Trump's foreign policy: rethink NATO, troops to Mexico, boost tariffs
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[December 18, 2023]
By Gram Slattery
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican former President Donald Trump is
planning to fundamentally alter America's relationship with Europe
should he win a second term in office. On the campaign trail, he has
also floated sending armed forces into Mexico to battle drug cartels and
slapping expansive tariffs on friends and foes alike.
Here is a look at the foreign policy proposals Trump has pledged to
institute should he win the 2024 presidential election:
NATO, UKRAINE AND EUROPEAN ALLIES
Trump has said that under his presidency, America would fundamentally
rethink "NATO's purpose and NATO's mission." He has also said that he
would ask Europe to reimburse the United States for "almost $200
billion" worth of munitions sent to Ukraine.
Trump cut defense funding to NATO toward the latter part of his time in
office, and he frequently complained America was paying more than its
fair share.
On the war in Ukraine specifically, he has called for de-escalation,
frequently claiming that he would have the conflict resolved in 24
hours, though he has put forward few tangible policy proposals.
CHINA, TRADE AND TARIFFS
Trump frequently threatens to implement major new tariffs or trade
restrictions on China - as well as on some European allies.
His proposed Trump Reciprocal Trade Act would give him broad discretion
to ramp up retaliatory tariffs on countries when they are determined to
have put up trade barriers of their own. He also floated the idea of a
10% universal tariff during an August interview, which could disrupt
international markets.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Dec/18/images/ads/current/graue_sda_042021.png)
Trump has also called for an end to China's most favored nation status
with respect to America, a status that generally lowers trade barriers
between nations. He has vowed to enact "aggressive new restrictions on
Chinese ownership of any vital infrastructure in the United States."
Trump rarely discusses Taiwan, or what he would do if China were to
invade, beyond saying that China would never dare to invade if he were
president.
MEXICO AND NARCOTICS
Trump has said that he would designate drug cartels operating in Mexico
as foreign terrorist organizations, and that he would order the Pentagon
"to make appropriate use of special forces" to attack cartel leadership
and infrastructure, which would be unlikely to get the blessing of the
Mexican government.
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![](../images/121823PIX/news_h18.jpg)
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald
Trump speaks during a "Commit to Caucus" event for his supporters in
Coralville, Iowa, U.S., December 13, 2023. REUTERS/Vincent
Alban/File Photo
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Dec/18/images/ads/current/rohlfs_lda_WORSHIP_2023.png)
He has also said he would deploy the U.S. Navy to enforce a blockade
against the cartels and that he would invoke the Alien Enemies Act
to deport drug dealers and gang members in the United States.
Civil rights groups and Democratic senators have pushed for the
repeal of that act, passed in 1798, which gives the president some
authority to deport foreign nationals while the country is at war.
CONFLICT IN ISRAEL
After first criticizing Israeli leadership in the days after its
citizens were attacked by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Oct.
7, he has since said that Hamas must be "crushed." While his
rhetoric has been bellicose, he has proposed few policy solutions,
beside saying he would be tougher on Iran, which is closely linked
to groups classified by the U.S. as terrorist organizations,
including Hamas.
Trump also said at a recent rally that he would seek to deport all
resident aliens who are Hamas sympathizers.
AFGHANISTAN
Trump has said on the campaign trail that he would demand
Afghanistan return military equipment abandoned by the U.S. military
during its 2021 withdrawal as a condition for keeping aid money
flowing into country.
He had said in 2021 that he would attempt to bomb the abandoned
equipment, but he has not repeated that position lately.
CLIMATE
Trump has repeatedly pledged to pull out of the Paris Agreement, a
multilateral accord meant to limit greenhouse gas emissions. He did
pull out during his term in office, but America rejoined the accord
under Democratic President Joe Biden in 2021.
MISSILE DEFENSE
Trump has pledged to build a state-of-the-art missile defense "forcefield"
around the United States. He has not gone into detail, beyond saying
that the Space Force, a military branch that his administration
created, would play a leading role in this process.
(Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Daniel Flynn)
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