The search for an American foreign policy and US-Turkey relations in the Trump era
Kadir Ustun and Kilic B. Kanat
The direction of US foreign policy under the Trump administration has become one of the most
debated topics in washington, D.C. since Donald Trump’s victory last November. Many foreign
policy analysts and observers still find the Trump administration’s policies hard to forecast.
This quest to redefine US foreign policy will likely be a bumpy ride for other global and regional actors as they adjust themselves to the new realities created by the Trump administration’s search for a different US role. The administration’s rhetoric will probably be shaped by
real world events and realities on the ground in the Middle East and elsewhere. If the administration decides to ‘go big’ and made radical changes to Middle East policy, especially regarding Syria, US relations with regional allies, including Turkey, will have to be recast. If the
US starts to work primarily with state instead of sub-state actors, this would give more confidence to regional allies such as Turkey and more solid coalitions could be built against common challenges. However, if the US’s quest to redefine its global role results in mixed messages and a confused foreign policy, this could create further uncertainty and instability in the
region, ultimately leading to the deterioration of relations with regional allies such as Turkey
Kadir Ustun is the Executive Director at the SETA Foundation at washington, D.C. He currently serves as an Assistant Editor of Insight Turkey, an academic journal published by the
SETA Foundation. Ustun holds a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies
from Columbia University and a Master’s degree in History from Bilkent University
Kilic Bugra Kanat the Research Director at the SETA Foundation at washington, D.C. He is an
Assistant Professor of Political Science at Penn State University, Erie. Kanat received his Ph.D.
in Political Science from Syracuse University; a Master’s in Political Science from Syracuse
University; a Master’s in International Affairs from Marquette University
