The U.S. President Donald Trump spent much of his first year back in office intensely focused on foreign affairs, portraying himself as a dealmaker determined to untangle long-running global conflicts and secure a place in history as a “peace president.” But as the new year begins, Trump faces a crowded and volatile foreign policy landscape — one that shows few signs of resolution and risks colliding with mounting domestic economic anxieties ahead of a critical midterm election year.
From the grinding war in Ukraine to rising tensions with Venezuela, Iran, and China, the president carries a heavy portfolio of unresolved international crises. At home, voters are increasingly focused on inflation, housing costs, energy prices, and everyday affordability — issues that political strategists warn could overshadow Trump’s foreign policy ambitions.
“Every second-term president always wants to further involve themselves in foreign policy and cement a lasting legacy for the history books,” said Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist and former Trump administration appointee. “Yet the American public, their priority continues to be the now — affordability, utilities, education, health care, groceries.”
Before the holiday break, the White House signaled that Trump planned to return to the campaign trail with a series of rallies highlighting what officials say are economic achievements, including easing inflation and stabilizing energy prices. Still, much of Trump’s time has remained consumed by geopolitics.
The president has spent extended stretches at Mar-a-Lago holding meetings and calls with foreign leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom Trump has spoken twice in recent weeks.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly defended the administration’s approach, arguing Trump was elected with a clear mandate to implement his “America First” foreign policy agenda.
“He has delivered by negotiating fairer trade deals, securing a five percent defense spending pledge among NATO allies, killing narcoterrorists smuggling illicit narcotics into our homeland, and more while simultaneously ending eight wars — making the entire world safer and more stable,” Kelly said. “The president will always work to ensure peace through strength and advance American interests abroad.”
Trump himself insists that even his overseas engagement ultimately serves domestic priorities.
“When I go on a trip, I only have one place in mind,” he said recently. “It’s the United States.”
Yet some Republicans are growing uneasy with Trump’s sustained focus on foreign conflicts. Polling consistently shows that voters are increasingly concerned about pocketbook issues — and many are willing to blame Republicans if economic pressures persist, despite the administration’s insistence that lingering problems stem from former President Joe Biden’s policies.
As 2025 gives way to 2026, Trump enters the new year with several major foreign policy challenges unresolved.
Ukraine War Drags Into Fourth Year
The war in Ukraine will enter its fourth year in February, with no clear end in sight. Despite repeated attempts by Trump to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv, negotiations remain stalled.
The Kremlin has refused to agree to a ceasefire without a comprehensive settlement, while continuing to bombard Ukraine with missiles and drones. Recent talks at Mar-a-Lago appeared to make modest progress, particularly around security guarantees for Ukraine, prompting cautious optimism from Trump.
That optimism was short-lived. Russian officials quickly cooled expectations, blaming Ukraine for a reported drone incident near Putin’s residence — an allegation Zelenskyy dismissed as a Russian fabrication.
At the heart of the impasse lies the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. Zelenskyy has proposed turning the remaining Ukrainian-controlled 15 percent of Donbas into a demilitarized free economic zone, but Moscow has rejected the plan. Control of the region would give Russia strategic military advantages, while Ukrainians fear any concession could embolden further Russian advances.
Russia continues to press maximalist demands, including barring Ukraine from NATO, imposing limits on its military, and asserting full control over Donbas. Putin has refused to meet Zelenskyy directly until a peace framework acceptable to Moscow is finalized.
Fragile Calm in Gaza
Trump played a central role in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after nearly two years of fighting in Gaza, securing one of his most significant foreign policy wins to date. However, the agreement remains fragile.
While large-scale fighting has subsided, negotiators are struggling to advance beyond the deal’s first phase, which includes a ceasefire, hostage and prisoner exchanges, and increased humanitarian aid. Israeli officials have periodically threatened to resume military operations, citing Hamas violations.
A major obstacle is Hamas’ refusal to disarm. The group insists it retains the right to armed resistance against Israeli occupation. Trump issued a stark warning this week, saying Hamas must disarm or face severe consequences.
Efforts to assemble an international stabilization force to secure Gaza after an Israeli withdrawal have also stalled, with few countries willing to commit troops. Since the ceasefire took effect in October, hundreds of people — most of them Palestinians — have been killed in sporadic violence, underscoring the deal’s fragility.
Diplomats warn that sustaining peace will require constant engagement, raising questions about whether the Trump administration has sufficient personnel and expertise to manage the process long term. A renewed outbreak of violence could quickly unravel one of Trump’s signature achievements.
Escalation With Venezuela
Tensions with Venezuela have sharply escalated. Trump said this week that the U.S. had “knocked out” a major facility linked to drug trafficking inside Venezuelan territory — potentially marking the first known U.S. ground strike in the country. The CIA declined to comment on reports of a drone strike on a Venezuelan dock in December.
The move signals a significant escalation in Trump’s pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro. Trump has declined to rule out war, warning that Maduro’s “days are numbered.”
The strategy has divided the America First movement. While some support aggressive action against narcotrafficking, anti-interventionist conservatives warn that removing Maduro could destabilize the region and entangle the U.S. in a prolonged conflict.
Public opinion appears skeptical. A recent Quinnipiac poll found 63 percent of Americans oppose military action inside Venezuela, while 53 percent oppose strikes on suspected drug traffickers at sea.
Nevertheless, Trump has intensified pressure, announcing a blockade, seizing a Venezuelan oil tanker, closing Venezuelan airspace, and moving to designate Maduro’s government as a foreign terrorist organization.
Iran and the Risk of Renewed Conflict
Trump’s decision to join Israel in striking Iran’s nuclear facilities in June marked one of the most consequential moments of his presidency. The brief conflict also targeted Iran’s ballistic missile program and ended after 12 days, following U.S. bunker-buster strikes Trump claimed “completely and totally obliterated” Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
Now, concerns are growing that Iran is rebuilding its program. Trump has warned that if Tehran resumes nuclear development, the U.S. will respond forcefully and has suggested backing further Israeli strikes if necessary.
Iran’s president has vowed a “harsh and regrettable” response to any new aggression.
The issue has become a flashpoint within Trump’s MAGA base, many of whom favor limiting U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts. While some supported the June intervention as unavoidable, there is growing frustration among parts of the base over what they see as Israel pulling the U.S. into repeated confrontations.
Unsteady Truce With China
U.S.-China relations remain tense despite a one-year trade truce brokered by Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in October. Lawmakers in Washington have raised doubts about Beijing’s commitment to curbing fentanyl precursor exports and purchasing agreed-upon volumes of U.S. agricultural goods.
Other unresolved issues include a stalled rare earths agreement and uncertainty surrounding the reported sale of TikTok by ByteDance.
Beyond trade, security concerns loom large. China has accelerated preparations for a potential invasion of Taiwan, unveiling new amphibious landing systems designed for beach assaults. This week, Beijing conducted large-scale military drills encircling the island in response to a possible U.S. arms sale.
Trump downplayed the exercises, saying China has conducted naval drills in the region for decades. “Nothing worries me,” he said.
Still, the possibility of a Taiwan crisis represents one of the most dangerous foreign policy challenges Trump could face in the year ahead — one that would test his promise to keep America out of another major war while maintaining U.S. global influence.
As Trump enters the new year, his ambition to shape world affairs remains undiminished. Whether voters will reward that focus — or demand greater attention to problems at home — may ultimately determine both his legacy and his party’s fortunes in the midterms.
