Mixed message about Trump administration’s foreign policy leaves global speculation

The cracked windshield forced Secretary of State Marco Rubio into a rapid U-turn as the plane had to return an hour to the flight on his way to a security conference in Munich.

The top American diplomat, his senior officials and travel news agency returned to Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, D.C. on Thursday night.

But despite the fear in the air, the news was already firmly established elsewhere. In Europe, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses wrote in a speech that set out what many saw as a series of concessions for Ukraine to sign a peace agreement with Russia mediated by President Trump. I was surprised.

Hegus thinks Ukraine can regain the sovereign territory occupied by Russia, and as with the demand for NATO membership, it is “unrealistic” to the US military to maintain peace, with Europeans. He said he was appointed as a European.

Critics, including a Republican from Washington, denounced the speech, saying it gave all the leverage of Ukraine ahead of negotiations. They argued that it was the US surrender to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“It’s certainly an innovative approach to negotiations that make huge concessions even before they begin,” said former Swedish Prime Minister Karl Bild, who co-chairs the Council of Europe on Foreign Relations, a think tank. He spoke.

The next day, Hegses rewind some of what he said. He made it clear that all the options are actually still on the table to be used as leverage for President Putin and President Ukrainian Voldymir Zelensky.

“It’s within the scope of President Trump, the leader of the free world, that he decided whether he would allow it,” Heggs said. However, he added that he “simply pointing to realism,” and that he rejected the idea that offered excessive concessions to Moscow.

As for Rubio, the broken plane delayed its arrival in Munich, where his officials were explaining his own priorities of the trip.

The US will work for “fair and lasting peace” that will take the lead in creating “durable security frameworks,” they said.

European leaders are expected to meet in Paris on Monday for urgent consultations aimed at ensuring their country is fully involved in peace negotiations in Ukraine.

The US Secretary of State’s position did not include any traces of laying out Ukraine restrictions in the way the Secretary of Defense did. Later, in German cities, Vice President JD Vance contradicts Hegses, who said the US could use “leveraged military tools” to force trade, contradicting the US military that the US would not be deployed in Ukraine. I could see it.

Later in the Oval Office, the fallout from Hegses’ speech was placed on President Trump. It appears that Proputin’s critic could have written it, along with a commentary from a Republican senator who described it as a “rookie error.”

Did Trump know what Hegses said? “Generally speaking, yeah, generally speaking, that’s what I was saying,” the president said. “I’ll talk to Pete, I know,” he added.

Three days gave some of the first major insights into Trump’s evolving position, one of the most consequential issues he faces – the full-scale invasion and war in Russia’s Ukraine His vow to end it – and his foreign policy formulation and message about how his administration is doing.

As for the entity, despite Hegses’s rowdy attempts alongside Trump’s long statement about a clearly warm call with President Putin, aimed at launching negotiations with Ukraine, It sent shockwaves through the European capital.

“A quick revision is a dirty deal,” said Kaja Karas, head of foreign policy for the European Union, regarding the outlook for a US-led contract with Russia that could potentially stand by Ukraine’s voice.

Then there’s the question of how our foreign policy under Trump was communicated. What happened in Munich seemed to be part of an attempt by his senior officials to interpret and relay Trump’s position, but the efforts have sometimes led to explosive and often contradictory statements – Some of it was partially diluted or reversed.

How new this is, it is not yet clear that a steady administration is still clear about its policy. , as long as they remain faithful to his last words.

Trump’s first term saw a series of famous looting or resignation that contradicted or opposed to him, including three national security advisers, two defense secretaries and the Secretary of State.

This time, his appointment has been characterized more frequently by his willingness to demonstrate loyalty. Pete Hegses, who had no experience running the military, government or agency, was a Fox News weekend presenter and a former National Guard major that was strongly aligned with Trump’s thoughts and agenda.

His appointment was highly contested, with three Republican senators voting against him and shattered through that confirmation process, resulting in JD Vance casting a tiebreak vote to 50-50 .

As Trump told himself this week, he was “alright” with the idea of ​​getting Ukraine to join NATO from the negotiation table.

Hegseth’s comments were not in line with the president’s position – rather, they were amplification to an audience who were eager to strengthen Ukraine’s negotiating position, and did not undermine it.

The challenge for those affected is that the precise position of US foreign policy must be split. One of its features is uncertainty. This may be cautious – Donald Trump, who uses the “madman” theory of diplomatic relations – often attributed to former Republican President Richard Nixon.

This suggests that being powerful but unpredictable is a way to keep allies close by force while enforcing their enemies. It would also explain the sense that his own officials are being cheated, but within the parameters of Trump’s widely known position.

However, as the name of this theory suggests, it also poses a considerable risk of mistakes and miscalculation in an already violent and uncertain world.

Trump’s recent proposal for Gaza – emptying the Palestinian population and building a “Middle Eastern Riviera” under US ownership was similarly permeated with confusion and contradiction.

His officials appeared to be trying to fix some of the things he set up, for example, as “temporary relocations,” but Trump later said it was actually “permanent.” It’s doubled.

When it comes to Trump’s decision-making, when it comes to Rubio, who wants the State Department to be the most influential agency, his colleagues’ comments in Munich already covered himself.

His small, replacement plane eventually landed in Europe. The windshield remains intact, but the press pool was not on board, but most of the headlines also proceeded elsewhere.