Source: The Realist Review
by Nicolai N Petro
I see the Trump Doctrine, at least as articulated by Vice-President Vance, as little more than vainglorious political grandstanding. A brief look at his main points shows that there is no depth of thought behind them. First, ‘articulate a clear American interest.’ But there is no indication of any awareness about how this will affect other nations …. Second, pursue diplomacy ‘aggressively.’ At the very heart of diplomacy, however, is patience. Any haste or use of force to achieve a one-sided result result typically results in a failure to achieve any lasting objectives. … Third, ‘when you can’t solve it diplomatically, you use overwhelming military power to solve it.’ It is telling that the vice-president uses the word ‘when’ rather than ‘if.’ … Obviously, the vice-president is selling slogans, rather than engaging in a thoughtful foreign policy discussion. But even this simplistic rendition of the ‘Trump Doctrine’ leaves many unanswered questions.” (06/30/25)