The US On The World Stage

The Trump administration marked a stark and dangerous shift in U.S. foreign policy. Instead of standing with democratic allies and defending nations under threat, it embraced authoritarian regimes—even those engaged in genocide and systemic repression. This was a sharp break from America’s historic role as a defender of human rights and a counterweight to tyranny.

Under President Biden, we’ve seen moments of renewed commitment to that legacy—most notably in the defense of Ukraine. With bipartisan congressional backing, the U.S. has rightly supported Ukraine in the face of Putin’s unlawful invasion. This is the kind of foreign policy we should prioritize: supporting sovereign nations under siege by autocrats. Yet Donald Trump’s open alignment with Kremlin talking points continues to erode that stance, weakening U.S. credibility and emboldening our adversaries.

Meanwhile, U.S. policy in Gaza reveals a profound moral failure that spans both parties and presidencies. Military aid has continued under both Biden and Trump, with broad congressional support—even as Israeli commits a genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government. Hamas’s attacks on October 7th were horrific and indefensible, and its leadership must be held to account by the International Criminal Court. But accountability cannot end there. The Netanyahu government’s indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians in Gaza must also be subject to international law and scrutiny.

Israel is an important U.S. ally, but real alliances are grounded in truth, not blind loyalty. Friends do not ignore each other’s abuses—they call them out. By continuing to arm and fund a campaign responsible for thousands of civilian deaths, the United States is not just complicit—we are actively enabling a genocide.

To be a force for peace and stability, the United States must chart a different course in the Middle East—one rooted in diplomacy, accountability, and justice. That means supporting international mechanisms like the International Criminal Court, and endorsing arrest warrants for those responsible for war crimes, whether they are leaders of Hamas or members of the Israeli cabinet.

True leadership requires moral clarity. We must reject the dangerous, authoritarian-aligned foreign policy of Donald Trump. We must reject the politics of expediency that allows war crimes to go unchallenged. And we must recommit ourselves to a foreign policy that promotes peace, respects international law, and recognizes that lasting security cannot be achieved through violence & intimidation.

American leadership should be defined not by whose side we’re on—but by the principles we stand for.