Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again”

Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States in November 2024. Even though it has only been 3 months since his inauguration, much has changed in this short period.

Before Trump came to power, American presidents consistently supported the liberal international order (LIO), which emphasizes international cooperation through multilateral institutions such as the UN and WTO, and promotes democracy, human rights, and free markets. Within this unipolar system, the United States functioned as the hegemon.

President Trump is unlike recent American presidents. His view of America and its role in the world is focused on national interests rather than global leadership. However, this does not mean Trump is open to relinquishing America’s global primacy. The goal is to be “first among equals” rather than surrendering superiority.

 

Climate Policy

Whether Trump believes in climate change or not, he has continuously shown skepticism towards its importance and dismissed suggestions of it being caused by human behaviour. On his first day back in office, Trump declared a national energy emergency. He also appointed Chris Wright, a businessman who questions the existence of climate change, as Secretary of Energy.

Numerous environmental regulations have been repealed, including those related to clean air, water, and wildlife. Under Trump, the Environmental Protection Agency is undoing regulations that would have pushed power plants and carmakers toward cleaner forms of energy. The agency has announced plans to roll back regulations on soot, mercury, and particulate matter.

The “drill, baby, drill” slogan is a telling sign of his commitment to expanding fossil fuel production. The new administration has reopened areas like Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas exploration and reduced incentives for renewable energy sources like wind power.

Regarding international cooperation, Trump has withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, the international treaty on climate change that entered into force in 2016. This is the second time the U.S. has pulled out of the treaty after Trump’s administration withdrew during his first term.

Trump’s climate policies not only affect the U.S. but other countries. His approach has encouraged other governments to prioritise their own interests, potentially leading to a more fragmented global response to climate change.

 

Ending the Ukraine War

During his presidential campaign, Trump said that he would solve the Russo-Ukrainian war within 24 hours. He later pointed out he was not being literal about the timeframe, but he has continuously said he is determined to end the war. Trump has started diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, including phone calls with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Although he has yet to meet Putin in person in his second term, Trump has met Zelensky in the Oval Office. The meeting did not go smoothly and devolved into a shouting match, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticizing Zelensky’s handling of the war. They accused him of being disrespectful to the U.S. and not sufficiently grateful for American support.

Following the meeting, Trump suspended U.S. intelligence and military aid to Ukraine for a short period. This led to Zelensky later announcing a partial ceasefire agreement with Russia. Trump has suggested that by having a financial stake in Ukraine’s mineral resources, the U.S. will have an incentive to protect these assets from Russian occupation. Zelensky has advocated for explicit security guarantees from the U.S. in exchange for granting access to Ukraine’s mineral resources.

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has also been mentioned in the negotiations. Trump proposed U.S. control of plant, which is currently under Russian occupation. He claims this would ensure the plant’s safe operation and support Ukraine’s energy needs. However, the proposal has been controversial, with Zelensky expressing skepticism about such an arrangement. Initially, President Zelensky was thought to be the main obstacle in Trump’s peace plan. However, recent developments indicate that making agreements with Russia is more difficult than previously thought. The Kremlin has said that it “cannot accept” American proposals as things stand. Moreover, it has continued to question the legitimacy of President Zelensky. Trump is reported to be “pissed off” with Russia’s stance and as ceasefire negotiations make little progress, his administration is planning a new approach to pressure both countries into resolving the conflict.

 

Search for New Territory

Several territories and regions including Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal have controversially drawn interest from Trump for possible annexation.

As Canada is America’s closest ally both physically and emotionally, Trump believes Canada could become the 51st U.S. state, claiming this could eliminate tariffs and enhance economic integration. Although this is largely seen as a provocative statement rather than a serious proposal, this idea has been met with strong opposition from the Canadian people, who view it as a threat to sovereignty.

Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in purchasing Greenland from Denmark, citing national security reasons. He believes that acquiring Greenland is essential for U.S. and global security. Trump’s interest stems from Greenland’s geopolitical significance and resource potential. The land offers the shortest route between North America and Europe and is close to the Arctic Ocean, which has risen as a key route in Asian European maritime trade. The island also holds rare earth minerals, uranium, and iron which are essential for modern industries.

The Panama Canal, which was transferred to Panama in 1999, is in Trump’s sight. The canal is a critical link in global trade, facilitating the movement of goods between major markets. It saves ships thousands of miles of travel compared to navigating around South America. Trump claims that Panama has violated a neutrality treaty by allowing Chinese influence at the canal. He argues that this justifies U.S. intervention to reclaim control.

 

South Korea-U.S. Relations

Imposing tariffs has been one of Trump’s most promoted policies. He has said tariffs will save the American economy, promoting tariffs for all countries rigorously for the past months. South Korea is no exception in this, and its goods such as steel, aluminum, automobiles are being taxed currently and there is also a possibility that even semiconductors could be taxed.

Trump has argued that South Korea’s average tariffs are four times higher than those of the U.S., suggesting that South Korea engages in unfair trade practices. In turn, on April 2. Trump announced a reciprocal tariff of 25% on Korea. While this number is higher than what most analysts expected, Trump hinted at potential flexibility, stating that tariff rates could be lowered through negotiations.

The South Korean government has strategically shown interest in the Alaska LNG project, hinting they may invest and purchase U.S. oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). With this and the early moves to establish channels to negotiate exceptions to the tariffs, it is hoped that the additional tariff could be lowered through negotiations.

Defense costs have also been a hot topic between South Korea and the U.S. The two countries signed a new five-year defense cost-sharing agreement, known as the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), which will be effective from 2026 to 2030. However, Trump has historically demanded significant increases in South Korea’s defense contributions, suggesting that he might seek to renegotiate the terms of the SMA. The 12th SMA signed at the end of 2024 before Trump’s inauguration, sets South Korea’s contribution at $1.14 billion for 2026. This is very low compared to Trump’s demands, which have varied from $5 billion to $50 billion. Analysts predict that Trump could disregard the current agreement and push for higher payments. He most recently stated a figure of $10 billion during one of his campaigns.

 

Reporter

Jinpyo Hong

undohere@seoultech.ac.kr

Reporter 홍진표

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