Republicans are getting their own reality check. Under Mr. Trump, a growing faction of the party promoted isolationism, questioned alliances and trade treaties, and pushed for an “America First” agenda that would fit well with pre-World War II national sentiment, Meyer said.
Recently, Oklahoma Representative Tom Cole, a traditionalist Republican, met with the German ambassador to the United States to thank her for her country’s commitment to protecting NATO and its assistance to Ukraine.
In an interview, Mr. Cole even suggested resurrecting the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a landmark trade deal negotiated by President Barack Obama that would bring together the economies of Asia, Australia, New Zealand, North America and South America to isolate China. In one of his first acts as president, Mr. Trump thwarted the deal.
Russian-Ukrainian war: what you need to know
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Demonstration of EU support. The leaders of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia headed to Kyiv to express “unconditional support” for the European Union and offer financial assistance to Ukraine. The visit was kept secret until the last minute as fighting rages around the Ukrainian capital.
“There are many Republicans in Ukraine who are rethinking the importance of international alliances,” Mr. Cole said. “Other countries are not always a burden. They are quite often an asset.”
For Democrats, the shift in priorities came at a price. Following the lead of his party’s environmental wing, Mr. Biden has hoped to divert the United States away from fossil fuels by blocking new oil and gas exploration leases on federal lands, opening up large swaths of ocean and land to wind and solar development, and is advancing an ambitious timetable for the nation’s transition. for electric cars and trucks.
Now the fossil fuel industry is on the rise. More mainstream Democrats use Republican language when talking about an “all of the above” energy strategy that includes renewable fuels, oil and gas. Natural gas is once again being talked about as a bridge fuel to clean energy, not as an enemy of the planet.
“Some of my colleagues represent a false choice,” said New Jersey Representative Josh Gottheimer, a leading voice for the Center Democrats. “You can advocate for alternative energy and energy independence with aggressive long-term goals, as well as full utilization of our domestic energy resources.”