Trump leaves office with long list of foreign policy achievements

The foreign policy accomplishments of President Donald Trump are being applauded this week as he prepares to leave office. The White House published a list of items, including other areas of government, this week. Even mainstream media outlets, generally critical of the administration over the last four years, are now pointing out the lasting positive legacy in areas like NATO and the Middle East.

Here’s a list of some of the things accomplished during the Trump administration.

Restored America’s leadership in the world and successfully negotiated to ensure our allies pay their share for our military protection.

• Secured a $400 billion increase in defense spending from NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) allies by 2024, and the number of members meeting their minimum obligations more than doubled.
• Credited by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg for strengthening NATO.
• Worked to reform and streamline the United Nations (UN) and reduced spending by $1.3 billion.
• Allies, including Japan and the Republic of Korea, committed to increase burden-sharing.
• Protected the Second Amendment rights of Americans by announcing the United States will never ratify the UN Arms Trade Treaty.
• Returned 56 hostages and detainees from more than 24 countries.
• Worked to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific region, promoting new investments and expanding American partnerships.

Advanced peace through strength.

• Withdrew from the one-sided Iran Nuclear Deal and imposed crippling sanctions on the Iranian Regime.
• Conducted vigorous enforcement on all sanctions to bring Iran’s oil exports to zero and deny the regime its principal source of revenue.
• First president to meet with a leader of North Korea and the first sitting president to cross the demilitarized zone into North Korea.
• Maintained a maximum pressure campaign and enforced tough sanctions on North Korea while negotiating de-nuclearization, the release of American hostages, and the return of the remains of American heroes.
• Brokered economic normalization between Serbia and Kosovo, bolstering peace in the Balkans.
• Signed the Honk Kong Autonomy Act and ended the United States’ preferential treatment with Hong Kong to hold China accountable for its infringement on the autonomy of Hong Kong.
• Led allied efforts to defeat the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to control the international telecommunications system.

Renewed our friendship and alliance with Israel and took historic action to promote peace in the Middle East.

• Recognized Jerusalem as the true capital of Israel and quickly moved the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

President Trump signs the order recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The act had been promised by three former presidents and written into law by Congress but never acted upon until President Trump.

• Acknowledged Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights and declared that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are not inconsistent with international law.
• Removed the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council due to the group’s blatant anti-Israel bias.
• Brokered historic peace agreements between Israel and Arab-Muslim countries, including the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Sudan.
• In addition, the United States negotiated a normalization agreement between Israel and Morocco, and recognized Moroccan Sovereignty over the entire Western Sahara, a position with long standing bipartisan support.
• Brokered a deal for Kosovo to normalize ties and establish diplomatic relations with Israel.
• President Trump announced that Serbia would move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
• First American president to address an assembly of leaders from more than 50 Muslim nations, and reach an agreement to fight terrorism in all its forms.
• Established the Etidal Center to combat terrorism in the Middle East in conjunction with the Saudi Arabian Government.
• Announced the Vision for Peace Political Plan – a two-state solution that resolves the risks of Palestinian statehood to Israel’s security, and the first time Israel has agreed to a map and a Palestinian state.
• Released an economic plan to empower the Palestinian people and enhance Palestinian governance through historic private investment.

Stood up against Communism and Socialism in the Western Hemisphere.

• Reversed the previous Administration’s disastrous Cuba policy, canceling the sellout deal with the Communist Castro dictatorship.
• Pledged not to lift sanctions until all political prisoners are freed; freedoms of assembly and expression are respected; all political parties are legalized; and free elections are scheduled.
• Enacted a new policy aimed at preventing American dollars from funding the Cuban regime, including stricter travel restrictions and restrictions on the importation of Cuban alcohol and tobacco.
• Implemented a cap on remittances to Cuba.
• Enabled Americans to file lawsuits against persons and entities that traffic in property confiscated by the Cuban regime.
• First world leader to recognize Juan Guaido as the Interim President of Venezuela and led a diplomatic coalition against the Socialist Dictator of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro.
• Blocked all property of the Venezuelan Government in the jurisdiction of the United States.
• Cut off the financial resources of the Maduro regime and sanctioned key sectors of the Venezuelan economy exploited by the regime.
• Brought criminal charges against Nicolas Maduro for his narco-terrorism.
• Imposed stiff sanctions on the Ortega regime in Nicaragua.
• Joined together with Mexico and Canada in a successful bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with 60 matches to be held in the United States.
• Won bid to host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.

For a broader list of items visit the White House website before the new administration is expected to delete the information.

–Metro Voice