I’ve covered elections since 2008, both as a blogger and journalist. As a blogger, writing about two US elections of 2008 and 2012, and the Indian general election and the UK election. As a journalist and correspondent, New Zealand elections and Fiji elections. Never in my life, have I encountered an anomaly like Donald Trump.
Now, as a foreign policy researcher (and as my publications show, I consider myself to be a neorealist) and I have written enough about why neither Trump, nor Obama are realists of any sort. Other realists have written similarly as well. (Walt on Obama, Walt on Trump, Joffe on Obama, Blatt on Trump)
But that debate suddenly just got vicious.
As readers remember, Daniel Drezner first wrote about how Trump is/will be accepted as a foreign policy realist, because of how he sounds realist, has specific policy proposals similar to the stark realist world even some realists shudder to think about. I flinched at the thought then. But it is no shame to write now, perhaps I was wrong, and I underestimated Trump’s legitimisation within the realist foreign policy community.
The recent episode was the firing of a fellow of National Interest, who like a lot of realists, opposed this legitimisation of Trump by hosting him and correctly pointed out in an essay for the War on the Rocks, (where I write occasionally as well, which I must mention here for the sake of balance), that Trump is a charlatan and is too incoherent to be a realist president. Of course National Interest justified the hosting of Trump but it was not convincing, to say the least.
So where does that leave realists now?
I believe, this is what we see,
State of the Union highlights: Trump’s unpatriotic appropriation of the flag – Bombs and Dollars
"[…] Trump doesn’t understand why anyone would be an official, because he doesn’t ..."
Responding to Daniel Kim: What he gets wrong about Trump and immigration – Bombs and Dollars
"[…] starts his article by telling us, “Trump has been called an ‘anti-immigrant’ ..."
The Left’s Moral Kulturkampf Reaps the Whirlwind – American Greatness
"[…] are the liberal left. From Labour members of Parliament to socialist male ..."
Just a reminder: Trump is unhinged – Bombs and Dollars
"[…] Just a reminder: Unhinged attacks are something of a hallmark for Trump. ..."
Just a reminder: Trump is unhinged – Bombs and Dollars
"[…] Halperin, Louie CK, and so many others were fired or forced out. ..."