Letters to the Editor: Forget ‘America First.’ Trump ‘has no coherent foreign policy’

To the editor: What contributing writer Josh Hammer experienced in Israel under Iran’s retaliatory response to Israel’s unprovoked attack hardly compares with what the Gazans have been subjected to over the last two years (“Trump’s strike against Iran was ‘America First’ in action,” June 27). The damage to Israeli infrastructure was manageable compared with what the Gazans have suffered, and a frightened Hammer found a way out. The Palestinians, suffering an arguably genocidal assault, have no such options.

Astonishingly, Hammer celebrates President Trump’s order to strike a sovereign state as an “America First” action. He cites Michael Anton’s article, laughably titled “The Trump Doctrine.” In fact, Trump has no coherent foreign policy that can be reasonably described as a doctrine. Under “America First,” all we have is a series of capricious tariff directives, the brutal and unlawful detention and deportation of migrants both documented and undocumented, a condemnatory view of our NATO responsibilities and a manufacturing base in decline.

Trump lacks the intellectual capacity to construct a coherent political doctrine. If it serves his interests, he has no problem entangling the U.S. in another foreign conflict. Consistent with the dubious Israeli narrative deployed to justify these unilateral attacks, Hammer characterizes Iran as the No. 1 state sponsor of terrorism, while Israel launches military strikes with near impunity throughout the region under the guise of preemptive action.

Hammer absurdly describes Operation Midnight Hammer as a great act of presidential statesmanship. I ask you, how much lower can the bar be set?

Andrew Spathis, Los Angeles

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To the editor: In trying to defend Trump’s bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, Hammer cites the only fact he can find to support his argument: “94% of self-identified MAGA Republicans support Operation Midnight Hammer.” He cited no national poll.

Apparently, all that’s needed for an action to be seen as successful is to have the MAGA base show support. Despite Trump frequently signing his name on social media as “Donald J. Trump, president of the United States,” clearly, Trump is not the president of all Americans, but just those that voted for him. He should sign his posts, “Donald J. Trump, president of MAGA.”

Mark Chipman, San Diego