While the last weeks of President Trump’s term have been full of resignations following the right wing insurgence of the nation’s capitol on January 6th, one cabinet member has found themselves busy with trips, policy plans, and setting precedent. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has made near daily announcements on large scale foreign policy actions. Many of these actions appear to be designed to push the trump administration’s foreign policy priorities into at least the first few months of the Biden presidency and set road blocks in the way of the key issues and negations Biden hopes to accomplish with in his first 100 days.
With in the last 14 days Pompeo has re-listed Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, making already difficult trade relations all the more complication and hampering the Biden administration’s plans for a quick rapprochement negation with Havana. This may also decimate the island’s tourism based economy as foreign investors may retreat, and with the Covid-19 pandemic keeping travelers home, this could be a deafening blow to Cuba’s hospitality industry.
Similarly, Pompeo has spoken about to his plans to designate Yemen’s Houthi rebels as a terrorist organization in line with the trump administrations hard line anti-Iran policies. Experts worry this policy will only worsen the humanitarian crisis of the country as its citizens face a famine, civil war, and Covid-19.
While these actions are fairly easy to reverse, they do affect the U.S.’s overall creditability on the global stage, and may stress already frail foreign relations as many countries, both allies and foes, feel raw after the Trump administration’s policy changes.
check back with CIMA law for more updates and news.
CIMA Law Group Blog 