Donald Trump’s obsession with solving international conflicts has often been explained by his desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize or to uphold American interests through his “America First” doctrine. But what if the “realism” attributed to the American president is just a facade to hide a more troubling reality? This is the thesis put forward by Alexander Cooley, a political science professor and vice dean at Barnard College, who, in an article published in Foreign Affairs co-authored with Georgetown professor Daniel Nexon, describes Trump’s policy as “kleptocratic.” Speaking to L’Express, this expert analyzes several cases he deems symptomatic of a mix between diplomatic decisions and private interests, even identifying this logic in issues related to Iran, Russia, and China… Interview.
L’Express: Many analysts describe Donald Trump’s policy as realistic – a concept in international relations that the international system is anarchic and each state must prioritize its survival. Do you agree…
Alexander Cooley: Absolutely. They are mistakenly relying on the fact that Donald Trump rejects liberalism at both the national and international levels. I am specifically referring to the respect for the rule of law, the separation of powers, multilateralism, and the global order based on rules. But this scenario, while obviously criticized, would imply that Trump and his circle are mainly driven by national interests, as stated in the 2025 National Security Strategy.
However, this is not evident in a number of foreign policy initiatives taken by the American president.On the contrary, since returning to the White House, Trump has continually created channels that converge towards private interests, for both himself and for family members and political allies. This does not mean that the presidential team responsible for foreign policy is not motivated by a realist logic. Nor does it mean that sometimes Trump’s personal interests may align with the nation’s interest. Simply put, the motivations of the American president himself are primarily kleptocratic.
