Scott Walker says he doesn’t talk foreign policy abroad – then tweets about it

Wisconsin governor Scott Walker remains unequivocal about his personal policy that he will not discuss foreign policy while abroad, which he reiterated before heading on a second European trade mission of 2015.

But that hasn’t stopped the 2016 Republican presidential hopeful from sending multiple signed tweets directly commenting on foreign policy while overseas this week.

Under questioning, the midwestern governor has made several gaffes when wading into the relatively uncharted waters of global affairs, comparing protesters in Wisconsin to members of the Islamic State and suggested he might support ground troops in Syria. On a trade visit to the UK in February, Walker declined not only talk about foreign policy but even to answer a question about his thoughts on evolution.

On Sunday while in Germany, joining fellow potential Republican candidates in attacking Hillary Clinton following her announcement that she would run for president, Walker sent out a tweet attacking the former secretary of state as “the architect” of what he called Barack Obama’s “failed foreign policy”.

The next day, while still in Germany, Walker urged the Obama administration to change longstanding policy and arm the Ukrainian government in its fight against Russian-backed separatists.

On Thursday, Walker’s wife, who joined him overseas, signed a tweet from the governor’s account to his 117,000 followers, attacking Clinton’s foreign policy “reset” with Russia.

In an interview published Friday ahead of the European tour, Walker told the Associated Press: “I’m old school. I believe in that tradition when you’re on foreign soil you shouldn’t be talking about foreign affairs.”

Longstanding international etiquette for US politicians travelling overseas tends to cover avoiding direct criticism of current US foreign policy and foreign policymakers, not any discussion of international affairs in general.

During Walker’s February stop in London, he declined to answer repeated questions about foreign policy: “For me, commenting on foreign policy or economic policy in a country where you’re a visitor is not the polite thing.”

Both that trip to the UK and Walker’s current visit to Europe were trade missions carried out in his role as Wisconsin governor; the social media posts came from a Twitter account affiliated with his political committee.

In response to an inquiry from the Guardian, a Walker aide pointed out that the Wisconsin governor “didn’t criticize the president”.

Asked whether the statement attributed to the governor about Clinton’s perceived continuation of “Obama’s failed foreign policy” could be construed as criticism, the Walker aide, who asked to remain anonymous, was more straightforward: “Clearly the intent of that tweet was aimed at Hillary Clinton’s foreign policy decisions.”

During her first week on the campaign trail, Clinton has touted her tenure as secretary of state as a strength, even as Republicans have been busy using it as an early line of attack.