By: Abby Finkenauer

Read in: Des Moines Register

When President Donald Trump comes to Iowa on Jan. 27, he will be greeted by smiling elected officials, rehearsed applause, and familiar slogans. What he won’t confront or address is the reality Iowans are living through right now: an economy under strain, rising costs driven by instability, and a foreign policy in free fall that has been hurting families, farmers, and businesses across the state.

As a former member of Congress and former State Department official, I’ve watched this past year with growing alarm and, quite frankly, horror. Trump’s return to office has brought chaos back to U.S. economic and foreign policy and Iowa, once again, is paying part of that price.

Global markets thrive on stability. Farmers, manufacturers, and exporters need predictability. Instead, we are living under constant uncertainty driven by impulsive decisions, threats of new tariffs, withdrawal from international institutions, and the systematic dismantling of America’s diplomatic infrastructure. Iowa’s economy is deeply tied to the world from agricultural exports to manufacturing supply chains and when the United States lurches from crisis to crisis, Iowans may not always see it, but it ends up felt in record-high farm bankruptcies and in bottom lines across the state.

Costs are rising. Markets are jittery. Allies are pulling away. And American leadership, the kind that prevents conflict, stabilizes trade, and keeps prices in check is being actively dismantled.

At the State Department, I saw how diplomacy works when it’s taken seriously and how quickly things unravel when it’s treated as expendable. Over the past year, this administration has hollowed out diplomatic expertise, sidelined professionals, and walked away from long-standing partnerships. That doesn’t make America stronger. It makes us isolated, less informed, and more vulnerable to economic shocks that land squarely on working families.

Foreign policy failure doesn’t stay overseas. It shows up in disrupted supply chains, higher fuel and food costs, and lost export opportunities. It shows up when Iowa farmers can’t rely on stable markets and when businesses hesitate to invest because the rules could change overnight.

What’s especially concerning, especially from my vantage point as a former member of Congress, is what hasn’t happened here at home and in D.C.: oversight.

Iowa’s federal delegation has a constitutional responsibility to serve as a check on executive power. Over the past year, they have refused to do so. Instead of asking hard questions about trade disruptions, diplomatic withdrawals, human rights violations or economic fallout, they’ve chosen silence. Instead of standing up for Iowans, they’ve chosen photo ops with the man driving it all into the ground.

On Tuesday, Jan. 27, many of them will stand on a stage with the president, smiling, applauding, and pretending everything is fine, while Iowans and humanity shoulder the consequences of instability and neglect.

That silence matters. When Congress abdicates its oversight role, policies go unchecked and damage compounds. When elected officials prioritize party loyalty over accountability, voters lose their voice and their leverage.

Now, through my work with The Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice alongside former ambassadors and envoys, I am part of a growing group of leaders warning that America is rapidly losing the trust of its allies and the credibility that underpins global stability and human rights. When allies walk away, when cooperation collapses, and when diplomacy is replaced with threats and withdrawals, the economic consequences are inevitable and they often hit states like Iowa hardest.

Trump’s visit may generate headlines, but it won’t change the facts on the ground. Iowans are facing higher costs, greater uncertainty, and a federal delegation unwilling to do its job.

Leadership isn’t about applause lines or staged appearances. It’s about responsibility, oversight, and an understanding that foreign policy, human rights and economic well-being are inseparable.

Iowans deserve better than smiles while they suffer and they deserve leaders who will speak up, not stand silently on the sidelines.

Abby Finkenauer is co-founder and principal at The Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice, a former member of Congress, former U.S Special Envoy for Global Youth at U.S. Department of State, and a former Iowa state representative.