Andrey Yevseyenko: "I do not expect any major changes in US foreign policy over the next two years”

In an interview with International Affairs Andrey Yevseyenko, Deputy Director of the Institute for US and Canadian Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), shared his thoughts about how President Donald Trump’s current policy might change following the November 3 Congressional elections:

"The fact is that in the United States the Constitution designates the executive branch, rather than the legislative one, as the primary actor in foreign relations. Therefore, Congress can exert only a limited influence on President Trump’s current course," Andrey Yevseyenko said.

"In what way? For instance, the legislators can complicate the appointment of new members to the presidential administration or the confirmation of new ambassadors. They can also scale back funding for specific items in the US federal budget, since Congress has the power of the purse, or can even try to impeach the current Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth (who is facing a strong backlash from both Democrats and the incumbent president)," he added.

"Overall, I would say that Congress can certainly make life more difficult for the presidential administration in pursuing its foreign policy interests, but it can’t force a U-turn in US foreign policy in any given area. There may be resolutions and statements claiming that the administration is making mistakes and leading America in the wrong direction, but this will inevitably lead to horse-trading between Congress and the administration. Issues such as Iran or US support for Israel and Ukraine will become bargaining chips because US foreign policy serves domestic political interests. If a particular decision promises political gains, Trump will likely go for it," the expert noted.

"I do not expect any major changes in US foreign policy over the next two years. What we can expect, however, are serious problems for Donald Trump in implementing his foreign policy agenda, from legal challenges to various investigations initiated by Congress, as well as inquiries into members of his inner circle," Andrey Yevseyenko emphasized.

The views of the author are his own and may differ from the position of the Editorial Board.

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