Max Boot on Trump’s Foreign Policy and the Global Costs of Chaos
JUDJ-Prepared Summary from February 25, 2026 | What is the Endgame? U.S. Policy and the Future of Venezuela and Beyond. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the speaker.
In a recent America at a Crossroads discussion, foreign policy analyst, historian, and Washington Post columnist Max Boot joined Larry Diamond to examine the direction of U.S. foreign policy under Donald Trump and what it means for democracy, global stability, and America’s standing in the world. As a leading expert on national security and international affairs, Boot offered a sobering assessment of a foreign policy he sees as driven less by strategy than by impulse, grievance, and personal image.
A Foreign Policy Without a Clear Strategy
Early in the conversation, Boot rejected the idea that Trump’s foreign policy reflects a coherent grand strategy. Instead, he described it as a collection of shifting impulses shaped by vanity, attention-seeking, and self-interest. In his view, Trump has broken sharply from decades of bipartisan consensus that prioritized alliances, free trade, and a stable international order. Rather than replacing those principles with a new framework, Boot argued, Trump has substituted unpredictability.
Ukraine and America’s Retreat
That unpredictability is especially troubling in Ukraine. Marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Boot noted that U.S. support has dramatically declined even as Ukraine continues to fight for its sovereignty. He praised the Ukrainians’ resilience, innovation, and extraordinary endurance under brutal conditions, while warning that Vladimir Putin remains committed to his long-term goal of subjugating Ukraine. Europe, Boot observed, has stepped up to fill part of the gap, but America’s retreat has weakened its influence and moral clarity.
From Venezuela to Iran: Contradiction and Risk
Boot pointed to Venezuela as another example of policy incoherence. While the removal of Nicolás Maduro might appear decisive, he questioned why the United States would continue dealing with figures tied to the same repressive regime. For Boot, the larger concern is not simply inconsistency but the absence of any clear connection to U.S. national interests.
That same concern loomed even larger in the discussion of Iran. Boot warned that the United States may be drifting toward military confrontation without a clearly defined objective. He questioned whether limited strikes could meaningfully alter Iran’s behavior and cautioned that another open-ended conflict would drain already limited military resources while increasing risks elsewhere in the world.
Reagan’s Legacy and a Different Kind of Conservatism
Late in the discussion, Diamond asked how Ronald Reagan might view Trump’s approach. Boot drew a sharp contrast. Reagan, he noted, believed in free trade, strong alliances, support for immigration, and resistance to authoritarian aggression. Whatever similarities may exist in political style or symbolism, Boot suggested that Trump’s foreign policy departs significantly from Reagan’s worldview and from the internationalism that long defined mainstream conservatism.
A Warning, With Some Hope
Despite the bleak diagnosis, Boot did not end on despair. He pointed to rising resistance from democratic allies, legal institutions, and American voters as reasons for cautious optimism. His broader message was clear: the current moment is dangerous, but it is also a test. Whether at home or abroad, democracy cannot be preserved by assumption. It has to be defended.
About America at a Crossroads
Since April 2020, America at a Crossroads has produced weekly virtual programs on topics related to the preservation of our democracy, voting rights, freedom of the press, and a wide array of civil rights, including abortion rights, free speech, and free press. America at a Crossroads is a project of Jews United for Democracy & Justice.
