Donald Trump achievements: Foreign policy

Official presidential photo of President Donald Trump

Main article: Donald Trump achievements

This article is a non-exhaustive list of achievements by U.S. President Donald Trump, his administration, and Congress related to his foreign policy.

In one sentence: Trump kept peace, rather than entangling the United States in new wars.

For foreign policy achievements related to trade policy, see Donald Trump achievements: Trade policy. For foreign policy achievements related to environmental policy, see Donald Trump achievements: Energy and environmental policy. For military operations targeting terrorist groups and individuals, see Donald Trump achievements: Military, national security, and anti-terrorism.

This article has been split, by year, into sub-articles to better manage the long list of achievements.

See: Donald Trump achievements: Foreign policy (2017)

President Trump was observed early in his presidency to have adopted a strong^[1] and unpredictable^[2] foreign policy, and Trump was described as having made a "consequential impact" on foreign policy early on.^[3] This was as opposed to Barack Obama's foreign policy.^[4] As the North Korean vice-foreign minister stated, Trump's foreign policy was "more vicious and more aggressive" than that of Obama.^[5] President Trump also shook the global establishment through his foreign policy.^[6] President Trump implemented his America First philosophy into his foreign policy,^[7][8] and he emphasized the issue of sovereignty.^[9][10]

By May 2017, Trump had "hit most, if not all, of the notes he wanted to on a broad range of issues" and was more ambitious than Obama had been at the same point in his presidency.^[11] Even the liberal CNN admitted that President Trump's foreign policy made several achievements in 2017.^[12]

Among President Trump's 2017 foreign policy achievements:

• Leaving or announcing the intention to leave globalist agreements, including the UN Population Fund, Global Compact on Migration, Paris climate agreement, and UNESCO, and giving a strong pro-sovereignty speech at the UN General Assembly.
• Reducing U.S. contributions to the UN and challenging other NATO states to increase their contributions.
• Reversing the Obama Administration's lenient Cuba policy.
• Recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

See: Donald Trump achievements: Foreign policy (2018)

By mid-2018, President Trump had made a large impact on the world through his foreign policy.^[13] His decisions and approach to foreign policy conflicted with the establishment's favored policies,^[14] and his policies on foreign aid reflected his skepticism of "nation-building."^[15] The administration continued to defend American sovereignty.^[16] Despite this, neither the Trump Administration nor Congress moved to reduce U.S. foreign military presence, although analysts believed the president used that issue as leverage with foreign nations.^[17] The Trump Administration made protecting international religious freedom a priority.^[18]

Among President Trump's 2018 foreign policy achievements:

• Leaving or announcing the intention to leave the United Nations Human Rights Council, Universal Postal Union, Global Compact for Refugees, and the Iran nuclear deal, and taking a tough stance against the International Criminal Court.
• Giving another strong pro-sovereignty speech at the UN General Assembly.
• Taking steps to reduce foreign aid when not in U.S. interests, such as to Pakistan and the PLO.
• Moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
• Taking an increasingly tough stance on China, criticizing South Africa's leftist land policy, and promoting ties with Latin America's conservative leaders.

See: Donald Trump achievements: Foreign policy (2019)

By 2019, the Trump Administration exercised global leadership in foreign policy matters and was unafraid to take bold actions, as seen in several decisions made at the beginning of that year.^[19] The administration's conservative and nationalist policies had diverged significantly from the liberal and globalist policies of many European countries.^[20] President Trump successfully secured the release of numerous Americans imprisoned overseas.^[21] According to the Pew Research Center in early 2019, "concern" by the world's population over the United States' "power and influence" increased from 25% in 2013 to 45%.^[22] By 2019, Vice President Mike Pence had successfully worked to advance conservative foreign policy priorities.^[23] The State Department deep state, however, continued working against President Trump's nationalist and America First policies.^[24]

Among President Trump's 2019 foreign policy achievements:

• Leaving the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, formally announcing the U.S.'s intention to leave the Paris agreement, and taking tough stances against the World Trade Organization and the International Criminal Court.
• Renegotiating a better deal for the U.S. in the Universal Postal Union.
• Giving yet another strongly conservative and nationalist speech at the UN General Assembly.
• Expanding the pro-life Mexico City Policy.
• Reaching agreements to reduce U.S. aid to NATO and South Korea.
• Recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Israel and fully meeting all the provisions of the Jerusalem Embassy Act, among other pro-Israel actions.
• Continuing to take strong action against U.S. adversaries such as China, Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela, while strengthening U.S. relationships with more conservative countries such as Israel, Australia, Brazil, Hungary, and Poland.
• Creating the Commission on Unalienable Rights.

See: Donald Trump achievements: Foreign policy (2020)

In 2020, President Trump continued making bold foreign policy decisions that diverged from the establishment and previous administrations.^[25]