Chicago – January 17, 2023
As Donald Trump’s lead in the Republican presidential nomination contest grows, some US allies are concerned about an American tilt toward isolationism, which would reflect an electorate mostly focused on home matters.
That was demonstrated in polling in Iowa, which Trump won by a landslide on Monday, with foreign policy ranking as the top issue for only one in every ten caucus attendees, according to Edison Research.
According to Reuters/Ipsos research conducted over the last decade, when Americans list concerns involving foreigners as the country’s top problem, they typically refer to immigration rather than foreign conflicts.
According to a December Reuters/Ipsos poll, 6% of respondents nationally said war and foreign conflicts were the most serious problem in the United States, while 11% listed immigration and 19% cited the economy. Ten per cent mentioned crime.
While domestic concerns have long dominated American politics, isolationism has grown in recent years, particularly within the Republican Party, as Trump and other leaders have criticized US aid to help Ukraine fight off Russia’s 2022 invasion, and Trump has warned that America could become embroiled in a global war.
Foreign diplomats in Washington are scurrying to assess the former president’s foreign intentions. Trump allies claim he will decrease defence support to Europe, further reduce trade connections with China, and reinstate tariffs as a key tool of his foreign policy.
