Trump’s Foreign Policy Moments
2017 – 2021

Trump’s Foreign Policy Moments

Donald J. Trump’s presidency marked a profound departure from U.S. leadership in areas such as trade and diplomacy, as well as an across-the-board toughening of immigration policies.

2017
January 20, 2017

Inauguration

Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama stand with President Donald J. Trump and Melania Trump at the 2017 inauguration.
Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama stand with President Donald J. Trump and Melania Trump at the 2017 inauguration. Jack Gruber/Pool/Reuters

In his inaugural address, President Donald J. Trump announces an America First approach to foreign policy and trade, which centers on reducing U.S. trade deficits and rebalancing burden sharing within alliances. Trump promises to “unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism” and emphasizes that “it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first.”

2017
2017
January 23, 2017

TPP Withdrawal

Trump signs an executive order withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Trump signs an executive order withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Ron Sachs/Pool/Getty Images

Trump directs the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a twelve-country, Asia-focused trade agreement the United States had championed under the Barack Obama administration.

2017
2017
January 27, 2017

Travel Ban

A man holding up a sign reading "No Muslim Ban" stands among protesters.
Demonstrators protest outside San Francisco International Airport. Kate Munsch/Reuters

The president signs an executive order banning nationals of six Muslim-majority countries from traveling to the United States for ninety days. The order, later amended to include an additional two countries, also indefinitely freezes refugee intake from Syria. Days later, a federal judge in Washington State blocks part of the order, beginning a series of judicial challenges. That same week, Trump signs two other executive orders concerning immigration. One directs federal funds to the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the other bars so-called sanctuary cities from receiving federal grants.

2017
2017
April 7, 2017

Striking Syria

Satellite imagery shows the Shayrat Air Base, outside of Homs, following a U.S. missile strike.
Satellite imagery shows the Shayrat Air Base, outside of Homs, following a U.S. missile strike. Digital Globe/Getty Images

In retaliation for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s use of the chemical weapon sarin in an attack against civilians, Trump authorizes a limited cruise missile strike on the regime-controlled Shayrat Air Base. U.S.-sponsored measures against the regime at the UN Security Council are blocked by Russia, part of a long-running trend.

2017
2017
May 18, 2017

Revisiting NAFTA

Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer meet on NAFTA in Ottawa.
Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer meet on NAFTA in Ottawa. Chris Wattie/Reuters

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer notifies Congress [PDF] of the White House’s intent to “modernize” the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The administration seeks to renegotiate the agreement, whose other parties are Canada and Mexico, to address the U.S. trade deficit in goods, eliminate subsidies it sees as unfair, restore manufacturing jobs, and ease intellectual property restrictions.

2017
2017
May 20 – 27, 2017

Trump Goes Abroad

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and Donald Trump hold an illuminated globe during an inauguration ceremony.
Trump and Arab leaders inaugurate a counterterrorism center in Riyadh. Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Trump makes his first trip abroad as president, traveling to Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank, Italy, Vatican City, Belgium, and Italy. He attends a summit in Riyadh with leaders from more than fifty Arab- and Muslim-majority nations, where he delivers a speech calling on the Muslim world to unite against terrorism. In Brussels, Trump addresses North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) heads of state and government, calling on each of them to “finally contribute their fair share” to the alliance. He does not, however, explicitly state his support for NATO’s Article 5 mutual defense clause. In Italy, Trump participates in the Group of Seven (G7) meeting, where the United States joins a joint declaration on fighting protectionism but withholds its support from one reaffirming the Paris climate accord.

2017
2017
June 1, 2017

Leaving the Paris Agreement

Trump gestures as he refers to the magnitude of global climate change as he announces his decision to withdraw the United States from the landmark Paris climate agreement.
Trump refers to the magnitude of global climate change as he announces his decision to withdraw the United States from the landmark Paris climate agreement. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

In a speech, Trump announces that the United States will withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate accord, another agreement negotiated by Obama. Trump criticizes the 195-country agreement, under which the United States would have voluntarily limited its carbon emissions, for constricting U.S. sovereignty, harming American workers, and disadvantaging the United States economically.

2017
2017
June 5, 2017

Navigating Qatar’s Crisis

A girl holds a picture depicting Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
A girl holds a picture depicting Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. Naseem Zeitoun/Reuters

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt sever diplomatic relations with Qatar, alleging it supports terrorism and Iranian adventurism. Trump initially welcomes the move even as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis work to reinforce the U.S. relationship with Qatar, which hosts the al-Udeid Air Base, the regional headquarters of U.S. Central Command.

2017
2017
June 16, 2017

Rolling Back Ties With Cuba

Trump prepares to deliver a speech on U.S.-Cuba relations.
Trump prepares to deliver a speech on U.S.-Cuba relations. Carlos Barria/Reuters

Trump announces a partial rollback of the Obama administration’s rapprochement with Cuba. Under the newly announced guidelines, the United States will reinstate restrictions on travel and trade with Cuba without severing diplomatic ties. In September 2017, the Trump administration reduces the U.S. embassy staff in Havana by half.

2017
2017
July 5 – 8, 2017

Trump Meets Putin

Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.
Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. Saul Loeb/Getty Images

In a visit to Warsaw, Trump delivers an address in which he emphasizes a civilizational struggle for the West and, for the first time, explicitly references NATO’s mutual defense clause. In Germany, Trump attends the Group of Twenty leaders’ meeting, where he meets for the first time as president with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting is highly anticipated amid ongoing investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.

2017
2017
August 8, 2017

A War of Words With North Korea

Trump speaks about North Korea during a briefing.
Trump speaks about North Korea during a briefing. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

After Pyongyang threatens to launch ballistic missiles into the waters around Guam, Trump warns that North Korea will be met with “fire and fury” if it continues to threaten launches. The remark initiates hostile rhetorical exchanges that culminate with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un insulting Trump.

2017
2017
August 21, 2017

A New Afghan Strategy

Military personnel watch as Trump announces his strategy for the war in Afghanistan.
Military personnel watch as Trump announces his strategy for the war in Afghanistan. Joshua Roberts/Reuters

Trump, in a speech, announces a counterterrorism-focused approach to the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. He announces that he will deploy more U.S. troops there and loosen their rules of engagement. He avoids mentioning deployment timetables.

2017
2017
September 5, 2017

Winding Down DACA

Protesters demonstrate against the Trump administration’s announcement that it will end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
Protesters demonstrate against the Trump administration’s announcement that it will end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Zach Gibson/Getty Images

Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions announce that the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will begin winding down in six months, leaving approximately eight hundred thousand beneficiaries vulnerable to deportation. Trump encourages Congress to legislate a successor to DACA.

2017
2017
September 19, 2017

A UN Debut

Trump waits to address the UN General Assembly in New York.
Trump waits to address the UN General Assembly in New York. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Trump, addressing the UN General Assembly for the first time, threatens to “totally destroy” North Korea if the United States is “forced to defend itself or its allies.” Echoing his inaugural address, Trump emphasizes sovereignty and tells the gathered world leaders that the United States does “not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to watch.”

2017
2017
October 13, 2017

Revisiting the Iran Deal

Trump speaks about the Iran nuclear deal in front of portrait of George Washington.
Trump speaks about the Iran nuclear deal. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

After months of deliberation, Trump announces that he will not recertify Iran’s compliance with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to Congress (JCPOA), saying that Iran’s behavior violates the spirit of the agreement. Trump does not take steps to abrogate the JCPOA; instead, he asks Congress to deliberate on reimposing sanctions.

2017
2017
November 3 – 14, 2017

Trump Goes to Asia

Trump is welcomed to Tokyo by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Trump is welcomed to Tokyo by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Koji Sasahara/Pool/Reuters

Trump travels to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines on his longest trip yet. In addition to introducing a new vision for U.S. involvement in the “Indo-Pacific,” North Korea and trade dominate the agenda. In Vietnam, Trump attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and delivers an address reinforcing his America First vision on trade. In Manila, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summits, officials from the United States, Japan, Australia, and India convene a quadrilateral meeting of like-minded democracies with concerns about China’s rise.

2017
2017
December 6, 2017

Recognizing Jerusalem

Palestinians protest following the first Friday prayer after Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Palestinians protest following the first Friday prayer after Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City. Ahmad Gharabli/Getty Images

Trump breaks with decades of U.S. policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. He justifies the move as a recognition of the reality that Jerusalem is the seat of Israel’s government.

2017
20172018
December 2017 – February 2018

Releasing Strategic Documents

A congressional aide stands next to a poster presenting the administration’s 2018 Nuclear Posture Review.
A congressional aide stands next to a slide presenting the administration’s 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. Joshua Roberts/Reuters

The administration releases a series of strategy documents, including ones on national security and defense, both of which highlight China and Russia as major strategic competitors. Soon after, it releases its Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), which calls for the creation of two new nuclear missiles for submarines. The NPR also broadens the circumstances under which the United States may use nuclear weapons to encompass cyberattacks.

20172018
2018
March 1, 2018 – April 3, 2018

Announcing Tariffs

A worker takes control of the loading of steel channels at the Ariel Metal steel trader warehouse in Podolsk outside Moscow, Russia.
A worker takes control of the loading of steel channels at the Ariel Metal steel trader warehouse in Podolsk outside Moscow, Russia. Maxim Shemetov/Reuters

Citing national security concerns, the president announces on March 1 that the United States will impose tariffs on foreign-made steel and aluminum. The administration imposes the restrictions on China but exempts Canada and other U.S.-aligned states, as well as the European Union, as trade negotiations continue.

2018
2018
March 18, 2018

Accepting Kim’s Invitation

Former CIA Director Mike Pompeo meets North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang.
Former CIA Director Mike Pompeo meets North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang. KCNA/Reuters

Trump accepts an invitation from Kim to meet for what would be the first summit between a sitting U.S. president and his North Korean counterpart. South Korean National Security Advisor Chun Eui-yong, in Washington, D.C., announces Trump’s decision to accept the invitation. The Trump administration says the summit will be an opportunity to discuss the denuclearization of North Korea.

2018
2018
April 4, 2018 – December 1, 2018

U.S.-China Trade War

Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires.
Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

In early April, China imposes retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products worth about $3 billion, escalating a trade war between the world’s two largest economies. By November, the United States has levied tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods, while China has imposed tariffs on $110 billion worth of U.S. products. At the Group of Twenty summit in Buenos Aires in early December, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agree to a cease-fire, as well as to strike a broader trade agreement within ninety days.

2018
2018
April 13, 2018

A Second Round of Syria Strikes

A Syrian man carries a child in Eastern Ghouta.
A Syrian man carries a child in Eastern Ghouta. Nazeer al-Khatib/AFP/Getty Images

Trump orders the U.S. military to strike three facilities in Syria linked to the Bashar al-Assad regime’s chemical weapons program. The air strikes, a response to the Syrian government’s alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians, are carried out in coordination with forces from France and the United Kingdom.

2018
2018
May 2018 – October 2018

Tightening the Border

A migrant woman from Honduras, part of a caravan of thousands from Central America, runs from tear gas with her five-year-old daughters at the U.S.-Mexico border.
A migrant woman from Honduras, part of a caravan of thousands from Central America, runs from tear gas with her five-year-old daughters at the U.S.-Mexico border. Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

The president institutes a blanket “zero tolerance” policy in May that results in the U.S. Border Patrol separating more than 2,600 children from their parents, before reversing the policy in August. In response to a spike in Central American asylum seekers, Trump sends five thousand troops to “harden the southern border.”

2018
2018
May 8, 2018

Withdrawal From Iran Nuclear Agreement

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, National Security Adviser John Bolton, and Vice President Mike Pence await remarks from Trump on the Iran nuclear accord.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, National Security Adviser John Bolton, and Vice President Mike Pence await remarks from Trump on the Iran nuclear accord. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

The president announces the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 agreement on Iran’s nuclear program. Trump says it did not sufficiently curb the country’s civilian nuclear program or its regional aggression. Without citing any material Iranian violations, Trump announces that the United States will reinstate two sets of sanctions on Iran that had been waived with the deal’s implementation; they will take effect in August and November and range from aircraft imports to oil and petroleum product exports.

2018
2018
May 14, 2018

U.S. Embassy Moves to Jerusalem

Ivanka Trump and Mnuchin attend the dedication ceremony for the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem.
Ivanka Trump and Mnuchin attend the dedication ceremony for the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. Ronen Zvulun/Reuters

After recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017, the Trump administration moves the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The move upsets Arab and Western allies, and brings Washington’s neutrality as a broker in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process into question.

2018
2018
June 12, 2018

Trump Meets Kim

Trump and Kim shake hands during the Singapore summit.
Trump and Kim shake hands during the Singapore summit. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Trump and Kim meet in Singapore. Their joint declaration steers the U.S.-North Korea relationship from confrontation to cooperation, but it establishes few means to enforce its ambitious commitments, which include the “complete denuclearization” of the Korean Peninsula.

2018
2018
June 19, 2018

Withdrawal From UN Human Rights Council

UN Ambassador Nikki Haley announces the U.S. withdrawal from the Human Rights Council.
UN Ambassador Nikki Haley announces the U.S. withdrawal from the Human Rights Council. Toya Samo Jordan/Reuters

Ambassador Nikki Haley announces that the United States will withdraw from the Human Rights Council, citing “a chronic bias against Israel” and the human rights abuses of various sitting members, which include China and Venezuela.

2018
2018
July 16, 2018

Trump-Putin Summit in Helsinki

Trump and Putin shake hands at the Helsinki summit.
Trump and Putin at the Helsinki summit. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Trump and Putin meet in Helsinki for a two-hour meeting behind closed doors, accompanied only by two interpreters. Though the leaders claim to discuss the Syrian civil war, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and Russia’s encroachment on Ukraine, the substance of their discussion remains largely unknown. The meeting culminates in a press conference during which Trump casts doubt on U.S. intelligence agencies’ conclusion that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election.

2018
2018
September 30, 2018

A New NAFTA

Trump delivers remarks on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement at the White House.
Trump delivers remarks on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement at the White House. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The United States, Canada, and Mexico settle on a number of changes to NAFTA, renaming it the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The trade deal contains new labor stipulations, stronger protections for U.S. intellectual property, and higher standards for the auto industry, including rules of origin and minimum wage hikes that benefit American manufacturers.

2018
2018
October 2018 – December 2018

Alliance Under Strain

A demonstrator holds a poster of journalist Jamal Khashoggi outside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
A demonstrator holds a poster of journalist Jamal Khashoggi outside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Osman Orsal/Reuters

In early October, Jamal Khashoggi, a dissident Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist, is assassinated inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. As evidence incriminating Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman mounts, Trump expresses support for the Saudi leadership, touting Saudi Arabia as a major U.S. regional partner, oil supplier, and purchaser of U.S. arms. The decision draws backlash from U.S. allies and Congress.

2018
2018
December 2018

U.S. Troops to Leave Syria and Afghanistan

U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis arrives for a briefing to Congress in December 2018.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis arrives for a briefing to Congress in December 2018. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Trump announces the United States will withdraw all of its more than two thousand troops from Syria, though he doesn’t specify a timeline. He asks the Pentagon to come up with a plan to withdraw half of those serving in Afghanistan as well. Many Democrats and Republicans in Congress call the decision precipitous, and Mattis offers his resignation the next day, saying the president deserves a secretary “better aligned” with his views.

