It’s relatively straightforward that the second Trump administration is pursuing some form of foreign policy realism, but what particular sect remains a hotly debated topic. Signs are tentatively pointing toward a “spheres of influence-type” brand of realpolitik, and that could be positive for global peace and stability.
One close observer of Trumpian politics recently characterized this new approach as simply prolific “deal-making,” which has placed a businessman’s imprimatur on the “new realism.” As foreign policy experts are well aware, “realism” encompasses a rich tradition of thinking on diplomacy and war that spans millennia, dating back to the Greek historian Thucydides, a thinker whose ideas continue to inform the contemporary Washington dilemma regarding China policy.
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