Impact 2016

Donald Trump has said that his foreign policy views have been informed by his overseas business experience and meetings with world leaders. He has described himself as “not isolationist, but I am America first,” and has said that he would renegotiate traditional American alliances like NATO if allies were not willing to increase their share of the military or financial burden.

Calling himself the most “militaristic person you will ever find,” Trump has said that to be successful, the United States must be respected, which will require a stronger military with “the best weapons ever.” At the same time, Trump has said, “War and aggression will not be my first instinct,” and that, “You cannot have a foreign policy without diplomacy.” His foreign policy platform has focused on immigration, like having Mexico pay for building a wall along the border with the United States.

Following Trump’s April foreign policy speech, he weighed in our nation’s humanitarian and foreign assistance programs for the first time in a FOX interview. He noted “if we don’t help” countries facing disasters, then it would create “bigger problems.” On help to countries like Pakistan, he said “we don’t want to see total instability,” adding that the alternative could be more expensive and end up on the “other side of the ledger… could really be a disaster.” In the case of assistance to countries struggling with poverty, Trump said he would “try to keep some of these countries going” while underscoring the domestic and fiscal challenges facing the U.S.

When asked whether or not he would commit to doubling the number of people receiving HIV/AIDS treatment worldwide through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Trump said, “Yes, I believe so strongly in that and we’re going to lead the way.”

On the other hand, Trump said in his speech announcing his presidential candidacy that the United States should “stop sending foreign aid to countries that hate us” and to spend the funds domestically to “invest in our infrastructure… our tunnels, roads, bridges and schools.” He has called development investments in Iraq and Afghanistan wasteful and that the funds should be used to “rebuild the United States.” When asked whether he would support military intervention on humanitarian grounds, Trump responded affirmatively, but added that it would depend on the national security implications for the U.S. and “how friendly they’ve been toward us.”

Top image and candidate icon, Flickr: Gage Skidmore / CC