Trump vs. Trump

The words of the president often don’t match the actions of his administration on foreign policy.

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Other than the Democratic Party, no group came together as unified in opposition to Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy than conservative foreign policy experts. And perhaps because those experts have been systematically excluded from its ranks, there are few areas where the Trump administration has been so incoherent. There can be no disputing that what this president says and what his administration does are often two very different things when it comes to Russia, China, North Korea, and many other challenges. And that creates a unique vulnerability for Trump as he waltzes, confusingly, into the 2020 election.

After a respite from foreign policy crises—because everything has been eclipsed by the coronavirus, Trump dove back in recently in response to a question about the health of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, rumored to be in bad shape after heart surgery. “I just have to say to Kim Jong-un, good luck,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “I’ve had a very good relationship with him. I can only say this, I wish him well.” Well, isn’t that nice.

Remember, this is the head of the last Stalinist state in the world—a dictator who has executed officials with a rocket propelled grenade launcher and reportedly put members of his own family before a firing squad; a man who has illegal nuclear weapons and missile programs; and a leader who, with his family, has imprisoned, starved, and murdered millions. Indeed, Donald Trump may be the only person on earth who actually does wish Kim well.

But the Trump administration has been far less sympathetic to “Dear Respected” Kim (his chosen sobriquet). Despite some serious White House wavering on the imposition of sanctions (in service to his desperate desire to forge an Iran-like deal with Pyongyang), the Treasury Department has imposed an array of additional sanctions on North Korea, and the State Department has blocked Chinese and Russian efforts in the United Nations to ease international strictures on the hermit kingdom.

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  1. Steve

    As the old saying goes...actions speak louder than words.
    Ex: what would one expect Trump to say when asked about Kim?
    Seriously...what would you expect him to say?
    " Kim? I hope he's dead and burning in hell" ?
    He, along with a few billion other sentient individuals on this planet are probably thinking that but are to polite or circumspect to say it out loud.

    And I think you (the writer) and most of the MSM are confusing respect for leadership with respect to the leader himself.
    Given that Trump was a CEO prior to being Prez (unlike the community organizer who formerly inhabited the Oval room) he recognizes leadership when he sees it. Putin is indeed a good leader. The fact that he leads in directions opposite to our national interests and in ways abhorrent to our sensibilities has nothing to do with the assessment that he is successful in his role.

    Capeche'?

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      Resident Borderline Zoomer

      Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe any previous POTUS has been so consistent in his slavish praise of dictators as Trump. Putin and Kim are not good leaders but good rulers, and that makes all the different. Each leads his country to misery and rules with an iron fist. Trump seems incapable of sticking to diplomatic niceties and instead hews to the golden rule when talking about despots: treat others how you want to be treated. The primary requirement to serve in his administration seems to be a willingness to offer unreserved praise for the dear leader at every turn, so that’s how he tends to talk to strongmen.

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      DougCLE

      That's what I would say, along with something about being eternally buggered by zombie-rat-demons. I understand the POTUS needs to be more circumspect, but couldn't he just say nothing?

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    CynthiaW

    I thought this article was very informative. Thank you all for your efforts.

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  3. Frank Pepp

    I'm curious about sanctions of Russia under Trump. I hear they've been ratcheted up and up, but is that also with the same level of cooperation Obama achieved after the invasion of Crimea? Those sanctions hammered Russia, and one suspects were the driving force of their campaign against Clinton. If so, why has it been reported Russia is better fiscal shape to handle the oil price war with OPEC than Saudi Arabia.

    Also, TPP was the best tool for containing China. We also needed help from our European allies. It seems Trump lost both. Clinton was also feckless in denouncing TPP in the face of the 2016 populist surge. One still suspects, she'd have simply rebranded it like Trump did with NAFTA as it was a good deal. Regardless, one has to assume we'd be doing much better and had more tools to contain China as presents itself as alternate model to the liberal order we've led.

    Likewise with Iran, another supposed Trump achievement, we now lack the allies and adversaries who supported sanctions, relying primarily on our dominance of financial systems to put pressure on them. Our allies did not seem reluctant to partner with us in going after Iran to behave better and that it NEVER got nuclear weapons. Rather we wanted Iran to behave better without addressing Saudi Arabia's, and to a lesser extent, Israel's bad behavior. We had a real chance to be a force for peace. Instead we are team Saudi-Sunni, and give Israel's right wing full liberty to dictate peace plans in Israel. I'm far more disdainful of Saudi imposed regional peace, than an Israel I support. Regardless, when you can't even talk about the issues stopping peace, and just insist Iran unilaterally submits, we don't seem to a force for freedom or peace. Rather just one more irrational actor.

    I don't see coherent policy or values. Or American leadership of a free world. I'm also not terribly well informed and can be educated.

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      Logical

      Soon, with the blessing of Trump, Israel is ready to annex West Bank. With the oil prices likely to stay low for a long time, the discontent in SA (along with the rest of ME) may turn against US, thereby Israel. If we think ME has been unstable, just wait.

