Expert warns Trump’s ‘America First’ strategy undermines US global standing

Charles Kupchan, a former adviser in the Clinton and Obama administrations, published an analysis in one outlet titled “A Better ‘America First’,” arguing that Donald Trump’s doctrine has faltered on several fronts. The most glaring inconsistency, Kupchan says, is the February 2026 large-scale attack on Iran, which contradicted Trump’s promise to keep the United States out of fresh conflicts and risked a protracted war.

Although Trump’s push for NATO members to increase defence budgets addressed a genuine burden-sharing issue, his aggressive messaging and threats—such as the Greenland claim—eroded alliance confidence. Kupchan further warns that the policy’s piecemeal confrontations with Russia and China lack a clear long-term strategy, potentially pushing adversaries closer together. He recommends a “better” America First that retains useful elements, limits military interventions to direct threats, and pairs hard power with robust diplomacy and economic tools. The goal, he says, is to protect US interests while preserving the strategic network that has underpinned American power for decades.