A Surprising Realist POV on Trump
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By now, you’ve probably read several takes on U.S. President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office, including in this magazine. On the latest episode of FP Live, I thought it would be useful to spotlight a realist point of view. Realism, which can broadly be defined as the school of international relations in which countries prioritize their interests rather than values, has some areas of overlap with Trump’s “America First” instincts—in concept if not in implementation. What are they, and why do they matter?
My guest this week was Emma Ashford, an FP columnist and senior fellow at the Stimson Center. Subscribers can watch the full discussion on the video box above, or follow FP Live wherever you get your podcasts. What follows here is a lightly edited transcript.
From Foreign Policy:
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Ashford's four models:
Four Explanatory Models for Trump’s Chaos
It’s clear that the second Trump administration is aiming for change—not inertia—in U.S. foreign policy.
