Democrats Urged to Ditch Biden-Era Foreign Policy Playbook — SkimNews
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- Trump's 2026 foreign policy has produced a protracted Iran war, tariffs gutted by the Supreme Court, and a Venezuela intervention broadly rejected by the public, with his foreign-policy approval down roughly 30% since inauguration.
- Democrats hold a midterm polling advantage overall but are essentially tied with Republicans on foreign affairs, per the article.
- U.S. allies in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East have responded to Trump's second term by inking new trade and defense agreements in a long-term effort to reduce dependence on the United States.
- Democratic leaders' foreign-policy prescriptions have continued to echo the Biden administration — restoring US leadership, renewing alliances, and building a coalition to compete with China — which the piece argues faces even steeper challenges in the current environment.
- Progressive Democratic primary challengers have defeated establishment candidates by demanding an end to blank-check support for Israel; Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) says primary voters will not trust presidential candidates without "moral and strategic clarity" on the issue.
- The piece urges Democrats to reject U.S. military primacy in the Middle East, reassert congressional war powers, craft a positive-sum economic engagement strategy, and pursue cooperation with China alongside targeted pushback — ideas it says align with Canadian PM Mark Carney and Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez.
Why it matters: Trump's foreign-policy approval is down roughly 30% and U.S. allies are signing new trade and defense deals to reduce dependence on Washington. The piece argues this creates an opening for Democrats, but the party's foreign-policy prescriptions have remained tied to Biden's — leaving Democrats tied with Republicans on foreign affairs despite a broader midterm lead.
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