During last year’s presidential campaign, President Trump’s America First doctrine was described as an argument for changing America’s actions at home and abroad while departing from the US postwar order that Trump argued left many US workers behind. This markedly different platform created uncertainty in world affairs, giving policymakers in Washington and elsewhere plenty of heartburn as they strove to make sense of the new policy.

In his first days in office, President Trump made good on his pledge to withdraw the US from the 12-nation TransPacific Partnership trade deal, describing the withdrawal as “a great thing for the American worker”. It was a clear signal to free traders in the US and overseas that the new President was following through on campaign promises to institute drastic change to trade practices that he argued were harmful to American manufacturing and jobs.

Yet, on matters of foreign affairs and national security policy, the President’s actions of late indicate a return to conventional US practices as the White House encounters the realities facing the country, its allies and interests. As events unfold, these policy changes will likely garner the support of internationalists, “establishment Republicans” (whom Trump rallied against during last year’s campaign) and US partners.

Syria is one such example. The US Tomahawk missile strike against the Shayrat airbase in response to President Bashar al-Assad’s April 4 chemical weapons attack that killed over 100 civilians is a case in point.

This recent action in Syria is a dramatic reversal of President Trump’s campaign rhetoric against US entanglement in the Syrian Civil War. It is also likely to provide reassurance to America’s Gulf Arab partners of US involvement against the Assad regime when certain red lines are crossed.

To the relief of many, Mr. Trump has also changed course on NATO and Russia. At a April 13 news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, President Trump did a 180 on his prior hostility to NATO, stating that NATO is “no longer obsolete”. During an interview that same day with the Fox Business Network, President Trump changed his prior complimentary tone on Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticising him for his loyalty to Syrian President Assad, stating that it was “very bad” for Russia, “mankind” and “very bad for the world."

Regarding China – one of then-candidate Trump’s favorite targets of criticism during last year’s campaign – President Trump has softened his tone and even been praiseworthy of Beijing. He backed down on campaign commitments to label China as a currency manipulator, stating to the Wall Street Journal on April 12, “they’re (China) not currency manipulators”.

The President also referred to his and Chinese President Xi’s “good bonding” following what is widely regarded as a successful introductory meeting between the two leaders at Mar-a-Lago on April 6-7. This in addition to President Trump expressing his openness to making trade concessions to Beijing in exchange for help with North Korea.

Asia-Pacific states have viewed the initial Trump-Xi meeting with cautious optimism and hope that the two powers can make headway on the North Korea nuclear crisis and other looming challenges. They are also encouraged by Vice President Pence’s recent trip to South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Australia for purposes of assuring local partners of Washington’s commitment to the region.

For his part, President Trump has argued that his policy reversals on China have yielded benefits, noting China’s abstention from a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning the chemical attack on civilians in Syria as well as China’s turning back of North Korean coal-carrying cargo ships, characterizing it as a "big step" on the road towards cracking down Pyongyang.

It also bears noting that Trump’s bustling and full schedule as chief diplomat can also be seen as a partial departure from the America First doctrine. To the approval of many mainstream Republicans in Congress, in his first 100 days in office the President has played the part of an active internationalist, hosting for discussions leaders from key US partner countries, most notably the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Israel, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Italy.

Some view the President’s reversals as the signs of a leader changing his views as he obtains a deeper understanding of the issues, while others believe that it indicates that traditionalists like National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis are edging out advisor Steve Bannon for influence. Regardless, many are breathing sighs of relief as they see Mr. Trump adopt a more conventional US foreign policy.

The writer is an Instructor of Political Science at Central Texas College, Camp Pendleton, California.