Washington: When Donald Trump stepped into the White House in 2017, the world waited with bated breath. His “America First” policy pledged a watershed change in how Washington perceived the world. Trump’s foreign policy was characterized not by nuanced diplomacy or multilateral coordination but by transactional alignments, brash rhetoric, and an unyielding focus on perceived American interests. The aftershocks of this strategy continue to influence global politics years after he departed office, and with his possible return pending, the world again questions how far those shocks may reach.
Trump’s foreign policy dismantled many conventions that had been the foundation of US foreign policy since World War II. He challenged traditional blocs such as NATO, demanding member states “pay their share,” while cultivating ties with authoritarian leaders in Russia, North Korea, and Turkey. His withdrawal from international agreements, specifically the Paris Climate Accord and the Iran Nuclear Deal, undermined America’s reputation as a stable and reliable global power. Instead, Trump presented a United States motivated by self-interest, a stance that frequently left allies perplexed and adversaries confident.
The most obvious effect was on the international order itself. International institutions like the United Nations and the World Trade Organization clashed with a US government that was increasingly skeptical of multilateralism. Trump’s trade wars, especially with China, disrupted global supply chains and strained economic stability. Tariffs, sanctions, and erratic negotiations impacted industries on multiple continents. Though the intention was to stem Chinese hegemony and restore American manufacturing, the long-term outcomes were ambiguous: some industries rebounded, others floundered, and the global economy became wary of America’s about-face.
Trump’s foreign policy was revolutionary. At home, it resonated with nationalist leanings, but abroad, it isolated most traditional allies. Washington’s reputation as a moral and democratic beacon was tarnished, replaced by a realist and, at times, belligerent pursuit of interests. Even the US exit from Afghanistan, planned under Trump but carried out under Biden, carried his administration’s brand of abrupt decision-making, which created a vacuum that rivals such as China and Russia were quick to fill.
India’s engagement with the Trump regime was multifaceted but significant. On the one hand, Modi and Trump demonstrated a public bonhomie, epitomized by the “Howdy, Modi” and “Namaste Trump” rallies—a symbolic representation of their mutual populist connection and strategic overlap. Both leaders shared commonalities in responding to China’s increasing assertiveness, enhancing the Quad grouping with Japan and Australia, and deepening the defense alliance through path-breaking agreements.
But underlying the optics, Trump’s policies were not always good news for India. The Trump administration’s hardline immigration policy hurt Indian IT workers, with H-1B visa restrictions raising alarm in the IT industry. Trade relations also saw tension, with Trump rescinding India’s special trade status under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, which resulted in tariff disputes. Though they shared strategic interests and democratic values, the relationship was largely determined by Trump’s transactional ideology: amity when it suited him, pressure when advantageous.
Internationally, Trump’s presidency redefined the concept of leadership. Allies sought stability outside of Washington, and competing powers took advantage of the opportunity to increase their influence. The European Union reaffirmed its own foreign policy autonomy, while China emerged as a more assertive world player. The Middle East saw shifting dynamics, with Trump’s Abraham Accords rewriting Israel’s relationships with Arab states but also increasing tensions with Iran.
As Trump’s continued influence in American politics is monitored globally with apprehension and curiosity, his possible return would imply a reassertion of isolationism, a tougher stance against China, and a rebalancing of US foreign commitments. For India and other emerging nations, this would require a judicious calibration: engaging pragmatically without excessive dependence, and reaffirming national interests within an uncertain international order.
In the end, Donald Trump’s foreign policy left a permanent imprint, a reminder that diplomacy, as in politics, can be heavily influenced by personality. His tenure remapped alliances, defied norms, and compelled countries to reconsider their approach in a world where the only constant seemed to be change. Whether regarded as a disruptor or a realist, Trump’s mark on international affairs is impossible to ignore, and its effects still resonate through the halls of power, from Washington to New Delhi