‘Jaishankar On US Foreign Policy Shift’: A More Cautious Path Ahead, Regardless Of Election Outcome

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar shared his insights into the future of American foreign policy, suggesting that the United States is expected to adopt a more inward-looking stance moving forward. Speaking at an event in Canberra on Wednesday, Jaishankar emphasized that the outcome of the 2024 presidential election would unlikely result in significant changes to the broader trends in US foreign policy.

From Obama to Trump: A Shift Toward Caution

Jaishankar noted that, since President Barack Obama’s tenure, the US has grown more cautious in its global commitments. While President Donald Trump was more outspoken and expressive about this shift, the minister believes that the trajectory of US foreign policy has become increasingly conservative, focusing more on national interests than global responsibilities. He further stressed that, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming election, this trend is expected to continue.

Global Dominance of the US May Not Persist

The External Affairs Minister also suggested that the era of American dominance and generosity on the global stage, which characterized the earlier years of US foreign policy, may be coming to an end. Jaishankar encouraged the world to view American policy not just through the lens of current administrations’ ideological perspectives, but through the broader national lens of evolving global interests.