Don't Call It A Comeback
America First is back, but better. Trump, the Panama Canal, and peace.
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Donald Trump has wasted no time in letting everyone know he’s back. From his inaugural address on Monday to the executive orders he signed this week, he’s laying out his vision for the United States and the world. It is a vision that defies realism, isolationism, and any other traditional ideological frameworks. Trump does not ascribe to any ideology other than himself. What benefits Trump is what goes.
When it comes to foreign policy, Trump has long clung to “America First.” That has meant getting tough on immigration and border security, unleashing tariffs and reversing the trade deficit, and scaling back America’s involvement in alliances and global conflicts.
Mad about McKinley
On Monday, Trump reiterated his commitment to America First, but better. Curiously, he waxed nostalgic for President William McKinley, the 25th president who embraced not only the Robber Barons of the Gilded Age but protectionism. Yet, he avoided mentioning tariffs and has not slapped the 25 percent duty on Mexico and Canada as he promised just yet. The consensus there is that he wants to “make a deal.”
Making a deal is how I read his demand that the US “take back control” of the Panama Canal, which did make it into his inaugural speech—another hat tip to 25, who conquered Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico.
The statement has raised alarms about potential military action and echoes the “madman” theory—the idea that unpredictability, including the threat of striking or invading Panama, might compel the Panamanians to cede control of the canal. As Daniel Drezner notes, that “schtick” worked better with allies than enemies and didn’t yield much.
And make no mistake, Trump needs Panama as an ally, precisely because he has big plans on immigration and border security. That will require cooperation from Central American countries—nations that are feeders and transit points for migrants. Trump may be striving for better terms or more US influence over the canal. But, it undermines Washington's relationship with not only Panama but regional partners. Worse, it plays into the hands of Russia and China, both of which have sought to challenge borders and sovereignty, namely of Ukraine and Taiwan, respectively.
The Panama Canal rhetoric and Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland from Denmark, either financially or otherwise, also undermines his stated interest in being a peacemaker and unifier, as he noted on Monday. (Nobel committee, take note.)
Peacemaker?
Trump campaigned on ending the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and one cannot ignore his and his Middle East envoy’s role in brokering the most recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that led to the release of three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners last Sunday.
On Ukraine, Trump has also pushed for an end to hostilities. While he hasn’t ended Russia’s assault as he vowed during the campaign, Trump posted on Truth Social this week that he would impose sanctions on Russia if it refused to agree to a peace deal. That certainly makes the upcoming call Trump is rumored to have with Vladimir Putin in the coming days more interesting. Many fear that Trump’s admiration for autocrats might lead him to let Putin walk away with territorial gains. His post indicates that it won’t be that simple. Trump will want assurances that Russia will not take further aggressive actions, which is what I’m hearing from the Crimean Tatar community in Kyiv. Trump does not want to go down as the 21st-century Neville Chamberlain.
The Comeback
Trump wants to go down as not only a winner, but the comeback kid—coming back from convictions, court cases, and assassination attempts—with few restraints. Yet, as we saw with Michael Jordan, Lindsay Lohan, and in the Joe Biden foreign policy, comebacks are hard.
Following Trump’s first term, Biden’s presidency sought to revive American leadership and restore democratic norms, but he left office with both in disarray, if not weaker. This week, Trump wasted no time in dismantling his predecessor’s policies. With the stroke of a pen (or was that a marker?) the US withdrew from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement. Trump reversed Biden’s climate initiatives, vowed to increase oil and gas drilling, and put Cuba back on the terrorist list.
And he went further. He has dismantled DEI programs, vowed to end the “deep state,” pardoned January 6 criminals, suspended birthright citizenship, and renamed the Gulf of Mexico and Denali, after McKinley, who never actually visited the mountain. This, while Trump has made sure to staff his administration with yes men, regardless of qualifications or fitness, in order to realize his vision. Jonathan Chait notes:
“A leader surrounded by sycophants cannot receive the advice he needs to avoid catastrophic error, and to signal that his allies can enrich themselves from his administration is to invite scandal. In his inaugural spectacle of dominance and intimidation, Trump was planting the seeds of his own failure.”
Unfortunately, it may also result in America’s failure too. Trump is taking steps, albeit incompetently, that undermine not only the country’s reputation and influence, but its foundation—all of which have been integral to our progress and prosperity. At best, it risks destabilizing our economy and security. More worrying, it risks pushing us towards a precarious future. — Elmira
I’m opening up my column to others. Please pitch me your op-ed idea/perspective. Let’s get more female perspectives. Email me on endeavoringe@gmail.com or respond to this post.
Elsewhere in the World.....
On our radar...
He’s baaaaccckkk….