2018
2019
January 23, 2019

Picking Sides in Venezuela

Trump waves to supporters holding a Venezuelan flag.
Trump addresses the crisis in Venezuela during a visit to Miami in February 2019. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The White House recognizes Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the nation’s interim president, joining more than fifty other countries that consider the 2018 reelection of Nicolas Maduro illegitimate. As Venezuela continues to struggle with hyperinflation, shortages of basic goods, and a refugee crisis, Washington’s attempts to send humanitarian aid are blocked at the border. Trump refuses to rule out military action against Maduro and later imposes sanctions.

2019
2019
January 25, 2019

Border Wall Battle

Federal workers call for an end to the government shutdown in January 2019.
Federal workers call for an end to the government shutdown in January 2019. Mark Makela/Getty Images

A fight with Congress over Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion for a wall along the southern U.S. border ends after a thirty-five-day shutdown of the federal government, the longest ever. When Congress rejects the funding request, the president declares a national emergency in February, allowing him to divert funding from other sources, including the military. Trump issues his first veto to block a congressional resolution that would have prevented the move.

2019
2019
May 2019

China Trade War Heats Up

Workers on the production line of a factory in Shenzhen, China.
Workers on the production line of a factory in Shenzhen, China, in August 2019. Jason Lee/Reuters

As trade talks break down, the United States raises tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods from 10 to 25 percent, leading China to retaliate in kind. In the following months, the Trump administration also imposes new restrictions on Chinese telecom firms, labels China a currency manipulator, and threatens to halt all private U.S. investment in China. Trump’s plan to raise tariffs on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese goods is, however, put on hold.

2019
2019
June 20, 2019

Trump Walks Back Iran Strike

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, defends his government’s targeting of a U.S. drone in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, defends his government’s targeting of a U.S. drone in the Strait of Hormuz. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

In the wake of an Iranian downing of a U.S. drone, Trump authorizes military action on Iranian targets, but calls off the operation at the last moment. The incident comes after months of rising tensions, including increased U.S. sanctions on Iran for violating the terms of a 2015 nuclear deal and Iranian threats to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping lane.

2019
2019
June 30, 2019

Visiting North Korea

Trump and Kim step across the border between North and South Korea.
Trump and Kim step across the border between North and South Korea. Dong-A Ilbo/Getty Images

Trump becomes the first sitting U.S. president to set foot in North Korea, crossing the Demilitarized Zone for a brief meeting with Kim. Coming months after a February summit in Vietnam collapsed almost as soon as it began, neither side offers concrete concessions and North Korea soon resumes missile tests.

2019
2019
July 2019

Changing the Asylum Rules

Migrants from Central America wait at a shelter in Tijuana, Mexico.
Migrants from Central America wait at a shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, in July 2019. Eduardo Jaramillo Castro/AFP/Getty Images

Trump announces a “safe third country” agreement with Guatemala that would require asylum seekers to remain there, rather than wait in the United States while their claims are processed, or face deportation. The deal is challenged in Guatemalan court, but similar arrangements with El Salvador and Honduras are soon announced. The moves come after Trump issues new rules that asylum seekers in Mexico must remain there and uses the threat of tariffs to pressure Mexico to step up its own border security efforts.

2019
2019
September 8, 2019

Taliban Talks Canceled

An Afghan woman carries posters of presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah ahead of elections set for September 2019.
An Afghan woman carries posters of presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah ahead of elections set for September 2019. Hoshang Hashimi/AFP/Getty Images

Trump declares an end to Afghan peace talks, calling off a planned meeting of warring parties, including Taliban representatives, at Camp David. A preliminary agreement had reportedly revolved around a pledge by the Taliban to keep terrorists out of Afghanistan in exchange for a cease-fire and full withdrawal of Western military forces. In October, the Pentagon says two thousand U.S. troops have already been withdrawn, leaving some twelve thousand remaining.

