Foreign Policy -

refused to join global efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine?

On September 1, 2020, the Trump administration announced that it would not join international efforts to develop a vaccine. Managed by the World Health Organization, contribution nations would have access to a portfolio of potential vaccines to ensure access to whichever ones are deemed most effective. In a worst case scenario, if US efforts to develop a vaccine were to fail, they would be left without an alternative.

The administration announced its withdrawal from the WHO the previous July, due to their belief that the organization is too “China-centric.”

On the day the decision was announced, the United States totaled 6,247,527 cases and 188,874 deaths.

The Washington Post – U.S. says it won’t join WHO-linked effort to develop, distribute coronavirus vaccine
Associated Press – US says it won’t join global effort to find COVID-19 vaccine
NPR – U.S. Won’t Join WHO-Led Coronavirus Vaccine Effort, White House Says
Worldometer – Coronavirus, United States

claimed that an an ammonium nitrate disaster in Beirut was an intentional bombing?

On August 4, 2020, a fire at the docks of Beirut, Lebanon ignited some 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate, a common compound used for fertilizer and explosives.

During a following press conference, Trump claimed that the explosion “looked like a terrible attack.” When asked to elaborate, Trump remarked,

Well, it would seem like it based on the explosion. I’ve met with some of our great generals and they just seem to feel that it was. This was not some kind of a manufacturing explosion type of event. This was seems to be, according to them, they would know better than I would, but they seem to think it was a attack. It was a bomb of some kind. Yes.

Department of Defense officials rejected Trump’s claim, saying instead that there was yet no indication of any kind of attack.

Map of Beirut showing approximate location of the blast, and a 2km radius - as the effects of the explosion were felt across the city — August 4th ammonium nitrate disaster in Beirut. Sky News

Ammonium nitrate disasters have happened several times throughout history. The largest non-nuclear bomb in the American arsenal, the MoAB (Mother of All Bombs) has a yield of 11 tons of TNT. The catastrophic explosion in Beirut was equivalent to approximately 1 kiloton of TNT.

Sky News – Beirut explosion: At least 100 dead and 4,000 injured after ‘ammonium nitrate blast’
CNN – US defense officials contradict Trump: No indication yet of attack in Beirut
The Independent – ‘It was a bomb’: Trump says deadly Beirut explosion was ‘terrible attack’ – despite no evidence it was deliberate
Wikipedia – Ammonium nitrate disasters
Wikipedia – GBU-43/B MOAB
Wikipedia – 2015 Tianjin explosions (ammonium nitrate explosion used to determine approximate yield by comparison)
Wikipedia – Largest artificial non-nuclear explosions, Rank order of largest conventional explosions/detonations by magnitude

revoked a rule for reporting on drone strikes?

In March of 2019, Trump signed an Executive Order that ended reporting for the number of strikes and casualties, both civilian and military, by drones outside of the direct purview of the military. This includes all those conducted by non-military agencies like the CIA, effectively allowing the President to deploy drones against any target, civilian or military, in secret.

Since 2017, the Trump administration has given the CIA broader scope and less restrictions on drone strikes abroad. The move has actively counteracting former President Obama’s efforts to increase transparency and transition the authority for drone strikes to the military, where the National Defense Authorization Act still requires reporting. While Obama’s 2013 Presidential Policy Guidance sought to tighten restrictions on drone strikes in areas not designated as an active battlefield with American troop presence, the Trump administration expanded the definition of battlefields, rendering the distinction useless.

Trump has also advocated targeting the families of suspected terrorists and threatened to bomb cultural sites.

BBC News – Trump revokes Obama rule on reporting drone strike deaths
Time – President Trump Cancels Rule Requiring U.S. to Report Civilians Killed in Drone Strikes
Business Insider – Trump quietly rewrote the rules of drone warfare, which means the US can now kill civilians in secret
NBC News – Trump Administration Wants to Increase CIA Drone Strikes
Foreign Policy – Trump Inherited the Drone War but Ditched Accountability

thought Nepal and Bhutan were in India, pronouncing them as “nipple” and “button”?

Trump made the remarks during a 2017 briefing ahead of a visit with the Indian Prime Minister.

During a meeting with the Prime Minister, Trump also indicated that he didn’t know that India and China shared a border.

Trump also mispronounced the African nation of Namibia during a meeting with African leaders.

Politico – Trump’s diplomatic learning curve: Time zones, ‘Nambia’ and ‘Nipple’
CNN – Critics laugh off Trump’s mispronunciations once again
India Today – Donald Trump thought Nepal and Bhutan were in India. Called them Nipple and Button

didn’t know that India and China shared a border?

In the book A Very Stable Genius, the two Washington Post and Pulitzer prize winning authors recount a meeting between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump remarked, “It’s not like you’ve got China on your border,” which prompted “shock and concern” from the PM, which turned to “resignation.” The border between India and China, called the Border of Actual Control, is over 2,500 miles long. The two countries have multiple border disputes and have engaged in three conflicts between 1962 and 1987.