Donald Trump wasted no time in signing Executive Orders on a slew of things, including border security, TikTok, climate change, global health, birthright citizenship, and renaming the Gulf of Mexico and Denali. 😑 This is separate from the pardons he issued for the thousands who participated in the January 6 riots. So much for law and order. Alexandra Sharp outlines the national security related items Trump reversed, cancelled, and greenlighted. (Foreign Policy)
Trump vowed to level a 25 percent tariff on goods coming from Canada and Mexico. It hasn’t happened yet. That’s because the president is looking to negotiate, say Katherine Doyle and Peter Nicholas. (NBC)
Trump pulled the US out of the World Health Organization. The US contributed 18 percent of WHO’s budget. But more than the financial hole that that leaves the health body, America’s retreat also means that it won’t have access to data on health threats or influence the direction of the body, says Sylvana Sinha. It jeopardizes critical health initiatives such as GAVI, the global vaccine alliance. (Forbes)
Another treaty that Trump pulled the US out of: the Paris Climate Accords. But it doesn’t end there. He’s called for increasing oil and gas production and rolling back environmental protections, write Naveena Sadasivan and Joseph Winters. (Vox)
Trump’s nominee to helm the US Mission to the UN, Elise Stefanik, appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations committee this week. She spoke about the need to “curb” Russian and Chinese power at the UN, writes Damilola Banjo. (PassBlue)
That would require the US to pay its UN dues, which are in $2.8 billion), and not cut off further funding, but we digress.
Trump wants to build an “iron dome” over America, to ostensibly protect the country. As Stavroula Pabst points out, that would be an incredibly expensive endeavor and might not actually provide protection. (Responsible Statecraft)
On the Panama Canal
A decade ago, I traveled to Nicaragua. There I met the mayor of Managua who told me about how the US originally intended to build what is today the Panama Canal in his country. Indeed, in 1887, the US Army Corps of Engineers began to survey the best place in Central America to dig a canal. Some initial work began around 1890. But, by 1904, momentum to move the canal to Panama began to build.
Fast forward to the 20th century. Following growing anger and protests at US control of the Panama Canal, Jimmy Carter signed a treaty with Panama’s leader to hand back control of the transport way in 1977. The handover was to be completed by 1999.
Today, Donald Trump falsely claims that the Chinese control it. There are two Hong Kong based companies that operate two ports in the Panama Canal zone. Still, he wants the US to take it back. Nivia Rossana Castrellón says that repurchasing it is impossible, since the canal is protected under international treaties. (The Hill)
We’re so glad that someone still believes in international law.
Israel-Hamas Ceasefire
Watch: Last Sunday, Hamas released three hostages while Israel released 90 prisoners. Deb Amos on the prospects for peace, including Saudi-Israel normalization. It’s not good that Donald Trump said that he doesn’t think the ceasefire will last. (The World Next Week)
Watch: Can the ceasefire hold? Jenny Abamu discusses. (ABC)
Will the ceasefire lead to a permanent end to the war? Zaha Hassan and Yousef Munayyer break it down. (Jewish Currents)
RIP Cecile Richards
Feminist champion and former Planned Parenthood head Cecile Richards passed away earlier this week. Rebecca Traister remembers her as someone who did not waste “one drop of her time on this earth… a reminder to stay curious, avid, alight with fury and determination and pleasure and connection.” (Substack)
Claire Potter reminds us that Cecile Richards cut her feminist teeth in Texas. Richards “learned to fight conservatives early.” (The New Republic)
Africa
Shortly before he departed the White House, Joe Biden leveled sanctions on the two sides of Sudan’s civil war. Leena Badri advises the Trump administration to build on this, in order to help bring about a ceasefire. (Chatham House)
Asia
Not everything is about the Donald, says Francesca Ghiretti. China’s Communist Party is formulating policies that maximize benefits to the country, not in response to who is in the White House. (The Wire China)
The Americas
Trump has classified drug cartels as terrorists. That makes Mexico nervous that may result in US military actions, writes Mary Beth Sheridan. (Washington Post)
Europe
Trump wants to buy Greenland, claiming that the territory is necessary for US security. Instead of freaking out, Europe should show the new US president that it can guarantee security in the Arctic, says Katrine Westgaard. (ECFR)
Trump wants a quick end to Russia’s war with Ukraine. Except, Putin’s desire for total victory will prove to be an obstacle to any settlement, writes Natasha Lindstaedt. (The Conversation)
Technology
As millions of TikTok users in the US lost access on Sunday, Rednote, another Chinese social media platform appeared on the radar. Oiwan Lam wonders if there is longevity in Rednote or will it meet the same TikTok fate? (Global Voices)
Under the Radar
This is most definitely under the radar: Nations that fail women, fail. Sigh. (The Economist)
Opportunities
The Ford Foundation is hiring for Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
Editorial Team
Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief