Diplomacy and International Politics

Former University President Lawrence H. Summers and two former U.S. diplomats critiqued the Trump administration’s trade policies at an Institute of Politics panel event Tuesday.

Speakers included Michael B. Froman, who was the U.S. Trade Representative during the Obama administration, and Kennedy School Professor R. Nicholas Burns. Burns previously served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs from 2005 to 2008.

A recurring theme at the event—entitled “The Revolution in American Trade Policy"—was President Donald Trump’s frequently stated interest in renegotiating and leaving international trade agreements.

In this week's op Ed, Professor Burns highlights the importance of North America to our global future.  The article praises last week's Council on Foreign Relations report led by David Petraeus and Bob Zoellick advocating a much greater U.S. focus on forming a closer trade, energy and security partnership with Canada and Mexico. Zoellick and Petraeus believe this is central to a successful American global strategy in the future.  He agrees.

Barack Obama finds a series of daunting global crises filling his Oval Office in-box. His foreign-policy legacy will depend on how successfully he tackles the longer-term global challenges on the horizon. Professor Burns details four that will test Obama--and his successors--in the years ahead: balancing partnership and competition with China; closing two landmark free-trade agreements — the Trans-Pacific Partnership in Asia and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union; restoring close ties with Delhi and Brasilia; and finding courage on climate change.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu opened the inaugural event of the Crown-Belfer Middle East Seminar Series in September.  The series is a joint venture between the Belfer Center and Brandeis' Crown Center for Middle East Studies.

"The [U.S.] President failed to convey what we stand for, what American values are." Nicholas Burns speaks with The Hindu's Varghese George about how President Trump's policies are a departure from 70 years of American foreign policy under both Republican and Democratic Presidents.