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This left many of Trump’s media critics red in the face, smoke-from-the-ears outraged that this American president has the audacity to consider American interests and demand a price for America’s goodwill.

“Blunder,” said Daniel Kurtz-Phelan of New York magazine. “Trump’s Cuba policy will fail,” proclaimed The Atlantic (in a piece written by none other than admitted liar and echo-chamber manipulator Ben Rhodes). Trump’s assertive foreign policy seems alien to those who approach international politics from a planefuls-of-cash paradigm.

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President Trump is demanding recognition of basic human rights that Obama should be ashamed he didn’t demand himself. When Obama made the one-sided deal with Cuba, the word echoed by 27-year-old reporters was “historic.” The sentiment being, “OMG! In over 50 years, no president has been able to do this!” They didn’t ask why, but the reason is simple: Obama was the only president in all that time who believed that America’s goodwill is worthless and can be given away to brutal dictators free of charge.

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The BBC reported on Trump’s attempt to negotiate with Cuba like this: “Cuba’s government has denounced U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to roll back on policy changes towards the island nation. However, it says it will still cooperate with its larger neighbour.” That’s exactly as it should be. What would be bad is if the headline read, “Cuba’s government can’t believe its own good luck regarding the U.S. president’s decision to give the Castro regime a get-out-of-sanctions-free card.”

Sen. Mark Warner, a Democratic critic of the new Cuba policy, said Trump’s decision “to reverse progress in U.S.-Cuba relations sends the wrong message to the world about American leadership.” Which message is the wrong message, Senator? That our goodwill isn’t free and unconditional? That after eight years we’ve suddenly decided not to tolerate tyranny? That we can’t be steamrolled anymore? That the days of leading from behind are over?

Foreign leaders are rolling out stairs and meeting Air Force One at the airport because, much to the chagrin of the lead-from-behind crowd, President Trump has brought back American leadership.

Eddie Zipperer is an assistant professor of political science at Georgia Military College and a regular LifeZette contributor.