US foreign policy has traditionally been based on a set of rules and norms that have guided its interactions with the world for nearly eight decades. However, according to Christian Whiton, a former Trump administration official, it's time to rethink this approach.
In an interview with Steve Clemons, Whiton argued that President Donald Trump is "willing to turn his back on" the idea of a "rules-based international order", which has been the cornerstone of US foreign policy for generations. This shift, Whiton believes, reflects a change in mindset among the US elite, who are increasingly at odds with each other.
Whiton claims that the Trump administration is targeting not just countries like China and Russia, but also Western democracies themselves. In Europe, the US is seeking to promote more populist and anti-immigration governments, while also discouraging the notion of Western societies being inherently racist or patriarchal.
The former Trump official's views are seen as a departure from traditional Republican and Democratic orthodoxy in Washington. Whiton's criticism of the establishment and his willingness to challenge conventional wisdom have led some to accuse him of being a "globalist" or a supporter of liberal internationalism.
However, Whiton argues that the US foreign policy establishment has become stale and out of touch with public opinion. He believes that the country needs to "cast aside" its outdated assumptions about Western societies being inherently racist or imperialist, and instead focus on promoting free market principles and individual liberty around the world.
Whiton's comments reflect a broader shift in the US debate over foreign policy, as some critics argue that the country's traditional approach is no longer effective. As Whiton noted, "the rules-based international order" was never actually in place to begin with. What we've had instead is a set of assumptions and norms that have been slowly eroded by events like the Cold War and 9/11.
The implications of this shift are significant. If the US is willing to abandon its traditional commitment to human rights and liberal internationalism, what will replace it? And how will America's relationships with other countries be reshaped as a result?
For now, Whiton's views remain a minority position within the US foreign policy establishment. However, they reflect a growing mood of disillusionment among some Republicans and Democrats with the traditional approach to US foreign policy. As the debate over the future direction of American power continues to unfold, it remains to be seen whether Whiton's ideas will gain more traction or fade into obscurity.
In an interview with Steve Clemons, Whiton argued that President Donald Trump is "willing to turn his back on" the idea of a "rules-based international order", which has been the cornerstone of US foreign policy for generations. This shift, Whiton believes, reflects a change in mindset among the US elite, who are increasingly at odds with each other.
Whiton claims that the Trump administration is targeting not just countries like China and Russia, but also Western democracies themselves. In Europe, the US is seeking to promote more populist and anti-immigration governments, while also discouraging the notion of Western societies being inherently racist or patriarchal.
The former Trump official's views are seen as a departure from traditional Republican and Democratic orthodoxy in Washington. Whiton's criticism of the establishment and his willingness to challenge conventional wisdom have led some to accuse him of being a "globalist" or a supporter of liberal internationalism.
However, Whiton argues that the US foreign policy establishment has become stale and out of touch with public opinion. He believes that the country needs to "cast aside" its outdated assumptions about Western societies being inherently racist or imperialist, and instead focus on promoting free market principles and individual liberty around the world.
Whiton's comments reflect a broader shift in the US debate over foreign policy, as some critics argue that the country's traditional approach is no longer effective. As Whiton noted, "the rules-based international order" was never actually in place to begin with. What we've had instead is a set of assumptions and norms that have been slowly eroded by events like the Cold War and 9/11.
The implications of this shift are significant. If the US is willing to abandon its traditional commitment to human rights and liberal internationalism, what will replace it? And how will America's relationships with other countries be reshaped as a result?
For now, Whiton's views remain a minority position within the US foreign policy establishment. However, they reflect a growing mood of disillusionment among some Republicans and Democrats with the traditional approach to US foreign policy. As the debate over the future direction of American power continues to unfold, it remains to be seen whether Whiton's ideas will gain more traction or fade into obscurity.
I mean, we already know the US is all about free market principles, but that doesn't mean you can just disregard human rights and democracy for countries like China or Russia. It feels like they're more interested in being a bully than a leader on the world stage... 
. And honestly, who doesn't love free market principles and individual liberty? 
But aren't we also supposed to be promoting human rights and liberal internationalism or what? 
So yeah, I guess Whiton's views are kinda interesting, but also kinda confusing... 
Can we just have a straightforward answer for once? 
the idea of promoting free market principles and individual liberty around the world sounds kinda cool, especially if it means ditching all these outdated assumptions about western societies being inherently racist or imperialist... i mean, we've been told that for years, but like, has anyone actually tried to make it happen? 
idk if whiton's views are gonna catch on, but at least he's not afraid to challenge the status quo 
The US has always been about spreading democracy and human rights, what's next is that we're just gonna let China and Russia do their own thing? 
We need someone who's willing to challenge the status quo and consider new approaches. But at the same time, we can't just throw out our values of human rights and individual liberty without a good reason 
. I mean, who wants to promote more populist govts in Europe? Not me, that's for sure 
. Free market principles and individual liberty are somethin' we can get behind 
. Are we gonna go back to the old rules-based order, or is Whiton's idea of castin' aside outdated assumptions gonna gain more traction? Either way, it's gonna be interesting to watch 
. It sounds like we're entering a world where human rights and liberal internationalism are just an afterthought. I mean, promoting populist governments in Europe? That's not how you build bridges, dude 
. And what about the consequences of abandoning those values? Are we really gonna start valuing free market principles over human dignity? 
It feels like we're trading one set of problems for another.
. how will other countries react? will they start to expect the same level of hypocrisy from the US as we've been expecting from them? 
. we need to stop thinking in terms of winners and losers and start thinking about how our actions affect ppl all over the world 
. it'll be fun to watch how this plays out in the next few years 
. He's right, our traditional approach has gotten us into some pretty rough waters over the past few decades 
. The idea that Western societies are inherently racist or imperialist is just not true 
.
like the US is even in a position to dictate rules anymore? It's just another fancy way of saying they want to do whatever they want without anyone questioning it 
it sounds like a bunch of pseudo-intellectual nonsense to me 
And let's be real, the whole 'Western societies r racist & patriarchal' thing has been debated 2 death on social media 
It feels like a cop-out 2 me. We need 2 take responsibility 4 our actions & acknowledge that there's no one-size-fits-all solution 2 global problems 
I think we should be focusing on free market principles & individual liberty instead of trying 2 fit into some outdated mold. And can we pls just acknowledge that human rights & liberal internationalism aren't mutually exclusive w/ other values? 
It's time 4 a new approach, one that prioritizes nuance & complexity over simplistic rules-based solutions 
. I think Whiton makes a valid point about the staleness of traditional US foreign policy, especially when it comes to Western democracies. It's like, we've been stuck in this mindset for so long that we need to shake things up