WASHINGTON, Jan 18 (Xinhua): Both highlighted and defined by the "America First" slogan that bears a protectionist trait, US President Donald Trump's foreign policy has seen a bumpy year for his country and the world, and there are signs that the trend will continue into 2018.
Trump's signature foreign policies in the past year, as listed by the Council on Foreign Relations - a US think tank headquartered in New York - include the travel ban on citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations, the retreats from international treaties and organizations, the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital city, as well as the use of profanities in describing nations he denigrates.
During his maiden year in the White House, Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris climate accord, Global Compact on Migration, the United Nations' culture and education body UNESCO, and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free trade agreement initially designed to pull together 12 Pacific Rim economies. He accused these institutions and treaties of undermining US interests.
Less than one month into the new year, the outspoken president boasted a nuclear button "much bigger" than the one owned by Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Trump later threatened to scrap the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, a hard-won result of a decade of negotiations that is considered by fellow signatories to be the best mechanism available to avoid a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic.
In addition, his decision to suspend military aid to Pakistan ignited fury in a country which otherwise could have been an important partner in the fight against terrorism.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif told the Wall Street Journal after Trump's move that Islamabad's alliance with Washington is over.
Due to Trump's bitter relations with the media-many of which he has repeatedly denounced as "Fake News"-Trump prefers to use his personal Twitter account as a channel to announce his policies, including the aforementioned ones that are potentially consequential for America's relations with both its foes and allies.
Trump's addiction to tweeting, coupled with his rather impromptu style of wording, has not only enriched the research pool for scholars interested in the study of so-called "Twiplomacy," but also burdened the president's press secretary with extra explanatory duties.
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