New Presidents’ foreign policy positions have traditionally been well-defined through long careers in public service, their ideology and decision-making processes illuminated by past public positions and votes. As America’s first commander-in-chief never to have served in government or the military Donald Trump entered The White House with a much more enigmatic foreign policy position. Yet he was confronted by a wide range of developing issues; the rise of China, Russian-United States relations, the resurgence of nationalism in Europe, U.S. Foreign Policy in Latin America, environmental challenges, terrorism, security challenges of failing states, cyber security threats and challenges in International Political Economy.

This volume focuses on these sensitive foreign policy issues that determine the prospects for American decline or continued hegemony. Contributions are divided into "regional" and "functional" issues, exploring the nature and significance of the challenge, the previous response and President Trump’s policies and their consequences.

Topics have been selected to address political, military, economic, and social factors in global politics and the book will appeal to undergraduates and scholars of US foreign policy at all levels.

I. Introduction

1. America’s Decline, President Donald Trump, and the Global Liberal Order

Yale H. Ferguson and Richard W. Mansbach

2. American Foreign Policy Making: Institutions and Individuals in the Trump Administration

James M. McCormick

II. Regional Issues

3. A Poor China Might Be More Dangerous Than a Rich China

Jonathan Hassid

4. Expanding Chinese Influence and China-U.S. Relations

Yale H. Ferguson and Richard W. Mansbach

5. Realpolitik: U.S.-Russian Relations and the Emerging Political Order

Scott Feinstein and Ellen B. Pirro

6. The Arctic: An Emerging Area of Conflict

Lana Obradovic and Bethany Vailliant

7. The Winds of Change: Europe and the United States

Ellen B. Pirro

8. Crossing Borders: U.S. Foreign Policy in Latin America

Ignacio Mamone and Amy Erica Smith

9. America and the Middle East"

Richard W. Mansbach

III. Functional Issues

10. Nuclear Weapons: A New Arms Race?

Kirsten Taylor

11. America’s Energy Transition and the Global Environment: Paradigm Shift and Policy Challenges

Yu Wang

12. Trump and Terrorism: A Major Focus of Foreign Policy

Ellen B. Pirro

13. Failed and Fragile States: The Unfinished Agenda

David Carment, Mark Haichin and Yiagadeesen Samy

14. Is Weak Cyber Security an Existential Threat?

Steffen W. Schmidt

15. Trump’s Challenges in International Political Economy

Mark D. Nieman

IV Conclusions

16. Prospects for America: An Eroding Global Order and American Decline?

Richard W. Mansbach and James M. McCormick