(Giuseppe Spatafora – EUISS) In his second inaugural address, on 20 January 2025, President Trump declared: ‘I will, very simply, put America first’. This slogan, a mantra throughout Trump’s three electoral campaigns, suggested a focus on domestic priorities over international affairs. Many therefore expected a more inward-looking United States, marked by a reduced military presence abroad, an end to external interventions, and the abandonment of allies. Instead, foreign policy has defined Trump 2.0 so far. The US has reshaped the architecture of international trade, recalibrated relations with allies, and carried out military interventions both near home and across the globe, culminating in the Caracas raid that removed Nicolás Maduro from power. To those who were expecting an isolationist foreign policy, even within the MAGA movement, this activism has come as a surprise. This analysis will explore the main lines of action pursued by the Foreign Policy-First administration. Do the facts so far confirm or confound our assumptions about Trump 2.0? Where is US foreign policy headed next, and what are the implications for Europe? In what areas can the EU still cooperate with the US, and in which ones does it need to adopt a more assertive approach?
The Foreign Policy-First President? | European Union Institute for Security Studies
