It is important for political travelers deep in the weeds to reference and recognize patterns that encompass significant geopolitical events.  Businessman Donald Trump has, as a natural disposition of his approach, always maintained a specific engagement pattern of respect toward his adversaries; he carries this same approach into the diplomatic role of the presidency.
Tomorrow President Trump will be speaking to the U.N. General Assembly. There is a great deal of anticipatory media reporting circling how  international community are evaluating the administration; and how President Trump will outline the “Trump Doctrine”.
CTH readers have already identified the specifics of the Trump Doctrine not through high-brow analysis, but simply by looking at the action taken and the geopolitical approach of using economics as transactional leverage to gain national security objectives.
When President Trump discusses the issues with North Korea tomorrow, there will be a clarity of purposeful intent broadcast toward the larger international community.  However, the specific target of that address as it relates to the DPRK will be squarely aimed at Beijing.
How can an interested follower be assured of this prediction?
Simple really, it goes back to the diplomatic pattern recognition.   When POTUS Trump is planning on delivering a bitter pill of truth, he takes the lumps out in advance via direct contact with the economic adversary who will bear the brunt of internal demands for response.

President Donald J. Trump spoke today with President Xi Jinping of China to discuss North Korea’s continued defiance of the international community and its efforts to destabilize Northeast Asia. The two leaders committed to maximizing pressure on North Korea through vigorous enforcement of United Nations Security Council resolutions. (link)

This uniquely Donald Trump approach, straight forward eye-to-eye clarity (even when the engagement is potentially adversarial), is one of the reasons that international leaders  respect President Trump even more than they espouse to their internal audiences.
Trump’s approach is a really unique geopolitical engagement.  The way Trump speaks boldly, righteously and simply about events and seriously substantive issues, has thrown the entire diplomatic nexus within the international administrative state off their game of intrigue, nuance and scheme of shadow motives.
In no small measure this is why President Trump’s foreign policy strategy has been so intensely effective.  He’s not a politician, doesn’t standardize his message via political obfuscation, customs and diplomatic norms.  Trump is respectful, but honey badger really doesn’t give a shit about how sunlight might disrupt the international community.
Oh, and for those who were wondering about war or military conflict with North Korea, relax.  Again, as we have repeatedly shown, it’s just not part of the Trump Doctrine to use the military that way.  If POTUS Trump was tipping the scales toward a military option, he wouldn’t be dismissively using the term “Rocket Man”. [Rocket Man = Gnat]
Trump’s tour-de-force, as keenly evident in the Trump Doctrine, is to use his own personal skills to advance U.S. objectives from the front lines and keep the military option visible but well in the rear.
President Trump’s primary strategy is about using economics, seriously strategic geopolitical economic maneuvers, to create outcomes.  Trump has decades of thought and strategic planning in his toolbox in this regard. It’s actually quite stunning to see him work though the logical consequences to carefully positioned leverage; it’s also enjoyable to watch economic adversaries realizing there ain’t a darned thing they can do about it.

Share