars for over 20 years. President Trump has already faced several challenges to the peace. Intelligence showing the Russian government paying Afghani militants bounties for killing US soldiers has not only hindered the US within the region, but has also proven Russia as an adversary once again. The deal also appears to be showing cracks already, as some Taliban troops have already begun fighting American soldiers again. However, if President Trump can conclude America’s chapter in Afghanistan, it will be one of his most lasting accomplishments. 

For the full agreement, read here.

UAE and Israel

Despite some trepidation from minor factions in the American political sphere, the country has been overwhelmingly in support of Israel since Israel’s foundation. Israel isn’t well-received everywhere, to say the least, especially not by its neighbors. However, thanks to American support, Israel has been able to survive multiple wars on all fronts and is now slowly being accepted by the Middle Eastern community. In general, this isn’t out of good-natured tolerance of an oft marginalized community, but rather cold hard realism. Currently, there is a Cold War brewing between Saudi Arabia and its allies against Iran and its allies. Because Iran is vehemently against Israel, and supports Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine, Saudi Arabia and company have to come to some agreement with Israel to face the more present threat.

However, there is one major sticking point between Israel and the Arab nations – Palestine. To oversimplify things, the Arab nations in general want to maintain as much Palestinian sovereignty as possible against Israeli settlement. In Trump’s recent Israeli Peace Plan, much of this effort would be destroyed as Israel gains further access and control over Palestine and the disputed territory between them. Recently, though, Israel and the UAE reached an agreement to put further Israeli expansion on hold. In this deal, which was arbitrated by the Trump Administration, Israel agreed to halt annexation of the West Bank, in return for the UAE to become the third country in the Middle East to recognize Israel, only after Egypt and Jordan. Because Israel is a staunch US ally, this move has benefitted not only Israel, but President Trump, whose political base is overwhelmingly pro-Israel. 

Serbia and Kosovo

The Balkans has been another region rocked by instability this past century. From sparking the First World War to the bloody genocides in the former Yugoslavia, most of the conflict now has simmered since the Dayton Accords, but conflict does still exist. The primary sticking point now is over the independence of Kosovo. Since gaining independence in 2008, Kosovo has been on the brink of recognized nationhood. Despite being recognized by the majority of the world, including the US, there are still holdouts against the Muslim-majority nation – primarily its neighbor Serbia. However, the Trump administration has made moves to normalize relations between the two countries. 

In the most recent agreement between the two Balkan nations, both parties have agreed to normalize economic relations with each other, including Kosovar participation in a “mini-Schengen zone,” and Serbia has promised not to interfere in the expansion of Kosovo’s recognition, contingent on Kosovo withholding on joining additional international organizations for the time being. In addition, both countries have also agreed to move their Israeli embassies to Jerusalem, another Trump initiative. By reaching this agreement, the Trump administration has not only helped further healing within the Balkan region, especially within its most vulnerable area, but has also continued to support his allies in Israel and at home. Unfortunately, there are some problems. Kosovo’s movement of its embassy to Jerusalem was contingent on Israeli recognition of the country. Israel, however, has held firm against recognizing the country, which may create problems in the future. Although this is a newly-presented challenge, if the Trump administration can overcome it, then they would have played a major role in further stabilizing the Balkans. 

Although President has had several foreign policy victories, he is by no means perfect. From withdrawing from Northern Syria, which allowed Turkey to slaughter America’s closest regional allies – the Kurds – by the thousands; or a failure to stand up for human rights within Hong Kong, the President is not protected from scrutiny. He, like every other politician, is a mixed bag. It is important to understand his successes to also understand his failures. In the 2020 election, with so much misinformation and hearsay, we must try to maintain what balance we are able to do, or else we risk political dialogue.