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      1. Frank Pepp

        I thought it looked like they were to going to try turn Palestine into the first Flying Spaghetti Monster state. The shape, not the religion. A state with reduced sovereignty. They don't want to annex because they'd have to become a full fledged aparteid state. They actually like to give up any Arab only areas they can.
        What's more, if I was Palestinian I might argue to take it, just to move forward. Even though it's humiliating.

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  4. Vic

    Ms. Pletka's article is accurate on the facts, but illustrates that Trump is his own worst enemy, and self-creates most of his problems. Hard to be sympathetic to someone like that in spite of many of the administration's actions being right on the merits.

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    Adicesa14

    Aside from not knowing very much about anything, Trump never learns. He cannot remain quiet for any reason. He seems to believe he can speak with intelligence on any matter. Not true. Yet, that he may not be reelected is troubling. As noted, his Administration often does not do as he speaks. Saner folks (i.e. McConnell, Mnuchin, Pompeo, etc.) seem to be ‘driving the bus.’ So far, this arrangement is working reasonably well. If Trump loses in 2020, Joe Biden will be the new front man. Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, etc. will become the people making the decisions. That is frightening!

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      Cornelius O’Brien

      I see no reason to conclude that Biden, if elected, will be sidelined in the nuts and bolts of foreign policy like Trump appears. Therefore, I don't understand the fear that Pelosi and Schumer and/or the Congress will suddenly be in charge of foreign policy, any more than they were under Obama. I expect Biden to put people in cabinet positions who share his philosophy and whom he trusts to implement it, rather than a recurrence of this administrative schizophrenia between the titular executive and those who serve him in the executive branch. Those political appointees are my concern and I see at least a window of opportunity for our currently divided politics to actually be a positive force there.

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        Adicesa14

        The people Biden may appoint to his cabinet, NSC apparatus are certainly those that will affect foreign policy and should have been included in my comment. My description only mentioned the Congressional folks that will most likely affect domestic policy. More to point, the current Democratic Party frightens me!

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          Idontdocute

          You had the executive branch suggest attempting, on national television, to inject cleaning solutions into your body to see if it just might cure a virus while he earlier claimed absolute authority over the direction of the pandemic response and it's the Democrats that scare you? I am impressed but not in a good way.

          Is it the deficit, the taxes, healthcare, international conflict? I think both sides are about equally blessed with the photogenically challenged, the last hideout of advanced age, and the shrill and witless.

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    Logical

    So, Ms. Pletka, who is responsible for the total incoherence of American foreign policy? Is it Trump? Is it his staff's clandestine approach to protecting the man-child from himself?

    I have a different answer. It is you, i.e. think tanks like AEI, the Limbaughesque approach to flame throwing at everything foreign policy. When was the last time AEI proposed something non-confrontational?

    The problem with piss-on-everyone we don't like has ramifications. You can get away with it if you are all too powerful or have a lot of friends on the back. I am afraid we are neither. We were once, but that gig is up.

    It is time to do a comprehensive evaluation of AEI's performance since 9/11. Look at yourself in the mirror.

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      Idontdocute

      Maybe this is the staff's clandestine approach to protect us all from the man-child. We have a strict rule at work that I consider the Yul Brenner as Egyptian pharaoh rule, so let it be written, so let it be done. You want something done, order it. Making a note, discussing it, musing on it, yodeling it as you walk down the hall does not count. Clear unambiguous direction and follow up is the expectation that will be the standard. I see no reason for less. No, when lives are at stake, I don't do cute. It isn't difficult for competent adults.

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      1. Mrobertchase1

        So, if I were Captain of one of our gunships and received the treat giving permission to blow them all out of the water...I would wait for the Admiral's order to come down through command channels.

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          Idontdocute

          Yes

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            Idontdocute

            and have you ever lived within the confines of the Unified Code of Military Justice?

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    2. John Cheyney

      I guess the question is whether you are right (there are people actively thwarting what he wants) or whether I am right (he's so damaged the way government functions that people couldn't implement his plans even if they wanted to).

      Here's my question. Regardless of which one of us is correct, shouldn't he have noticed by now? When he keeps saying he wants something done, and he gets briefings that they aren't, I would think he would at least be curious as to why and maybe ask.

      Or is he so stuck in the Fox News feedback loop that he doesn't realize he's ordering things and no one is listening? Is he actively be lied to, or is it that he just doesn't care?

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        Idontdocute

        Considering that he had difficulty remembering which reporter he argued with shortly after his adventures into sarcasm, it could be that he does not remember what he ordered. This was one of the major issues that creates the written order rules. It isn't just him or about him, it's how we stay safe.

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        Logical

        Trump's amazing skill is the ability to gaslight the MAGA crowd forever. I guess you can fool some people all the time.

        But he cannot gaslight the rest of the world; thus a dilemma for his staff. And, to answer your question, he doesn't really care as long as the MAGA crowd is gaslit.

        But I have a different problem with TD coopting AEI. Many articles are appearing on TD from AEI fellows. It is of course their prerogative. I contend that the likes of AEI have done a disservice to our foreign relations with a hammer only approach. So, I am urging TD to be critical and perhaps bring in other flavors as well

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