Tariffs, immigration, foreign aid, NATO, Ukraine, Gaza, Greenland, Panama Canal, international agreements…the new Trump administration has been putting out many ideas as part of its American First foreign policy agenda. It’s unclear how many will become new policies, but it is important to be aware of what’s under discussion and what broader ideas may link together the various policy topics.
In the February 10, 2025 discussion in our “Talking About Politics” series, political science professor John Dietrich led a discussion to help us understand these issues and help us make sense of what’s happening, what may happen, and why.
Recording link
RESOURCES
Ongoing Conflicts: Gaza, Ukraine
GAZA
Trump says the U.S. will 'take over' Gaza and relocate its people. What does it mean?- NPR
Egypt lobbies against Trump plan to empty Gaza of Palestinians as Israel prepares for it- AP News
Trump says ceasefire deal should be canceled if Hamas doesn’t release all hostages by Saturday- AP News
UKRAINE
How Much U.S. Aid Is Going to Ukraine?- Council on Foreign Relations
Economic: Tariffs & Immigration
Tariffs on Trading Partners: Can the President Actually Do That?- Council on Foreign Relations
What are Tariffs?- Council on Foreign Relations
Territorial: Panama, Greenland, and Canada
What's Behind Trump's Colonial Dreams?- Vox
Is Trump's rhetoric on Greenland, Canada and Panama Canal a 'Madman Strategy'?- NPR
Transition 2025: Donald Trump Sets His Sights on Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal- Council on Foreign Relations
GREENLAND
A Greenland Plot More Cynical Than Fiction- The Atlantic
PANAMA CANAL
Who Controls the Panama Canal?- Council on Foreign Relations
Why Is the Panama Canal So Important to Donald Trump?- US News & World Report
CANADA
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Imposes Tariffs on Imports from Canada, Mexico and China- Whitehouse.gov
Executive Orders
Trump's Executive Orders: What to Expect- Council on Foreign Relations
2025 Donald J. Trump Executive Orders- Federal Register
Presidential Actions- Whitehouse.gov
International Impacts of Funding
Visualizing the International Reach of U.S. Funding Cut by Trump- Washington Post
What Every American Should Know About US Foreign Aid- Brookings Institute
USAID
What is USAID and Why Has it Become a Target for Trump and Musk?- Reuters
PL 480 Food for Peace Act of 1954- US Department of State
Gutting USAID Threatens Billions of Dollars for US Farms, Businesses- Washington Post
MARSHALL PLAN
Applying the Lessons of the Marshall Plan to US Global Leadership Today- Brookings Institute
The Marshall Plan- National Museum of American Diplomacy
DEFENSE SPENDING
Budget: Defense and National Security- Congressional Budget Office
Defense Spending- Treasury.gov
Focusing on Quality Over Quantity in the US Military Budget- Brookings Institute
President Trump
MEDIA STRATEGY
Trump Negotiation Style- Harvard Program on Negotiation
Flooding the Zone: Trump's Media Strategy- WUSA9
Trump’s ‘Flood the Zone’ Strategy Leaves Opponents Gasping in Outrage- New York Times
DONALD TRUMP & ELON MUSK
Trump and Musk's Dismantling of Government is Shaking the Foundations of Democracy- Associated Press
DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY "DOGE"
Executive Order: Establishing and Implementing the President's "Department of Government Efficiency"- Whitehouse.gov
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Executive Order: Early Implementation- Congressional Research Service
CONGRESS'S ROLE
The Senate Gives Trump His Cabinet- And Their Compliance- Politico
Power of the Purse- US House of Representatives
ProPublica’s Coverage of Donald Trump’s Appointments — and How They Could Reshape Federal Agencies- ProPublica