Trump promised 'no more wars', but his foreign policy has drawn the US into several conflicts
Since returning to the White House, US President Donald Trump, who pledged an 'America First' policy and avoidance of foreign wars, has become involved in conflicts from Ukraine to Iran. A France 24 review sums up the key foreign policy moments of his second term.
US President Donald Trump returned to office promising an "America First" foreign policy and a pledge to keep the country out of foreign wars. Two years into his second term, his administration is nonetheless deeply involved in conflicts and diplomatic disputes around the world, France 24 reports.
Ukraine
Trump vowed to end Russia's war in Ukraine on his first day back in office, yet the conflict is now in its fifth year. In February 2025, in the Oval Office, Trump and Vice-President JD Vance publicly rebuked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for not showing enough gratitude for American support. Washington then temporarily suspended military aid and intelligence sharing. Deliveries of Patriot air defence systems have been limited because US stockpiles are depleted. A summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska produced no agreement. Zelensky criticised Trump's announced diesel export deal with Russia as a "weak decision".
Greenland and Canada
Trump has repeatedly voiced interest in territory belonging to NATO partners. In January 2026 he declined to rule out using military force to take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Several NATO countries backed Greenland, and some sent military personnel there. In September the US, Denmark and Greenland signed a defence agreement expanding the American military presence without transferring sovereignty. Trump has also called Canada America's "51st state"; Prime Minister Mark Carney firmly rejects the idea.
Venezuela
In January 2026, a US military operation in Venezuela captured President Nicolas Maduro, who was taken to the United States to face criminal charges. Washington has since secured control over Venezuelan oil reserves. The US military has also struck vessels in the Caribbean, killing hundreds of people; officials have not provided evidence that the boats were carrying drugs.
Middle East
A ceasefire under Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan, presented in September 2025, took effect the following month, but the wider plan remains largely stalled. In February 2026 the US joined Israel in a war against Iran, in which Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed. Iran then asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting international shipping and energy markets.
