Storella Gives a Lowdown on Trump’s First 100 Days in a News Segment
Mark C. Storella, Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and a former United States Ambassador to Zambia recently appeared on an Al Jazeera news program, providing an expert analysis of Trump’s first 100 days in the White House. The professor scrutinized the unconventional foreign policy of the businessman-turned-president and how the international stakeholders are responding to his aggressive negotiation approach.
“He prefers unilateral action,” said Storella, highlighting Trump’s personal brand of diplomacy. “He as much as possible wants to have each encounter be a one-on-one, with him at the center of it. He prefers wherever possible to treat these interactions very much like zero-sum games — ‘whatever I win, you lose and whatever you win, I lose,’ — which means you are trying hard in each individual interaction to chalk up a victory.”
Storella explained that Trump is squandering America’s favorable position in international politics due to his current interactions with the global leadership.
“He is not taking advantage of the robust network we have of alliances that no one else has. He is undermining with his tariff policies, the very privileged role that the United States dollar has as the reserve currency for the world and by approaching things where he is no longer attached to the traditional American values, he’s undermining the soft power that the United States has, that’s unparalleled.”
Storella also talked about Trump’s tendency to evade multilateral circumstances, refusing to work with global systems including the UN, European Union, and NATO. This act of setting up one-on-one discourses signifies his desire to gain an upper hand in key global decisions. Additionally, the professor explained that Trump leverages his strengths derived from his TV and business background. When coupled with his penchant for being a disruptor, his actions put a lot of people on the back foot.
Storella elaborated on how allies are reacting to Trump’s mercurial foreign policy which emphasizes surprises rather than stability, compromising on the long-term diplomatic relationships. Canada’s recent referendum, for instance, demonstrated Trump’s unpopularity among the citizens of the Great White North. Countries like Germany have started to strategize with France and other allies to develop independence from the United States in order to protect their national interests. Markets are exhibiting a similar trend where they are attempting to derisk themselves by moving away from the reserve currency of dollar. With the growing crackdown on free speech, which resulted in arrests and detentions across the country in recent times, the professor also acknowledged the possibility that international students might be considering alternatives to the United States for educational pursuits.
To watch the full interview, click here.
Professor Mark C. Storella served the country as a United States Foreign Service Officer for more than three decades. Besides being the ambassador, he was appointed as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration and Dean of the Leadership and Management School of the Foreign Service Institute. He has several honors and awards to his name, including the Presidential Rank Award and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Excellence in Service Award.