As the world faces complex economic, political, and security challenges, it will require a steady hand. Diplomats must be ready to defuse crises before they erupt into armed conflict, but they also need to be able to advance their nation’s interests in ways that avoid war. That’s where foreign policy comes in, a set of strategies that defines how a country engages the rest of the world.
The United States emerged from the battlefields of World War II as a global power with unquestioned military and economic superiority, but it needed to transform its unparalleled strength into influence that would benefit others as much as it did itself. It did so by creating international institutions and regimes to promote economic recovery, development, and security that preserved American power but spread its benefits more widely.
Today, the United States must face threats ranging from Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and the war in Gaza to China’s expanding presence in the Pacific. In addition, the consequences of climate change, population migration, food insecurity, and poverty are global problems that can’t be solved by any single nation or region.
The Biden administration’s priorities are in line with broad conceptions of democracy promotion and a commitment to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs of sovereign nations, but there are growing partisan differences on other issues like finding a solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and maintaining a balance of power against Russia and China.
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