Cairo: Hani Kamal El-Din
In a significant departure from past policy, the United States is scaling back its efforts to “export democracy” abroad, signaling a shift in its foreign policy priorities. Following a major announcement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, human rights and democratic norms are being removed from the agenda of U.S. diplomacy. Instead, the focus is now solely on advancing America’s national interests. This transformation is further evidenced by the visit of Donald Trump Jr. to Hungary, a country previously criticized for its authoritarian leanings under the former U.S. administration.
U.S. State Department Overhaul: A Radical Policy Shift
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has unveiled sweeping reforms within the U.S. State Department, signaling the end of the U.S. commitment to promoting democracy and human rights abroad. As part of these reforms, key agencies like the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will be dismantled. The restructuring aims to streamline operations, cut bureaucratic waste, and refocus U.S. foreign policy exclusively on national interests, leaving behind the previous agenda of spreading democratic values.
Trump Jr.’s Visit to Hungary: A Symbol of Changing Diplomatic Ties
Donald Trump Jr.’s visit to Hungary is seen as a symbolic move that reflects the new direction of U.S. diplomacy. Despite holding no official government position, Trump Jr.’s active role in American politics makes his visit noteworthy. Meeting with Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, this visit signals a break from the Biden administration’s policy, which had distanced itself from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government due to its autocratic tendencies.
The End of Human Rights Programs: A Shift in U.S. Global Engagement
Under the new reforms, the U.S. will no longer prioritize human rights programs that were once central to its foreign policy. Agencies like the DRL and USAID, which were responsible for promoting democratic values and human rights, are being shut down. Rubio’s reform agenda positions the U.S. to concentrate its resources on policies that directly serve American interests, ending the era of the U.S. acting as a global enforcer of democracy.
Streamlining the State Department: Focusing on Core National Interests
The new reform plan entails a drastic reduction in the size of the U.S. diplomatic corps. Approximately 734 positions and 132 bureaus, departments, and programs are set to be eliminated, reducing the State Department
