Trump’s ‘Disaster Diplomacy’ Has So Far Had Few Results

As the coronavirus raced across the globe earlier this year, the Trump administration offered assistance to a pair of longtime American enemies, Iran and North Korea. The responses hardly amounted to a diplomatic breakthrough.

The Iranians angrily dismissed the offer, calling it insincere and demanding broader relief from crippling American sanctions. The North Koreans, angry with the United States over stalled nuclear negotiations, said they appreciated the offer but did not publicly accept, warning of “big difficulties” in their relationship with the United States.

But the two cases illustrate the way Mr. Trump continues to pursue his foreign policy goals amid the pandemic, and the way the virus is shaping his approach. Administration officials see the crisis as creating new opportunities, but it also brings new risks as China and Russia seek to take advantage of a moment of perceived weakness and disarray for their American adversaries.

Read the full article and more in The New York Times.