In 2025, Trump's foreign policy pivoted to tariffs and burden-sharing

The foreign policy record of US President Donald Trump in 2025 was defined by a deliberate shift away from traditional American global leadership, favoring economic leverage and demanding greater burden-sharing from allies. Following his January inauguration, Trump pursued an agenda that applied tariffs as a core diplomatic tool and signaled a retreat from the role of "global policeman," according to the administration's own statements.

A New Security Strategy and Regional Crises

In December, the White House unveiled a National Security Strategy emphasizing pragmatism and restraint, declaring an end to the era of the US single-handedly upholding the global order. It explicitly called on European allies to assume more responsibility for collective defense. This doctrinal shift unfolded as the administration grappled with two major conflicts. In Gaza, despite maintaining support for Israel, Trump engaged in intense diplomacy, including talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar's Emir at the UN, which contributed to a ceasefire taking effect in October, albeit a fragile one.

Shifts on Ukraine, Syria, and Key Partnerships

The war in Ukraine saw a stark policy reversal, with Trump halting major military aid to Kyiv and blaming both Ukrainian and former US leadership for the prolonged conflict. Diplomatic outreach to Russia failed to yield a settlement by year's end. Conversely, the administration moved to repair and expand key partnerships. A White House meeting with President Erdogan was hailed as highly positive, covering defense, trade, and regional issues. In a significant move, Washington normalized relations with Syria's post-revolution government, lifting sanctions and hosting President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

Managing Rivals and Unresolved Challenges

The administration adopted a hardline stance against Venezuela, escalating sanctions and rhetoric, while taking a more nuanced approach to China. Though tariffs continued, rhetorical tensions eased, and China was notably downgraded from the "number one concern" in the new security strategy, even as US tech sales were approved. By the close of 2025, Trump's foreign policy reflected a transactional, selective approach to global engagement, prioritizing direct deal-making and ally burden-sharing, though major international crises remained unresolved, testing the new doctrine's effectiveness.