With U.S.-Canada relations unusually tense due to NAFTA renegotiations, the Trump administration has potentially taken a further step to weaken the historic bond between the two nations. An integral part of Trump’s campaign promises hinged on reshaping the dynamic of our trade interactions in order to protect American jobs…
Foreign Policy
United States Denies Chinese Acquisition of American Semiconductor Company
On Wednesday, September 13th, a federal board blocked the 1.3 billion dollar Chinese acquisition of Lattice Semiconductor, an American company based in Oregon. The board cited national security concerns related to the deal, and there has been some evidence of relations between the Chinese…
President Trump Threatens Iran Deal
On September 18th, President Trump announced that the world would know “very soon” about the future of the JCPOA, commonly know as the Iran Deal. This agreement, negotiated by former Secretary of State John Kerry, stalled and prevented the Iranians from achieving nuclear weapons in exchange for removing sanctions…
Trump Speaks About Involvement in Afghanistan
On Monday, August 21st, President Trump spoke at Fort Myer, Virginia about future U.S. engagement in Afghanistan. He committed to victory in the region, ultimately defeating the terrorist organizations which operate in the country –including ISIS, al Qaeda, and the Taliban. While President Trump did not enumerate specific…
North Korea Fires ICBMs Near Japan
North Korea fired an intermediate range missile into the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, August 29th, 2017. Tensions have escalated sharply this year as North Korea has already launched 13 missiles. Earlier this month, in response to harsher United Nations sanctions, the North Korean regime successfully launched missiles with the…
Secretary of State Tillerson Rejects Anti-Propaganda Funding
Secretary of State Tillerson has refused to sign-off on $80 million of appropriated funds to combat propaganda. In 2016, the State Department created the Global Engagement Center (GEC) to fight ISIS misinformation campaigns. Its purview now includes Russian propaganda and fake news, and Congress authorized more funds…
State Department Approves Sale of Fighter Jets to Nigeria
On Wednesday, August 2nd, the State Department notified Congress that it approved the sale of twelve A-29 fighter jets to the Nigerian military. The jets are commonly used for counter-insurgency and reconnaissance, and the U.S. government hopes these planes will help Nigeria fight Boko Haram –an extremist group that…
Trump Signs Sanctions Bill
On August 2nd, President Trump signed a bipartisan effort to punish Iran, North Korea, and Russia. It imposes harsh sanctions and also requires the President to submit a report explaining any desire to remove them. Upon receiving this report, Congress would hold hearings and decide whether to allow or reject this proposal. The bill passed…
Trump Terminates Program Arming Syrian Rebels
Before President Trump’s July 9th meeting with the G20, the administration decided to conclude an operation that provided weapons to anti-Assad rebels in Syria, according to senior administration officials. President Obama initiated this secret program in 2013 through the CIA in order to establish military credibility in the region…
Foreign Policy Flip-Flop: NATO Policy
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, was founded in 1949 as a response to rising global threats. NATO is the paramount international defense alliance, and its members are some of the beacons of stability and democracy across the globe. Because of President…
Foreign Policy Flip-Flop: Syrian Intervention
President Trump does not have a consistent policy on Syria nor Bashar al-Assad, and this confusing stance damages American interests in the region. The Assad regime uses chemicals weapons on its own people, colludes with Russia to maintain an authoritarian state, and fails…
Trouble with Diplomatic Relations with Qatar
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain all cut diplomatic ties and travel to Qatar on June 5th, and were quickly joined by Libya, Yemen, and the Maldives on June 6th. This move will lead to the removal of diplomats and embassies, and the travel restrictions prohibit air, water, or land travel between any…
