Trump Shifts Foreign Policy Toward Russia and Iran

President Donald Trump has implemented a series of foreign policy shifts that prioritize deals with Russia and military action against Iran, impacting global stability and the U.S. economy ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

Trump reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to purchase nearly 5 million tonnes of diesel, a move that overrides existing sanctions. This pivot coincides with accusations that the administration is throttling Ukrainian military access to Starlink and suspending intelligence-sharing. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claims these actions left Ukraine without warning for two Russian missile waves.

In the Middle East, a U.S.-led military campaign against Iran launched in February with Israel has resulted in the closure of the strait of Hormuz, causing global oil prices to soar. Additionally, the administration ousted Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro under the Donroe doctrine to extract oil resources.

Domestically, Trump's tariff regime has triggered a trade war with Canada, involving $20 billion in tariffs on Canadian imports and retaliatory measures from Prime Minister Mark Carney. These combined policies have drawn criticism from voters and some Republican candidates who link the administration's international strategy to rising inflation.