TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Alex Gray, former chief of staff of the White House National Security Council (NSC), discussed foreign policy under the Trump-Vance administration in an exclusive interview with TVBS commentator Wenchi Yu late July.
Gray pointed out that Taiwan has to increase the GDP percentage for national defense, as the reality of American politics today expects those who need military support from the U.S. to show their determination and responsibilities.
Gray also discussed Trump's attitude toward the semiconductor industry. He thinks that the former president will continue to support a robust U.S. domestic capability for manufacturing semiconductors, similar to what he did in his first term. "I would think he will continue to support a robust U.S. domestic capability for manufacturing semiconductors," Gray said.
Turning to foreign policy, Gray emphasized that Trump will focus more on the U.S.'s core interests instead of esoteric ideas like spreading democracy. Since the U.S. still leads the world on critical issues, he denied Trump’s policy direction as "isolationism."
Addressing the leading role of the U.S. in NATO as an example, Gray stated that Trump pressed the member countries to increase the defense spending of GDP. "If it were not for his leadership, NATO would not be prepared to play the critical role that it's played in Ukraine, resisting the Russian invasion," Gray asserted.
Gray does not think that Trump will change his policy toward China, as China has become more of a threat to the U.S. since the former president left office. Additionally, Gray emphasized that Trump took the U.S.-Taiwan relationship seriously in his first term, and defined protecting Taiwan as a critical part of the U.S. national strategy, so he doesn't think that Trump would change his previous approach toward Taiwan.
