ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how national security institutions and individuals have shaped the direction of U.S. foreign policy in recent administrations and assesses how the Trump administration has used these institutions and individuals to shape foreign policy. The chapter first describes the foreign-policy model that has operated in recent administrations, focusing on national security institutions. We utilize this policymaking model to assess decision-making in the Trump administration. The new administration has diverged from the older model in several ways. Moreover, differences among foreign-policy advisers and the president’s tendency to intervene in an unorthodox fashion have impeded forming coherent policies. The result has been a process that lacks clarity and consistency and has fostered departures from previous policies.
