Many of us in our last third of life grew up with the paradigm that diplomacy is a good thing, a noble endeavor. We (mostly) admired those world leaders who built coalitions in pursuit of peace. We understood that diplomacy is not easy, nor is it expedient. Indeed, we know diplomacy is messy, oftentimes incomplete, and not always definitive nor successful in the eyes of all.
According to the Museum of Diplomacy* – yes, there is such a thing; or at least there was until late 2024 when it was closed for renovations – diplomacy is:
-
- The art and practice of conducting negotiations and managing international relations between countries, institutions, or groups, using dialogue, tact, and mutual respect to achieve national interests, resolve disputes, and build peaceful, productive relationships without resorting to war. It serves as the primary instrument for a nation’s foreign policy, encompassing everything from high-level summits to daily cultural exchanges.
*The Washington, DC museum is slated to be reopened sometime this year, surely re-writing history to reflect this Administration’s warped views.
Does the definition above sound like anything being practiced by the Trump administration today? Hardly.
In the short span of barely a year the Trump Administration has literally killed diplomacy. Democracy is dead. In the span of barely a year, this Administration has killed any semblance of anything that could be construed as respectful dialogue, intentional deliberations or consensus building to avert war. They are doing this right in front of our eyes. They’ve done this without any excuse or explanation – except to claim it as the right thing to do. They’ve done this simply in order to grow their power, demonstrate their power, and stay in power.
And they’re doing this brutally. ‘In your face’ brutally. No respect for others; no respect for norms; no respect for precedent.
Bomb Iran. Kidnap Maduro. Bully Greenland.
In all these cases anything that could have been construed as diplomatic efforts were instead simply framed in abusive language, international threats and outlandish demands.
None of this was diplomacy. It was simply instilling fear through sheer power. Zero honest, transparent or respectful engagement or dialogue. Zero attempt at creating a coalition of the willing or bringing along other nations. “Power is might. The strong survives”.
Long gone are the days of careful calibration of who says what when, measured presence of military might, or negotiations.
Pure power bolstering. As if the almighty, powerful President is saying “I am not going to ask you to like it. I am going to dictate you accept it. Disagree and pay the consequences. And don’t forget to thank me! Or else.” International treaties be damned. Multilateral agreements be damned. Institutions be damned. No need to adhere to these. “Will create our own”, they seem to be saying.
Indeed the President has proudly acclaimed that his only moral compass or guardrail is his own conscience. That. Is. Insanity.
While the death of diplomacy may seem to be an expedient way of getting things done in the short term in favor of the USA, this is no way to run the country. Unless of course you are intentionally trying to re-establish the international order of the 1890s – or do things that ultimately benefit Vladimir Putin. Or both.