Trump Pivots on China in 2nd White House Term as Broader Foreign Policy Swings
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 21
Trump Pivots on China in 2nd White House Term as Broader Foreign Policy Swings
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 21
Summary
Donald Trump’s return to the White House has brought a marked shift on China, with the report describing him as moving from a hawkish stance toward Xi Jinping to a more dovish one.
That change is framed around Trump’s apparent belief in a personal bond with Xi, which the report says looks one-sided and misreads the Chinese leader.
The China turn fits a wider pattern of abrupt foreign-policy reversals in Trump’s second term, including a confrontational approach toward Canada and warmer treatment of Venezuela’s Chavista government.
Taken together, the shifts suggest a less ideologically consistent U.S. foreign policy, driven more by Trump’s personal relationships and instincts than by his earlier hard-line positioning.