Are domestic problems ignored?

The U.S. is spending hundreds of billions on conflicts around the world from Europe to the Middle East to Africa and Asia. The crisis in Iran is a reason to increase the military budget in 2027 and is used to justify a growing federal budget deficit. The U.S. is growing its global footprint at the same time as domestic issues are growing. After all, the U.S. has about 750 overseas military bases/sites in around 80 countries and it is estimated that including domestic U.S. bases, the Pentagon-related infrastructure exceeds 1,500 installations worldwide. Trump does seem to be unusually focused on international matters more than recent presidents and was clearly angry that he did not get the Nobel Peace prize and he has also established an alternative to the UN, called Board of Peace, with an entry payment of one billion dollars, controlled by Trump and it seems to be set up for longer-term goals, meaning post his presidency.

There are a few reasons Trump can appear especially foreign-policy focused right now. Foreign policy gives presidents more unilateral power. U.S. presidents can often act faster abroad than at home. Trade tariffs, sanctions, military deployments, treaty negotiations, immigration enforcement at borders, and diplomatic pressure can frequently be done through executive authority without needing Congress to pass major legislation. Domestic goals such as taxes, healthcare, infrastructure, housing, entitlement reform usually require long congressional negotiations.

Since Trump came back to the White House, there have been an unprecedented number of global crises that are dominating headlines. Wars and geopolitical tensions naturally pull presidential attention outward. Current issues involve Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Gaza, trade and geopolitical competition with China, Venezuela and Cuba, Nigeria, NATO burden-sharing and migration and border security. All these issues create constant pressure for public positioning and executive action.

Trump’s America First agenda itself is largely a foreign-policy framework. Although people often think of it as economic nationalism, tariffs and protectionism, America First is fundamentally about redefining how the U.S. interacts with the world including tariffs and trade deals, but also alliances and military commitments, immigration restrictions, energy exports and sanctions, competition with China and skepticism toward multinational institutions. So even domestic themes like manufacturing jobs or inflation often get framed through international competition.

Foreign policy is central to Trump’s political brand. Trump built much of his political identity around renegotiating trade agreements, confronting China on trade, criticizing NATO allies, tightening immigration, reducing some overseas commitments while projecting strength and using tariffs aggressively. Media coverage amplifies international conflict as foreign affairs generate dramatic, fast-moving news cycles. A tariff announcement, summit, military strike, or negotiation often receives more immediate coverage than regulatory or administrative domestic policy changes. The foreign-policy focus is partly structural, partly strategic, and partly driven by world events. This is also Trump’s last presidency and he is clearly thinking about his legacy and it is based on his belief that he will be remembered as a great global leader.

At the same time, there are tremendous domestic problems in the U.S. and that are often ignored. Cost of living concerns and affordability and economic inequality impact all and spans across many areas such as housing costs, rent, healthcare, childcare, and college tuition and they have risen faster than wages for many households. Wealth inequality has widened, with large gaps between high earners and middle-class Americans. Americans are increasingly divided along political and cultural lines. Trust in institutions, government, media, elections, universities, even science, has declined and polarization can make compromise and long-term policymaking difficult. Many cities face severe shortages of affordable housing and homelessness has increased in several urban areas. Public schools vary dramatically in quality depending on location and funding and many Americans can barely read and write. Student debt remains a major issue and is hanging over many Americans for life.

Violent crime rates fluctuate by region, but concerns about gun violence remain high, which is no wonder as there are around 330 million arms in private hands. Some cities are also dealing with drug-related crime and retail theft. Fentanyl and opioid overdoses continue to cause large numbers of deaths. The crisis affects both urban and rural communities. There are ongoing racial Issues involving policing, criminal justice, voting access, and economic disparities remain contentious. Related to the economy, the federal debt is historically high and policymakers disagree over taxes, entitlement programs, military spending, and deficit reduction. Long-term sustainability of programs like Social Security and Medicare is heavily debated. Many of these problems are interconnected. For example, housing costs affect homelessness, economic stress influences politics and mental health, and education impacts inequality and workforce readiness.

Trump would benefit from spending more time focused on domestic issues instead of building his international legacy. There is also rampant corruption. This is also illustrated by politicians getting very wealthy during their time in Congress. The taxation system is build to support the wealthy, there is lack of mental health institutions and the inequality is continuing to grow. The fact that a private college cost around $80,000 a year is just bizarre, but there is no sign of reversing trends. It is a country with endless problems and little is being done to deal with the issues as the military budget is increasing and the debt is growing. One can wonder if the country actually is run by the military industrial complex rather than the politicians in Washington DC.