Lee Shin-wha

Just two months into his presidency, U.S. President Donald Trump's intensified “America First” foreign policy stands at a crucial intersection between isolationism and sustained global leadership. His protectionist stance and unilateral approaches risk undermining the stability of the liberal international order and U.S. global influence by repeating historical mistakes like the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which worsened the Great Depression by triggering retaliatory trade barriers.

In Europe, Trump’s highly transactional and business-like approach has weakened traditional alliances. His skepticism toward NATO, demands for increased burden-sharing and overtly transactional negotiations have undermined trust among European allies. This transactional diplomacy has led to diminished cohesion within NATO, weakening the alliance’s capacity to respond collectively to Russian aggression or other geopolitical threats. Trump’s approach has compelled allies such as Germany and France to reconsider their strategic autonomy, leading to the potential fragmentation of collective Western security. This creates vulnerabilities for the liberal international order, indirectly benefiting revisionist powers like Russia and China.

Trump’s skepticism of long-term diplomatic and economic commitments threatens the very institutions essential for addressing global challenges. By dismissing organizations like the WTO and reducing engagement in G7 and G20 discussions, the U.S. has sent mixed signals to its allies and partners. The wavering stance has not only weakened trust in America’s commitment to multilateralism but also undermined its diplomatic leadership in upholding liberal democracy and the rule of law.

In the Indo-Pacific, Trump’s foreign policy generates profound strategic risks, unsettling key regional alliances with South Korea and Japan. His threats to withdraw U.S.........

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