Studying Donald Trump's Foreign Policy from the Perspective of the Rational Actor Model

Among the various decision-making models, the Rational Actor Model, which is based on cost-benefit logic, provides a good framework for better understanding Trump's foreign policy behaviors that can be considered by the country's decision makers. The main premise of the rational model of decision-making is the economically rational human being who tries to choose the most desirable way to achieve the goal by following the cost-benefit logic. The main question of the research is "How can Donald Trump's foreign policy in withdrawing from international agreements and his approach to the issue of international security be analyzed in a theoretical framework?" In response to this question, the hypothesis has been put forward: "Trump's foreign policy behaviors in withdrawing from international agreements and his economy-oriented approach to the issue of international security can be explained based on the rational model of decision-making and profit maximization." In this regard, Trump's “America First” slogan, is a good example of utilitarianism in his foreign policy. This paper applies descriptive-analytical method to explain the American foreign policy from the perspective of the rational actor model. The data collection has been in the form of libraries, scientific journals and the use of reputable Internet sites.