Speaking at an event in Canberra on Wednesday, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar remarked that the United States is expected to continue adopting a more inward-looking foreign policy approach, irrespective of the result in the presidential election.
Jaishankar noted that the trend of the U.S. reassessing its global commitments began as far back as the Obama administration, with a growing focus on domestic issues. “Probably starting from President Barack Obama, the U.S. has become much more cautious about its global commitments,” he said, adding that this shift is likely to persist. He acknowledged that former President Trump was “more articulate and expressive” about this shift.
During the discussion, held alongside Australian and New Zealand foreign ministers, Jaishankar emphasized the importance of viewing American foreign policy through a national lens rather than solely through the ideological perspective of its leaders. “If we are truly analyzing them, I think we have to prepare for a world where the kind of dominance and generosity that characterized the U.S. in earlier days may not continue,” he concluded.
Jaishankar’s comments come as election results continue to pour in, with attention on how the next administration might shape America’s role on the global stage.