Trump’s Foreign Policy Shift: A Breakdown
Until recently, Donald Trump was consistent about this: The time for the United States to police the world, enforcing laws and norms, was over. “We are going to take care of this country first before we worry about everybody else in the world,” he told The New york Times in 2016.
“We more and more are not wanting to be the policemen of the world,” he said during a press conference with Nigeria’s president in 2018. “We’re spending tremendous amounts of money for decades policing the world, and that shouldn’t be the priority.” During the 2020 campaign,he often included a line in his stump speech complaining that American troops had spent 19 years serving as “policemen” in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Trump also rejected the idea that the United states had any kind of moral standing to criticize, much less regulate, the behavior of other nations. When Bill O’Reilly objected to Trump’s warmth toward vladimir Putin in 2017, the president scoffed: “There are a lot of killers. You think our country’s so innocent?”
if anyone gave the U.S. the benefit of the doubt then, Trump has squandered the possibility now. In his second term, Trump has returned the nation to its role as global policeman-but this time, it’s as the world’s dirty cop, running rackets and thumbing its nose at the law even as it cracks down on alleged criminality by other countries’ leaders.He launched air strikes on Christmas Day in Nigeria, the very country he held up eight years ago as one where the U.S. shouldn’t be involved. Days later,U.S. troops snatched the Venezuelan autocrat Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas. Trump told the Times yesterday that the U.S. could spend years controlling Venezuela. This week, the Trump aide Stephen Miller all but announced plans to annex Greenland.
Although the idea of a global policeman originated as a metaphor, the White House has made it literal. Take the boat strikes in the Caribbean, where U.S.law-enforcement agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration have long operated.But whereas previous administrations have used law-enforcement agencies to police drug trafficking, the Trump administration has chosen to rely on the armed forces. He has instructed them to conduct lethal, extrajudicial, and likely illegal drone strikes, even as the administration argues that it need not notify Congress of the actions under the War Powers Resolution because
The U.S.has, in the past, made common cause with dictators when expedient, overthrown democratically elected leaders when nervous, and stayed out of righteous causes when doubtful of the upsides of getting involved; presidents have made moves to boost the U.S. economy or their own political prospects. The war hero Smedley Butler famously accused the U.S. goverment of racketeering in 1935. But even purported deference to a higher principle constrained and directed the shape of global involvement.Trump has abandoned that pretense, and no one dares to stop him. He is getting his way right now, but the long-term effects may be dangerous: When a dirty cop walks the beat, he encourages bad behavior in his precinct rather than suppressing it.
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Today’s News
- Minnesota officials withdrew from the examination into the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration agent yesterday after the FBI blocked state access to evidence, prompting Governor Tim Walz to say that it was going to be “very, very difficult” for Minnesotans to think that the investigation will be fair. The Department of Homeland Security said that the agent acted in self-defense.
- Colombian President gustavo Petro said that he feared a possible U.S.attack after President donald Trump said that military action against Colombia “sounds good,” but a phone call yesterday between the two leaders appeared to ease tensions. Trump later said that a White House meeting was being arranged.
- The Senate advanced a bipartisan bill to assert Congress’s authority and block further U.S. military action in Venezuela after the raid that captured nicolás Maduro. The measure passed 52-47, with five Republicans joining Democrats; a final vote is expected next week.
Dispatches
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What is the Digital Services Act?
The Digital services Act (DSA) is a landmark European Union law designed to create a safer digital space for users and hold online platforms accountable for illegal and harmful content. It came into full request for all platforms on February 17, 2024, after a transition period following its adoption in October 2022. The DSA aims to modernize the rules governing digital services, addressing issues like the spread of illegal content, online disinformation, and the lack of clarity in algorithmic systems.
Prior to the DSA, the EU’s e-Commerce Directive of 2000 provided a basic framework, largely shielding platforms from liability for user-generated content. The DSA considerably alters this landscape by introducing a tiered system of obligations based on the size and risk profile of the platform. Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs) – those with over 45 million active users in the EU – face the most stringent requirements. Thes include conducting risk assessments, implementing mitigation measures, and providing greater transparency about their algorithms.
For example, the European Commission designated 17 VLOPs and VLOSEs in April 2023, including Meta Platforms, Apple, Google, and X (formerly Twitter), subjecting them to heightened scrutiny and reporting obligations. These companies are required to submit annual transparency reports detailing their content moderation efforts and risk mitigation strategies.
What are the key obligations under the DSA?
The DSA introduces a wide range of obligations for different types of online services. These obligations are categorized based on the service provider’s role and size. Core obligations include measures to tackle illegal content, protect fundamental rights, and increase transparency.
- Illegal Content Removal: Platforms must have mechanisms for users to report illegal content, and they must act expeditiously to remove it once notified. The DSA defines illegal content as anything unlawful under EU or member state law, encompassing areas like hate speech, counterfeit goods, and terrorist propaganda.
- Transparency Requirements: VLOPs and vloses must be obvious about their content moderation policies, algorithmic systems, and advertising practices. This includes explaining how their algorithms rank content and target users with advertisements.
- User Empowerment: Users have the right to understand why content was removed or restricted, and they have access to redress mechanisms. The DSA also prohibits platforms from using “dark patterns” – deceptive interface designs that manipulate users into making unintended choices.
- Risk Assessments: VLOPs and VLOSEs are required to identify and assess systemic risks associated with their services, such as the spread of disinformation, the impact on mental health, and the manipulation of electoral processes.
On January 26, 2024, the European Commission opened formal investigations against TikTok, Meta, X, and Google to assess their compliance with the DSA, specifically focusing on their risk assessment and mitigation measures.
How is the DSA enforced?
Enforcement of the DSA is primarily the responsibility of the European Commission, with assistance from the Digital Services coordinators (DSCs) in each EU member state.The Commission has the power to impose meaningful fines for non-compliance, up to 6% of a company’s global annual revenue.
The European Commission directly supervises VLOPs and VLOSEs,while DSCs oversee smaller platforms. DSCs are national authorities responsible for monitoring and enforcing the DSA within their respective member states. They can investigate complaints, request information from platforms, and issue fines for violations.The DSA establishes a cooperative enforcement mechanism, allowing DSCs to work together and share information with the Commission.
As of December 2023, the european Commission had already initiated several investigations and formal requests for information from platforms to assess their compliance with the DSA. For instance, the Commission requested information from X regarding its measures to combat the spread