2019
2019
September 24, 2019

Impeachment Inquiry Over Ukraine Dealings

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi announces an inquiry into impeachment.
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi announces an inquiry into impeachment. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The U.S. House of Representatives begins a formal impeachment inquiry into Trump over allegations that he withheld military aid to Ukraine to pressure it to investigate his political rival, Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden. Trump denies there was a “quid pro quo” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

2019
2019
October 6, 2019

Withdrawal From Northern Syria

A convoy of U.S. armored vehicles patrols a stretch of the Syria-Turkey border in October 2019.
A convoy of U.S. armored vehicles patrols a stretch of the Syria-Turkey border in October 2019. Delil Souleiman/AFP/Getty Images

In the wake of a call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump abruptly decides to withdraw all remaining U.S. troops from Kurdish-controlled northern Syria. Two days later, Turkish troops invade Syria to combat Kurdish groups, which Ankara labels terrorists, and the Kurds seek protection from Assad’s regime and his Russian allies. The Trump administration responds with sanctions on Turkey, a NATO ally, leading to talks for a permanent cease-fire. The deal allows the Syrian Kurds to evacuate and divides control of the territory along the Syria-Turkey border among Turkish, Russian, and Syrian government forces.

2019
2019
October 11, 2019

Additional Support for Saudi Arabia

General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, greets Saudi military officers during a 2019 visit to Saudi Arabia.
General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, greets Saudi military officers during a 2019 visit to Saudi Arabia. Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images

In the wake of a September attack on Saudi oil facilities that Riyadh blames on Iran, Trump reinforces the kingdom with three thousand U.S. troops as well as fighter jets and missile technology. The show of support comes several months after bipartisan efforts in Congress to end Washington’s backing of Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen forced Trump to veto bills that would have ended U.S. involvement in the war and blocked U.S. arms sales to Riyadh.

2019
2019
October 26, 2019

Baghdadi Killed

A Pentagon press briefing on the raid against Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
A Pentagon press briefing on the raid against Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Trump announces that the leader of the self-proclaimed Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has been killed by U.S. forces. His immediate successor is also killed in a separate raid. Baghdadi, who once controlled thousands of square miles of territory across the Middle East, was in hiding in northern Syria, eight months after the Islamic State lost the last remnant of its caliphate in Syria.

2019
2020
January 3, 2020

Drone Strike on Soleimani

An Iranian woman shows a photo of Iranian Commander Qasem Soleimani on her cell phone during a protest against his killing in Tehran.
An Iranian woman shows a photo of Iranian Commander Qasem Soleimani during a protest against his killing. Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA/Reuters

A U.S. drone strike kills Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force, in Baghdad. The Pentagon links Soleimani to violent demonstrations at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, as well as the deaths of hundreds of American and allied troops in the region. Though Trump says he ordered the strike “to stop a war,” Soleimani’s killing raises fears of further escalation. Tehran retaliates by firing missiles at two Iraqi bases hosting U.S. soldiers, prompting Washington to impose new sanctions on Iran.

2020
2020
January 28, 2020

A New Mideast Peace Plan

U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announce their peace plan proposal at the White House.
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announce their peace plan proposal at the White House. Joshua Roberts/Reuters

In a joint White House appearance, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announce a new plan to end decades of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Analysts say the deal, developed without Palestinian input, favors Israel by awarding it large portions of the West Bank and Jerusalem, and by weakening long-standing U.S. support for a fully autonomous Palestinian state. Palestinian leaders roundly reject the proposal, which is opposed by most Arab states and received ambivalently by European countries.

2020
2020
February 5, 2020

Trump’s Acquittal

Dressed in a suit and standing in front of a microphone, Trump holds up a copy of the Washington Post showing news of his acquittal.
Trump holds up a copy of the Washington Post showing news of his acquittal. Joshua Roberts/Reuters

In a 52–48 vote, the U.S. Senate acquits Trump of a charge of abuse of power centered on allegations he pressured the Ukrainian government to investigate his political opponents. The Senate also finds him not guilty of obstructing the congressional investigation into the matter. The vote comes less than a month after the House of Representatives impeached Trump, the third presidential impeachment in the nation’s history. While U.S. military aid for Ukraine continues, many Ukrainians worry that the impeachment weakens bilateral ties as a Russia-backed insurgency in eastern Ukraine persists.

