The Iran Deal and the Dark Side of American Exceptionalism
Donald Trump’s decision to leave the nuclear agreement reflects a view that America has unique rights in the world—but not unique responsibilities.
Who, or what, is to blame for Donald Trump’s decision to leave the Iran nuclear agreement? There are lots of candidates: Trump’s assumption that any deal not negotiated by him is a rip-off, his obsession with undoing Barack Obama’s legacy, Israel and Saudi Arabia’s desire to prevent any rapprochement between Washington and Tehran. These all surely played a role. But underlying them is something more fundamental. Trump is violating the Iran deal because of how he interprets American exceptionalism.
When it comes to foreign policy, American exceptionalism has two different meanings. The first involves responsibilities. Because America’s power is unique, and because its democratic traditions are unique, America bears a special global burden.