Trump also previously thought that the neighboring countries of Nepal and Bhutan were in India, pronouncing them as “nipple” and “button.”

India Today – Donald Trump didn’t know India-China share border, PM Narendra Modi was shocked: New book
New Zealand Herald – Donald Trump reportedly didn’t know India and China shared a border
Wikipedia – China-India Relations

cast doubt on the future of NATO?

During his campaign, Trump said that the US should only come to the defense of its NATO allies if it can expect those allies to reimburse the US for any incurred costs.

After his nomination as Republican candidate for President, when asked about NATO, Trump said that the US would only intervene if other NATO nations “fulfilled their obligations to us.”

NATO, a mutual defense pact, treats an attack on one member as an attack on all. Only the United States has invoked it, following the 9/11 attacks. During his first NATO summit, Trump simultaneously dedicated a monument to those lost fighting in Afghanistan, including US allies, while also chastising NATO members for not meeting spending targets.

Trump has called NATO “as bad as NAFTA,” an unrelated trade agreement, and suggested that one of its newest members Montenegro could start World War 3.

The New York Times – Donald Trump Sets Conditions for Defending NATO Allies Against Attack
NPR – Casting Doubt On U.S. Commitment To Mutual Defense, Donald Trump Unsettles NATO Allies
The Atlantic – Trump Remains a NATO Skeptic

suggested that Montenegro could start World War 3?

When asked by Fox News host Tucker Carlson why America should have to defend the country, Trump again cast doubt on the core tenet of NATO, the mutual defense of all member nations.

I understand what you’re saying. I’ve asked the same question. Montenegro is a tiny country with very strong people. They’re very aggressive people. They may get aggressive, and congratulations, you’re in World War Three.

Montenegro is a Balkan nation of 630,000 people, and has been a NATO ally since 2017, officially joining during Trump’s presidency. Russia has behaved aggressively towards Montenegro, as it has with other neighbors, waging propaganda campaigns in the lead up to its joining NATO.

Trump infamously pushed the prime minister of Montenegro during a 2017 NATO summit.

Politico – Everything You Wanted to Know About Montenegro But Were Afraid to Ask
NBC News – Trump calls out ‘very aggressive’ Montenegro in latest NATO jibe
The New York Times – Montenegro: What to Know About the Tiny NATO Ally Trump Slighted
Wikipedia – Montenegro

pushed the leader of Montenegro?

During a May 2017 NATO summit, Trump pushed his way past the prime minister of Montenegro to stand in front of the group of leaders.

Trump has also referred to the people of Montenegro as “very aggressive,” and warned that the Balkan country of under 700,000 people could ignite World War 3.

The New York Times – Trump Appears to Push Aside the Leader of Montenegro
Associated Press – Trump pushes aside Montenegro leader who calls it natural
BBC News – Trump pushes past Montenegro’s PM

described an inadequate military briefing used to justify an attack on Iran as the “best presentation they’ve ever seen”?

Trump justified a strike on a senior Iranian official and escalated tensions by claiming that he represented an imminent threat, possibly targeting up to four US embassies. At a briefing for Congressional representatives those present reported that they weren’t given any meaningful information, despite asking multiple times about the nature of the imminent threat. Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah described it as “the worst briefing” he’d ever seen on a military issue.

When asked about this, Trump in typical fashion replied some people said that it actually the “best presentation they’ve ever seen.” He provided little further information on the nature of the imminent threat.

Axios – GOP Sen. Mike Lee calls Soleimani briefing the “worst” he’s ever seen
Roll Call – Trump to Lee: Other people called it ‘best presentation they’ve ever seen’

ended joint defense exercises between the US and South Korea at North Korea’s request?

In a major concession to North Korea, Trump said that he would be ending the “provocative” defensive joint exercises with South Korea. He also said that US soldiers stationed in South Korea should be withdrawn “at some point.” It was unclear what concessions and assurances North Korea offered in return. In response, Congress passed budget legislation prohibiting the reduction of US forces in South Korea below 22,000.

The move came after a summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un in Singapore, which featured an awkward moment where Trump saluted a North Korean officer. Trump had said he didn’t need to prepare or take notes for the historic meeting.

Trump gave his assurances that if he was wrong about trusting Kim Jong Un, he’d “find some kind of excuse.”

The New York Times – Pentagon and Seoul Surprised by Trump Pledge to Halt Military Exercises
Reuters – Trump surprises with pledge to end military exercises in South Korea
ABC News – Trump’s pledge to stop ‘war games’ with South Korea throws critical exercises into question
Time – ‘Think of It From a Real Estate Perspective’: The Most Memorable Quotes From the Trump-Kim Summit Press Conference
The Hill – Bipartisan House group introduces bills to stall Syria, South Korea troop withdrawals
WIkipedia – 2018 North Korea–United States Singapore Summit

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