Envoys like Kushner and Witkoff are unable to act as effective mediators because they operate on a transactional, oligarchic model of power. They cannot articulate national interests, instead relating to figures like Putin as fellow oligarchs, which fundamentally misunderstands the nature of international relations.

President Trump's foreign policy has simultaneously eroded America's global standing on two fronts. Military incompetence has shown allies they can't rely on U.S. strength, while moral weakness has shown they can't rely on its loyalty or values, forcing them to hedge against U.S. failures.

Analyzing the Trump administration requires understanding the individual motives of figures like Marco Rubio, not a unified state policy. Trump's foreign relations are based on personal chemistry with leaders like Milei or Bukele, creating a non-transferable, unpredictable policy that lacks long-term strategic direction for future presidents.

National security requires a toolbox of military, economic, political, and cultural instruments. The Trump administration has focused almost exclusively on military power, degrading the capacity of other essential tools and leaving the U.S. more isolated on the world stage.

Scott Galloway says a memo of understanding is an agreement to pursue an agreement, with only 30-50% reaching a deal. Every day without a definitive deal moves leverage from America to Iran, which has no fear of renewed U.S. military engagement. Richardson agrees.

The practice of removing experienced, credentialed diplomats and civil servants in favor of loyalists has gutted America's ability to execute complex tasks, from foreign policy to domestic administration. This decline is now becoming painfully obvious.

Despite claims of being 'realist,' Trump's foreign policy is fundamentally anti-realist. By alienating allies, cutting R&D, and acting imprudently, it undermines the very sources of long-term American power—partnerships and technological superiority—that a true realist would seek to preserve.

The US has historically benefited from a baseline level of high competence in its government officials, regardless of party. This tradition is now eroding, being replaced by a focus on loyalty over expertise. This degradation from competence to acolytes poses a significant, underrecognized threat to national stability and global standing.

Historian Heather Cox Richardson warns against a trend where leaders believe they can solve complex problems like Middle East peace without relevant experience. This devaluing of credentialed experts in favor of loyalists guts government competence, as Americans take for granted the expertise required for effective governance.