"In the last decade, Democrats and Republicans have started to drift apart on the things that they consider most important," says Director of Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Craig Kafura, drawing on Council survey results.
"In his attempt to secure the best deal possible or advance his policy ambitions, Trump rejects convention, diplomatic norms, and legal constraints," writes Council Council President and CEO Leslie Vinjamuri.
From Venezuela to Greenland, the US has dominated global headlines one year into Trump’s second term. But what comes next, and how is the world reacting? Join Emma Ashford and Ryan Hass as we discuss these topics among others.
"We thought this would be a president who might be neoisolationist, who might be inclined toward restraint," Council President and CEO Leslie Vinjamuri says. "That is just not what we're seeing now. "
Council Nonresident Senior Fellow Paul Poast reflects on the Trump administration's recent operation in Venezuela and what it reveals about the president's approach to foreign policy.
The US capture of Venezuela’s Maduro echoed intents outlined by Trump in the 2025 National Security Strategy. While the action might have appealed to his Republican base, the strategy’s principles are mostly out of step with US public opinion on America’s engagement in the world.
"The person that is probably benefiting the most right now is Vladimir Putin," Nonresident Senior Fellow Bruce Jentleson says. "'What's yours in mine' is what he said to Ukraine."
