From left to right, top: former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, former President Donald Trump and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. From left to right, bottom: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Vivek Ramaswamy.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images; Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images; Scott Olson/Getty Images; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images; Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images; Scott Olson/Getty Images; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
From left to right, top: former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, former President Donald Trump and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. From left to right, bottom: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Vivek Ramaswamy.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images; Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images; Scott Olson/Getty Images; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
There is a common belief that foreign policy does not win presidential elections, but 2024 might be the exception.
It’s a tense time on the world stage. The United States is playing a supporting role in two foreign wars, in Ukraine and Gaza, while simultaneously trying to shift its national security focus to the challenges posed by China.
If there were questions about the role of foreign policy in the Republican primaries, the answers came after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7. During the last debate in Miami, Republicans clashed over their support for Israel.
In November Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Poll57% of likely Iowa Republican caucus attendees said the war between Israel and Hamas is “extremely important” to them when evaluating candidates.
During his election campaign, former President Donald Trump exploited these fears about foreign conflict, boasting that he was the “only one who could prevent World War III.”
The increased focus on world affairs has coincided with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s rise in the polls. She was able to draw on her experience as American ambassador to the United Nations.
Foreign policy is one of the few areas where there are real differences in strategy between candidates, particularly between those with more traditional hawkish roots and more conservative populist candidates.
Should the United States support Israel relentlessly?
The Republican camp has largely lined up behind Israel, as is typical conservative ideologyand rejected calls for a ceasefire – although there were some differences.
Trump first criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called Hezbollah, another Iranian-backed militant group in the region, “very smart.”
These comments were widely criticized by both Republicans and Democrats. Trump then promised to “fully support” Israel following the outcry.
Haley attacked Vivek Ramaswamy for initially suggesting that the United States phase out its aid to Israel. At the Miami debate in November, Ramaswamy then said he would advise the Israeli leader to “smoke these terrorists on his southern border and…I will smoke the terrorists on our southern border.”
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie actually visited Israel after the October 7 Hamas attack and met with survivors, the first Republican presidential candidate to do so since the war began .
At the debate in Miami, Christie said he would tell Netanyahu: “America is here, whatever your needs.” »
Is supporting Ukraine in the vital interest of the United States?
Although there is broad consensus on support for Israel, Republicans are increasingly divided on the idea of sending additional military aid to Ukraine.
As the war drags on and public interest wanes, the war has become a key indicator of how presidential candidates think the United States should interact with the world.
And probably no issue in foreign policy illustrates the growing divide between Republican isolationists and foreign policy hawks more than Ukraine.
On one side are candidates like Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, both of whom have pushed U.S. leaders to focus more resources on domestic issues. On the other side, there are more Republican traditionalists like Haley and Christie who argue that the United States must stand up to adversaries like Russian President Vladimir Putin.
What role should the United States play in the war against Ukraine?
- Governor Doug Burgum, RD, says it is important to support Ukraine, but not with a “blank check”. He said Europe should shoulder more of the financial burden, but emphasizes that Russia cannot be allowed to win.
- Former Governor Chris Christie, RN.J., called the conflict a “proxy war” between the United States and China. He traveled to Ukraine and spoke about the inhumanity he witnessed.
- Governor Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., made waves when he called the war a “territorial dispute” between Russia and Ukraine. He later backed down in the face of an outcry from critics, but he continues to oppose sending additional military aid to Ukraine.
- Nikki Haley, former UN ambassador defended U.S. aid as crucial to American security and preventing Russian President Vladimir Putin from acting aggressively on other European countries.
- Aggressive criticism of American aid in the war, Vivek Ramaswamy said he was “absolutely not convinced” by calls for more funding for Ukraine. He criticized the Kiev government and suggested Ukraine cede part of its territory to Russia to end the war.
- Former President Donald Trump, Once indicted for his conduct in a phone call with Ukraine’s president, he was cautious about continuing his military aid to Ukraine. He argues that the war is more important to Europe – and therefore it should bear more of the financial burden. He also called on congressional Republicans to withhold military support until the Biden administration cooperates with its investigations into the president and his son’s business dealings.
Should the United States sever economic ties with China?
Republican candidates not only agree that China poses the greatest threat to the United States, but they also appear to be competing over who will be the biggest hawk against Beijing.
As president, Trump imposed a series of tariffs on Beijing. He now plans to go further by promising a decoupling of the American-Chinese economies.
Haley accused the former president of being “singularly focused” on trade and ignoring the military threat posed by Beijing.
“China was militarily stronger – militarily stronger – when President Trump left office than when he took office. That’s bad,” Haley said during a speech at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative organization.
She says the United States must modernize its military and end trade relations until China takes tougher action on fentanyl.
DeSantis likened the threat posed by Beijing as equal to or greater than that posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. He pledged to “reorient” U.S. foreign policy toward China.
But their positions are nuanced regarding the use of military force against China.
Should the United States use military force to support Taiwan if it is attacked by China?
