Populist peacemaking: Trump's peace initiatives in the Middle East and the Balkans

Abstract With the rise of populist leaders around world, populism's impact on foreign policy and international affairs has come into focus. Adding to this literature, we propose concept ‘populist peacemaking’, in which key tenets populism, style substance, are projected onto sphere mediation. We offer an analytical framework for understanding peacemaking consisting three features. Firstly, is characterized by a rejection ‘peacemaking elites’ their established rules practices, including norms, refutation context-specific knowledge, clean-slate approach that disregards past attempts alienates other mediators. Secondly, employs aggrandized rhetoric symbolism puts mediator—rather than conflict parties—in spotlight, thus integrating domestic politics peacemaking. Finally, frames process as representing volonté générale, i.e. serving interests ‘pure people’ conflict-affected context. illustrate phenomenon empirically with case-study United States' efforts during Trump era, tracing initiatives pursued US envoys Israeli–Palestinian Kosovo–Serbia conflicts. From analysis, emerges distinct phenomenon, not be subsumed under heading ‘illiberal peacemaking’.