Trump's US foreign policy narrative turns to 2020

Significance

The news comes at a difficult time for President Donald Trump: he needs foreign policy wins to contribute to his chances of re-election in November 2020, and he has invested political capital in improving ties with North Korea. Moreover, foreign policy related controversies have seen Trump put under formal impeachment investigation.

Impacts

• Trump will likely take a less hawkish tone towards Iran and North Korea with the departure of John Bolton as national security adviser.
• Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s foreign policy influence will grow, provided he maintains the president’s favour.
• The administration will renew its push to emphasise religious freedom as a foreign policy objective.
• If the impeachment investigations turn up damaging evidence, Trump will have to divert more time to fighting allegations.