President-elect Donald Trump’s forays into foreign policy since the election have been controversial, to say the least.
Mr. Trump’s first meeting with a foreign official after the election was with the British politician Nigel Farage, a diplomatic slight to British Prime Minister Theresa May and exacerbated by Mr. Trump’s suggestion that Farage be appointed Britain’s Ambassador to the United States. Making matters worse, Trump spoke to nine world leaders before getting on the phone with May, including taking a congratulatory call from Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny. When he met with Japanese Prime Minister Abe, he was accompanied by his daughter Ivanka, who’s’ trying to finalize a deal with a Japanese business owned largely by the Japanese government. This, among a host of other Trump business pursuits, raises serious conflict of interest questions.
The above excerpt was originally published in Just Security.
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