This week...

• Low expectations followed Trump to the presidency, especially for foreign policy. But there's a gap between Trump's campaign rhetoric and his foreign policy agenda, argues Foreign Policy Center Director Luke Coffey. The same Trump who critiqued NATO now robustly supports the group; where nominee Trump suggested U.S. involvement in European affairs should decrease, President Trump sends more money than his predecessor to European defense funds. 
• Russia cannot be a strategic ally of the U.S. so long as Putin remains in power, a fact Trump figured out quicker than any other recent president. Terrorist groups like ISIS can disrupt the American way of life, but Russia can end it. Luke praises Trump for standing up to Russian aggression and expresses hope for Vice President Pence's trip Eastern Europe to serve as a sign of U.S. strength in and support for the region.

For some background...

• Read Luke's commentary on the administration's role in promoting security in Ukraine, Europe, and Afghanistan.
• Learn more about Trump's foreign policy challenges and successes from Thatcher Center Director Nile Gardiner.

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