Changes in the American Foreign Policy: From Obama to Trump

Abstract

A change in administration is bound to produce changes in the drawing and conducting of foreign policy. However, the transition from the Obama administration to that of Donald Trump is taking its toll on the manner of making American foreign policy. The calm and relaxed view of Barack Obama was replaced with the ill-tempered view of President Trump, who seemed eager to impress a more rigorous perspective of foreign policy, aiming to turn the United States into an isolationist country. Far from being an appeaser, Obama managed to pursue a pro-active foreign policy, establishing a working relation even with rogue states. On the other hand, Trump is attempting to bolster the state’s foreign policy, by reasserting sovereignty and entering competition with rogue leaders, rather than focusing on dialogue.The aim of the present article is to analyse the foreign policy of both administrations, on a compare and contrast basis, focusing on several aspects, such as the perspective on the role to be played within NATO, the relations to rogue states, the need to further engage in conflicts worldwide in order to bring along peace and security, and the reassertion of state sovereignty