Inside the unraveling of US diplomacy under President Trump - analysis

A European diplomat recounted that when U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran on April 7 that “a whole civilization will die tonight,” his government sought an urgent answer: Was the U.S. president contemplating nuclear weapon use? The concern extended beyond whether Trump's threat was genuine, with fears that Russia might use the moment to justify similar threats in Ukraine, potentially triggering a nuclear crisis on two continents.

European governments attempted to seek reassurance through the U.S. State Department, but officials there reportedly provided an unsettling response: they did not know what Trump meant or what actions his words might portend. This previously unreported episode points to a significant breakdown in American diplomacy. Governments worldwide are struggling to gain clarity from an unpredictable U.S. president, finding their usual contacts in U.S. embassies or Washington either absent, unresponsive, or out of the loop.

Margaret MacMillan, a professor of international history at Oxford University, stated that the Trump administration is diminishing America's capacity to understand the world, thereby increasing the risk of global instability. "We’re not going to be able to use diplomacy as we have often done before: to build relationships, get agreements that benefit both sides, and avert and end wars," she said.

“

We’re not going to be able to use diplomacy as we have often done before: to build relationships, get agreements that benefit both sides, and avert and end wars.

The Trump administration rejects the notion of a breakdown, with State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott asserting, “The President has the right to determine who represents the American people and interests around the world.” This account is based on interviews with over 50 senior diplomats, White House officials, recently retired ambassadors, and foreign officials and lawmakers.

As U.S. career diplomats are sidelined or dismissed, allies are adapting their approach to Washington. Instead of relying on embassies or formal channels, foreign governments are reportedly reorienting their diplomacy around a small circle with direct access to the president. This leaves many dependent on back channels to manage a superpower whose signals have become erratic. Some U.S. allies now believe the most effective response to Trump's volatile rhetoric is to treat it as background noise.

“

The President has the right to determine who represents the American people and interests around the world.