Trump's first week

In the Two Minute Drill Podcast, Corey Stutte shares his insights on some of the day's most important geopolitical issues. On today's agenda, he'll discuss the first several days of foreign policy moves in the new Trump administration. The excerpts below are taken from the podcast.

Reversal of Biden-Era Policies

What we've observed is a consistent reversal of Biden's policies, including the reinstatement of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism. Additionally, sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank have been lifted. The Biden administration had previously implemented these sanctions because they believed the Israelis were not adequately addressing settler attacks in the West Bank over the past few years. Moreover, the Houthi rebels in Yemen have been re-designated as a foreign terrorist organization.

None of these actions are particularly surprising. I would categorize them as low-hanging fruit—steps that the Trump campaign expressed a desire to take and that could be quickly enacted following the inauguration. It was expected that these measures would be implemented, and we will see how the administration proceeds moving forward.

Designation of foreign drug cartels as terrorist organizations

Historically, drug cartels haven't been viewed as terrorist organizations because their primary focus is on illicit crime rather than political objectives. They do not seek to achieve specific political outcomes. However, the Trump administration moved to classify certain drug cartels, including MS-13, as foreign terrorist organizations. The administration has repeatedly referred to these groups as significant problems affecting the United States. This classification could potentially strain the relationship between the US and Mexico going forward. It remains to be seen how this designation will be enacted and what its implications might be.

Shifting Dynamics with China

We observed several issues emerge regarding China. Notably, the Biden administration took steps to shut down TikTok, a move that was initially delayed by the Trump administration. It will be interesting to see how this situation unfolds.

Additionally, we witnessed a crucial reaffirmation of the US commitment to the Philippines. The Philippines had concerns about how the new administration would address China's challenges. With many China Hawks entering the upper levels of policy-making in the new administration, this development aligns with our expectations.

In recent days, we have also seen significant developments, particularly concerning the Typhon missile launcher. This has been a contentious issue between the US and China. The launcher was initially placed on Luzon in the Philippines but has now been redeployed to a new location to continue supporting its defense.