Donald Trump broke no rule in his controversial phone call with the Taiwanese president – but instead signaled in foreign relations, "we either deal with each other as equals or we don't deal with each other at all," according to lawyer, writer and retired Army Col. Kurt Schlichter.
The era of pacifying world leaders is over under the president-elect, Schlichter, author of "People's Republic," told Newsmax TV's "America Talks Live" on Monday.
"It would never occur to me to presume to tell the Chinese who they can and can't talk to. That's not how countries act," he said.
"It's become the way America acts as President [Barack] Obama gets down on his knees to every tin potentate," he continued. "Donald Trump is sending out a signal, 'that stops now. We either deal with each other as equals or we don't deal with each other at all.'"
See Steve Malzberg on Newsmax TV: Tune in beginning at 12 PM ET to see "America Talks Live" — on FiOS 615, YouTube Livestream, Newsmax TV App from any smartphone, NewsmaxTV.com, Roku, Amazon Fire — More Systems Here
Schlichter said he would prefer to see former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton become the nation's top diplomat to carry out that message.
"He's a pro-American guy; he takes no prisoners, hard-edge New York trial lawyer," Schlichter said. "This is the guy we want at State."
Schlichter said he is also looking forward to a Trump administration re-establishing ties with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"I want to see Donald Trump go there, I want to see Donald Trump reestablish the relationship we should have with the only true democracy in the Middle East," he said.
"I think we ought to move the embassy to Jerusalem or wherever the Israelis want it – because these guys have stood behind us, they've stood with us, they were on the forefront of this war against radical Islam, and it's about time we start treating our allies like allies and our enemies like enemies, instead of the other way around."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.