This morning on Meet the Press, Senator Adam Schiff argued that Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement (JCPOA) was one of the greatest foreign policy blunders in modern American history.
I agree.
But I’d add one important qualifier: the biggest foreign policy blunder remains the Iraq War.
What’s striking is that these two catastrophes—separated by nearly two decades—share a common characteristic.
They were personal.
George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq was influenced by many factors, but it’s difficult to ignore the personal dimension. Saddam Hussein had defined Bush family history. After the Gulf War, George H. W. Bush chose not to remove Saddam from power, and years later his son finished the job. Whether that motivation was explicit or subconscious, personal history and family legacy became intertwined with decisions that reshaped the Middle East.
Trump’s decision to abandon the JCPOA followed a different path but reflected the same instinct. The agreement had been negotiated under Barack Obama. Rather than build on it or improve it, Trump repeatedly described it as “the worst deal ever” and withdrew the United States, despite objections from many foreign policy experts and America’s European allies. The move was as much about erasing Obama’s legacy as it was about the substance of the agreement.
Different presidents. Different circumstances.
The same pattern.
When leaders allow ego, resentment, or personal rivalries to dictate foreign policy, millions of people can pay the price. These decisions don’t stay inside Washington. They affect allies, adversaries, regional stability, global security, and human lives.
Foreign policy should be driven by America’s strategic interests—not by settling personal scores.
As voters head into another election, it’s worth asking not only whether we agree with a candidate’s policies, but whether they’re capable of separating their personal grievances from decisions that affect the entire world.
