Abstract
The ripples of the shift in power in the USA were felt worldwide, not least in international security policy, where the USA has often chosen to be at the forefront throughout history. The country's involvement in most international organizations had changed during the four years with Trump as president, and his mottos “America First” and “Make America Great Again.” The tone and fortunes surrounding NATO changed on January 20, 2021. This chapter has researched the national role conceptions of two American presidents, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, to see how their national role conception of the USA could affect the relationship between the USA and NATO with the help of the national role conception theory employed in this paper. It concludes that the presidents have partly different national role conceptions, with one role being the same and two being different. This chapter also concludes that different national role conceptions could affect the relationship between the USA and NATO.
TopLiterature Review
To justify this chapter’s contribution to already existing research, here is a section that takes a closer look at previous research on the USA’s relationship with NATO, previous comparisons between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, as well as examples of how the theory NRC has been used in previous studies. To get a good starting point in previous research, we intend to look closely at what we know about the relationship between the US and NATO. In his article “NATO Enlargement and US Foreign Policy: The Origins, durability, and Impact of an Idea” (Shifrinson, 2020, p. 342). Shifrinson examined how and why NATO has become an accepted and central part of US foreign policy. Using a mixture of congruence procedures and process tracing, Shifrinson concludes that NATO’s role in US foreign policy can be explained, among other things, by unipolarity, effect maximization for the US, and socialization. As Shifrinson writes in his article, NATO now has an obvious part in US foreign policy, which motivates this chapter about how a president (Donald Trump) can go against this obviousness in foreign policy statements.
In their article “NATO Enlargement and US Grand Strategy: A Net Assessment” (Menon & Ruger, 2020, p. 371). Menon and Ruger have also examined how NATO’s enlargement relates to the US’s strategy after the Cold War and how Russia has been affected by the cooperation. They write that the USA and NATO went hand in hand in their global security strategies after the Cold War, for example, when NATO allowed the USA and the leaders in Washington DC to influence Europe. According to the authors, Europe partially depends on protection from the United States through NATO. In the article, the authors emphasize that NATO’s continued existence ensures that Europe is a strategic subordinate to the US, but also tell how this has been and still is provocative for Russia.
Key Terms in this Chapter
National Role Perception: The individual perspective or conception held by a nation’s leader regarding the role and responsibilities of their country on the international stage. It encompasses the leader’s views on cooperation, security, independence, and alliances. In this context, the national role perception of Joe Biden and Donald Trump refers to their differing perspectives on the United States’ position and engagement with NATO and its role in global affairs.
Faithful Ally: A role perception that denotes a leader or regime’s commitment to supporting the policies and interests of another nation or regime. It involves being a reliable and steadfast partner in international affairs. Joe Biden aligns with the role perception of a faithful ally by emphasizing the importance of the United States as a stable and supportive partner within NATO.
Regional Leader: A role perception characterized by a leader’s belief that their country should lead and guide other nations within a specific region. This role entails asserting influence, providing guidance, and setting an example for other regional nations. As mentioned in their speeches and policy positions, both Joe Biden and Donald Trump hold the role perception of a regional leader in terms of the United States’ capacity to lead other nations.
Regional Defender: A role perception wherein a leader emphasizes protecting nearby regions or areas. It entails a commitment to safeguarding the interests and territorial integrity of the nation and its allies within a specific geographic region. Joe Biden exhibits the role perception of a regional defender, as seen in his emphasis on defending NATO territories and his commitment to protecting every inch of NATO territory.