In foreign policy, Carter projected weakness, seemingly on purpose. Carter put in big cuts in defense. Trump has increased defense. It was that very obvious weakness that resulted in the embassy in Iran being taken hostage - which is why I’m astounded by people here saying Trump should signal we won’t do anything in response to anything Iran does. He stopped the Ford administration’s plan to deploy intermediate range ballistic missiles in Europe to counter the Soviet Union’s deployment of such missiles aimed at Western Europe. Reagan once again went forward with the plan, over huge protests by European leftists and “peace movement” types. In response the Soviets signed a treaty removing their own missiles in exchange for Reagan removing our missiles - known as the “zero zero” option. It was a stunning illustration of Reagan’s theme of “Peace through strength”. Carter would never have had the strength to go through with it in a million years.
Domestically Carter signed the bill to put the Alaskan ANWAR off limits to oil drilling, which has remained off limits ever since. He put in the idiotic 55 mph speed limit. He refused to deregulate oil (not only prices but other things the government was controlling) resulting in those preposterous gas lines and west coast oil shortages. To his credit he did deregulate other things. And of course he was resolutely opposed to a tax cut.
“Carter put in big cuts in defense.”
The US military was far larger under Carter. Ships. Tanks. Fighters. Bombers. Nukes.
Every element of of military power was higher under Carter. Both when he entered office, and when he left.
And it was Nixon who established the 55 mph speed limit.