Trump’s 100-Day Theater

What has the U.S. president really accomplished so far? Or is everything just for show?

On this episode of The E.R., Max Boot joins us to discuss his new book "The Road Not Taken."
On this episode of The E.R., Max Boot joins us to discuss his new book "The Road Not Taken."
On this episode of The E.R., Max Boot joins us to discuss his new book "The Road Not Taken."

On this week’s second episode of The E.R., David Rothkopf, David Sanger, Keith Johnson, and Kori Schake further analyze Trump’s first 100 days in office. Whether it’s a lack of confirmations for key posts at the State and Defense Departments, or a muddy (but loud) foreign-policy strategy, how is the Trump administration faring during these tumultuous times — both on a domestic level and international level? It seems, so far, that most of the proclaimed policy shifts have either fallen flat, won’t pass in Congress, or have been ditched altogether. So is the administration flailing or is this all part of their grand strategy to “Make America Great Again”?

On this week’s second episode of The E.R., David Rothkopf, David Sanger, Keith Johnson, and Kori Schake further analyze Trump’s first 100 days in office. Whether it’s a lack of confirmations for key posts at the State and Defense Departments, or a muddy (but loud) foreign-policy strategy, how is the Trump administration faring during these tumultuous times — both on a domestic level and international level? It seems, so far, that most of the proclaimed policy shifts have either fallen flat, won’t pass in Congress, or have been ditched altogether. So is the administration flailing or is this all part of their grand strategy to “Make America Great Again”?

The panel then moves on to discuss the latest news headlines and foreign-policy concerns of the day. With the entire Senate class convening at the White House for a briefing on North Korea, it’s unclear what will be disclosed — or if the president really does have a plan for dealing with Pyongyang. And with Trump’s tax policy finally unveiled, what does it mean for domestic and international economic policy? The team discuss these issues and more on the latest episode of The E.R.

David Sanger is the national security correspondent for the New York Times and author of Confront and Conceal: Obama’s Secret Wars and Surprising Use of American Power. Follow him on Twitter at: @SangerNYT.

Kori Schake is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, where she focuses on military history, and a former foreign-policy advisor to Sen. John McCain. Follow her on Twitter at: @KoriSchake.

Keith Johnson is FP’s deputy managing editor for news. Follow him on Twitter at: @KFJ_FP.

David Rothkopf is the CEO and editor of the FP Group. Follow him on Twitter at: @djrothkopf.

Tune in, now twice a week, to FP’s The E.R.

Subscribe to The E.R. and Global Thinkers podcasts on iTunes.

More from Foreign Policy

Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.
Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America

The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.
Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense

If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War

Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.
An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests

And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.