2020
2020
February 29, 2020

U.S.-Taliban Agreement

A photo of two men shaking hands in front of a screen that reads "Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan."  The man on the left is dressed in a navy-colored suit, and the man on the right has a beard, is wearing a head covering, and is carrying a red folder.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the leader of the Taliban delegation, and Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. envoy for peace in Afghanistan, shake hands after signing an agreement in Doha, Qatar. Ibraheem al Omari/Reuters

U.S. and Taliban officials ink a deal to begin reducing hostilities, heralded as a major step in the long-drawn-out effort to end Afghanistan’s eighteen-year war. In exchange for a withdrawal of U.S. troops within fourteen months, the Taliban agrees to open talks with the Afghan government and prevent terrorist groups from using Afghanistan to attack the United States or its allies. The agreement also calls for a permanent cease-fire to be worked out during intra-Afghan negotiations. Some experts see the deal as one-sided and question whether the Taliban will follow through on its ill-defined commitments.

2020
2020
March 13, 2020

National Emergency Over Coronavirus

A person with shoulder-length, blonde hair appears in profile on the right. The background is a red, white, and blue depiction of the American flag.
A New York City resident in a surgical mask walks by a depiction of the American flag amid the city’s coronavirus outbreak. Andrew Kelly/Reuters

After initially downplaying the risk of a new coronavirus disease, COVID-19, Trump declares a national emergency as cases balloon. The move unlocks roughly $50 billion in federal funding and allows the loosening of some regulations on health-care providers. Trump also announces new efforts to boost coronavirus testing, after what many see as an anemic federal response, and later signs more than $2 trillion in economic stimulus legislation. Trump increasingly blames China, where the virus originated, for misleading the world and threatens retaliation.

2020
2020
March 2020 – September 22, 2020

COVID-19’s Diplomatic Fallout

People sitting spaced apart at long tables watching a speech by Trump, which is shown on two screens that flank a podium at the UN headquarters.
Trump speaks during the UN General Assembly debate, which was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, on September 22, 2020. United Nations/Handout/Reuters

The coronavirus pandemic disrupts U.S. diplomacy, including by causing the postponement of the G7 summit, which the United States was set to host. U.S. programs such as the Peace Corps are forced to halt global operations. Geopolitical competition, including U.S.-China tensions, hamstrings a multilateral coronavirus response, experts say. At the UN General Assembly annual debate, held virtually for the first time, due to the coronavirus, Trump again blames China for the pandemic and accuses it of environmental pollution and trade abuses.

2020
2020
July 6, 2020

WHO Withdrawal Notice

A photo of three people sitting, spaced apart, at a desk with banners and a flag behind them.  The WHO logo appears on a brown, striped wall at the back of the frame.
World Health Organization (WHO) officials, including Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, attend a news conference at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, in July 2020. Fabrice Coffrini/Pool/Reuters

The Trump administration formally notifies the United Nations that the United States will cut ties with the World Health Organization (WHO), which it helped found, effective July 2021. Trump previously accused the UN agency of misleading the world about the threat of COVID-19 under pressure from China; he had also announced the redirection of U.S. funding, the WHO’s largest source of financial support. In September, the United States refuses to join a WHO-led global initiative, known as the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX Facility), to develop, manufacture, and distribute a COVID-19 vaccine.

2020
2020
July 29, 2020

Drawdown of Troops in Germany

An image from behind of two men dressed in camouflage fatigues. They are walking across gravel near a fence and red road barriers. Trees appear in the distance.
U.S. soldiers walk at training grounds near Hohenfels, Germany, during military exercises in August 2020. Lennart Preiss/Getty Images

Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper says the United States plans to withdraw nearly twelve thousand troops stationed in Germany—about one-third of the total U.S. force there—and the head of U.S. European Command announces that force’s headquarters will be relocated from Stuttgart to Mons, Belgium. Esper says the moves will strengthen NATO, enhance efforts to deter Russia, and boost strategic flexibility; Trump says it is a response to Germany not upholding its financial commitments to NATO. 

