United States foreign policy took a definitive and robust turn under the Trump administration as it shifted from the aggressive “combat-boots-on-the-ground” of previous administrations. It needs to be noted that during the Obama years, the US military was engaged in combat operations every day of those eight years.
President Donald J. Trump did not commit US forces to action but also reduced US military deployments overseas, particularly in the Middle East theater.
Early 20th century US President Theodore Roosevelt’s approach to foreign policy was “speak softly and carry a big stick.” His idea was to negotiate peacefully, but also having strength in case things go wrong. Roosevelt described his style of foreign policy as “the exercise of intelligent forethought and of decisive action sufficiently far in advance of any likely crisis.” The Obama administration has been characterized as “carrying a big stick only against smaller countries.”
In his 2012 presidential election campaign against Barack Obama, Republican candidate Mitt Romney said that he considered Russia as the No. 1 “geopolitical foe” to the United States. This was loudly mocked by Obama as a throwback to the US mindset about Russia from the 1980s Cold War.
But both Obama and Trump regarded Russia as a “European problem.” When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the US response was useless economic sanctions. In 2015, Donald Trump said, “The US should only step in on Crimea if European countries ask for help and, until then, it remains ‘Europe’s problem.’ This is Europe’s problem much more than ours. And Europe isn’t complaining as much as we are.”
However, there is a potentially huge gap between Trump and presumptive President-elect Joseph Biden Jr. about China. Biden was Obama’s vice president when China built its artificial islands and kicked the Philippines out of Panatag Shoal with barely a raised eyebrow.
In 2011, private citizen Trump said: “China is neither an ally or a friend—they want to beat us and own our country.” And “Why do we continue to sit idly by while China steals our national security and corporate secrets? China is an enemy, not a friend.”
While talking tough during the recent campaign season, Biden has always had a more cooperative and conciliatory approach. In 2001 he strongly supported granting China Most Favored Nation trade status believing that concession would make China more accommodating. As late as last May, Biden said, “China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man…they’re not bad folks, folks. But guess what: they’re not competition for us.”
What about US policy towards China as it regards the Philippines? “China has also unlawfully claimed territory in the Pacific Ocean, threatening freedom of navigation and international trade. And they broke their word to the world on ensuring the autonomy of Hong Kong. The Chinese government has continually violated its promises to us and so many other nations.” That is a quote from a speech given in the Rose Garden of the White House on May 29, 2020 by President Trump.
During his term of office, Trump has used the stick of trade sanctions in an attempt to bring China into line. Biden’s tactics will be fundamentally different from those of Trump. As outlined during his campaign and by various members of his national security advisors, Biden could pressure Beijing more effectively than President Trump by galvanizing US allies and criticizing its human rights record.