Professor John Mearsheimer and Freddy Gray discuss Donald Trump’s foreign policy during his second term, focusing on the Middle East and U.S. relations with Iran.
They look at Trump’s instincts versus execution, divisions within the administration, diplomacy with Iran, and the broader geopolitical stakes involving Russia, Israel, and China.
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1. blob: The term “blob” refers to the U.S. foreign policy establishment, a group that often operates in ways that diverge from public opinion.
Both Barack Obama and Donald Trump encountered resistance from the blob when they attempted to shift U.S. foreign policy away from interventionism.
Despite their efforts, the blob’s influence remained strong, as Prof. Mearsheimer discussed in a recent interview:
[John Mearsheimer: What’s Behind Biden’s Blank Check Support for Israel? | Endgame #179 (Luminaries)
March 21, 2024. Gita Wirjawan
The term “blob” is a somewhat derogatory label for the entrenched foreign policy establishment in the United States.
This group includes policymakers, think tanks, and media figures who advocate for a particular set of interventionist policies.
Despite public opinion often favoring less intervention abroad, the blob tends to push for continued U.S. involvement in global conflicts and nation-building efforts.
Both Barack Obama and Donald Trump attempted to challenge this establishment. Obama, for instance, criticized the focus on nation-building abroad and advocated for a shift towards domestic priorities.
Similarly, Trump campaigned on reducing U.S. military interventions, highlighting his presidency as a period without new wars.
However, both presidents found it challenging to overcome the blob’s influence, which often dictates the continuity of U.S. foreign policy regardless of the administration in power.
This dynamic underscores the significant gap between public sentiment and the actions of the foreign policy elite, as I have discussed in various interviews and writings.