2020
2020
September 2020 – December 2020

Arab-Israeli Normalization Deals

Four men in suits sitting at a long table, with three of them holding up signed agreements.  The other man and a woman behind them are clapping.  Flags of the United States, Bahrain, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates are in the background.
Trump, Netanyahu, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani, and Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed sign deals to normalize Israel’s relations with the Gulf states, on September 15, 2020. Tom Brenner/Reuters

In a September ceremony at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signs U.S.-brokered agreements to normalize relations with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Trump heralds the event as the “dawn of a new Middle East.” Experts say the deals further unite Israel and Arab Gulf states against Iran, while Palestinian leaders decry them as a betrayal. In the following months, Trump announces that Sudan and Morocco will also begin rapprochements with Israel. In exchange, the United States grants Sudan financial assistance and delists it as a state sponsor of terrorism. It also recognizes Morocco’s claim to the disputed region of Western Sahara.

2020
2020
September 30, 2020

Refugee Cap Reaches Record Low

People, including children, clump together with water and buildings behind them.  Some are wearing masks and carrying bags.
People from the fire-ravaged Moria refugee camp wait to board a ferry on the island of Lesbos, Greece, in September 2020. Elias Marcou/Reuters

The State Department announces a plan to slash refugee admissions to a maximum of fifteen thousand people in the 2021 fiscal year, the lowest level in the four-decade history of modern U.S. refugee resettlement. It cites prioritizing Americans’ safety and well-being amid the pandemic, among other factors, as a reason for the move. Trump’s response to the novel coronavirus reinforces his restrictive immigration policy. Since March, the administration has temporarily halted refugee resettlement, effectively shuttered the asylum system, and blocked many foreign worker visas and green cards.

2020
2020
November 9, 2020

Defense Department Shake-Up

A close-up shot of Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper wearing a black face mask, glasses, and a suit.
Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper arrives in New Delhi, India, in October 2020. Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Days after losing reelection to Biden, Trump announces Esper’s termination as defense secretary on Twitter. Several other top Pentagon officials resign following Esper’s removal and are replaced by perceived White House loyalists. The reshuffle raises alarm among Democrats about security risks amid a presidential transition. Christopher C. Miller, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, is named acting defense secretary. Meanwhile, Trump’s refusal to recognize Biden’s victory stymies information sharing and other coordination on national security issues with the Biden transition team. 

2020
2020
November 22, 2020

Open Skies Withdrawal

A white and grey airplane with "United States of America" on its side flies above mountainous terrain.
A U.S. aircraft conducts an observation flight as permitted under the Treaty on Open Skies. U.S. Air Force

The United States formally exits the Treaty on Open Skies, which experts see as a setback to international arms control efforts. The withdrawal, which faced domestic and international opposition, comes six months after Pompeo announced it, citing Russian noncompliance. In force since 2002, the treaty allows member countries to surveil each other’s military installations and activities on short notice via flyovers by unarmed aircraft. Signatories also share the information they gather with other states party to the deal. Weeks after the U.S. exit, Russia announces it will also withdraw from the treaty.

2020
2021
January 6, 2021

Insurrection at the Capitol

A photo taken around dusk of a crowd of people, some holding flags, gathered around an area glowing from an explosion. The Capitol Building looms in the background.
An explosion occurs as rioters gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021. Leah Millis/Reuters

A pro-Trump mob, egged on by the president, storms the Capitol Building and disrupts legislators meeting to certify President-Elect Biden’s victory. The breach of the Capitol leaves five people dead and forces lawmakers to take cover for hours. While continuing to claim electoral victory, Trump calls his pre-insurrection remarks “totally appropriate,” and he criticizes efforts to impeach him a second time as a “continuation of the greatest witch hunt in the history of politics.” Many world leaders condemn the uprising as an attack on democracy, affirm their support for Biden’s presidency, and urge an orderly transition of power. Some governments also point to the insurrection as evidence of hypocrisy in the United States’ portrayal of itself as a standard-bearer for democracy.

2021