‘Unreliable’ personality-driven US foreign policy risks chaos due to Donald Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis
- ‘This underscores the unreliability of the US. It points to the chaotic part of this administration,’ former US state department official says
- US diplomats seek to reassure allies and domestic constituents that American policies will remain steady and consistent
“Allies will be thinking, ‘If the US can’t get a handle on the pandemic to the point where it gets into the Oval Office, what does it say if we need the support of the marines?’” said James Green, a fellow at Georgetown University and former state department official.
“This underscores the unreliability of the US. I don’t think anyone is going to be smug about it, that it serves you right, but it points to the chaotic part of this administration,” added Green, who also served as a trade negotiator with the US embassy in Beijing.
Throughout his presidency, Trump has often eschewed predictability, protocol, alliances, diplomatic niceties and the advice of experts, frequently relying instead on instinct.
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World leaders wish Trump and Melania speedy recovery from Covid-19
“Experience taught me a few things,” he wrote in his book The Art of the Deal. “One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper.”
The White House has insisted that Trump is able to work from the hospital. If his condition worsens, however, analysts say that decision-making could grind to a halt in the absence of a president who has been loathe to delegate or craft detailed policies.