America’s international role

Our experts analyse the two superpowers’ aims as President Trump meets President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

What is the state of US relations with the UK and the rest of NATO? And what political and military decisions lie ahead for European leaders?

From Hormuz to Hungary and the Vatican to the Federal Reserve, it has been an unusually contentious week for the White House, even by the standards of President Trump’s second administration.

The US-Israel war on Iran is straining Trump’s alliances, at home and abroad.

In a special edition of Chatham House’s Independent Thinking podcast recorded at the Munich Security Conference 2026 over the weekend, Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox and Grégoire Roos, Director of the Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes, unpack the key issues that emerged from this year’s forum.

After the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, our analysts discuss where in the Western Hemisphere US President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio may turn their attention to next.

Drugs, migration, China and Venezuela likely to be on the agenda as two outspoken leaders meet in Washington ahead of Colombia’s elections later this year.

Moscow has prioritized the war in Ukraine over its commitments in Venezuela, Syria and Iran as Trump reshapes the world order.

All in one place – region by region and sector by sector – here is a collection of Chatham House expert commentary from our analysts who assess the global ramifications of the new expansionist US foreign policy, politically, economically and legally.

Chatham House’s leading experts in international law, US affairs and South America discuss what President Donald Trump’s attack on Venezuela and capture of President Nicolás Maduro mean for the global order as we – used to – know it.

Tariffs, technological competition and a US drive to carve out hemispheres of influence between the US and China marked the opening months of President Donald Trump’s second term.

Are you an envoy worried about how to adapt as the international system buckles? Then Nicholas Westcott’s guide to diplomatic survival in the new era of hard power is the place to start.

Chatham House experts highlight the crunch moments and potential flashpoints in the year ahead.

A potted selection of reviews from our sister journal ‘International Affairs’, by its book reviews editor Mariana Vieira.

As the legal challenge to Trump’s tariffs reaches the US Supreme Court, the outcome could have far-reaching consequences for global trade and beyond.

The president’s accomplishment in bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza is welcome. But without diplomatic engagement, a cornered and wounded Iran could undermine longer term peace.

US democratic backsliding and diminished support for global norms may undermine investor confidence in the US and affect the ability of American companies to do business abroad.

At the UN General Assembly this week, the Trump administration will seek to undermine and weaken elements of the UN system. The question is, will it also want to rebuild it?

The United States’ withdrawal from its international role will not result in global collapse, argues Amitav Acharya. Instead, we are on the verge of a ‘multiplex’ order, in which ‘re-globalization’ is led by Asia and Global South nations increasingly deploy non-alignment to get what they want.

China is advancing where the US is retreating. James Kynge and Samir Puri join Bronwen Maddox on Chatham House’s weekly podcast.

A move to create US open-source AI is a surprise – and a possible opportunity for middle powers like the UK.

The US will hit three self-imposed deadlines this summer: on tariffs, international organizations and the debt ceiling. Administration choices will make it clearer how President Trump sees the global order – and harder to argue that the fundamentals of US strength are undamaged.

As NATO allies meet in The Hague, US military action in Iran and Trump’s attempts to secure a ceasefire risk taking the focus away from European NATO members’ key priorities.

Washington is at risk of letting Israel drive the agenda in the Middle East, with potentially disastrous consequences.

Ahead of Chatham House’s London Conference, director Bronwen Maddox writes that a major theme will be how countries are adapting to the shifting global roles of the United States and China.

The US Court of International Trade’s ruling against Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs provides another sign that his agenda will encounter more political, legal, and civic challenges in his second 100 days.

The US prioritizing bilateral talks with Iran over nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) negotiations could lead to contradictions in implementation and put the treaty at risk.

Presented with a binary choice between US and Chinese technology, middle powers must balance realism and ambition in maintaining sovereignty over their technology.

The International Monetary Fund needs finances and governance that reflect the underlying balance in the world economy if it is to remain universal and effective.

US tariffs add to the sense of an increasingly unpredictable and unreliable partner. Allies in Europe and the Pacific are questioning foundational assumptions about their security arrangements as a result.

With the new US national security strategy demanding greater burden-sharing by Japan and South Korea, officials and policymakers in all three countries must focus on delivering tangible benefits if they are to sustain their trilateral partnership.

South Korea’s new government faces difficult choices in managing its ties with the US, China and North Korea. This paper explores how Seoul can learn from the policies of past governments to balance its commitments to Washington with wider global ambitions.

The increased use of sanctions in recent years has caused growing concern about the efficacy and unintended consequences of these measures. This paper looks at how to improve the implementation of sanctions.

As the Trump administration turns away from the US-led post-war international order, how are other states envisioning ‘international order’ and what are their plans for adapting to new realities?

More cohesive international engagement is needed to support stability in Ethiopia and Sudan and resolve damaging cross-border disputes that jeopardize security and development across the Horn of Africa.

With consistent and long-term support from the US, the Abraham Accords could have a transformative impact on Middle East economic cooperation and regional security.

This paper assesses plans for investment in a sustainable economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, and examines how such efforts could transform international development cooperation.

The Trade and Technology Council (TTC) has become the main platform for US–EU trade and tech cooperation. But the US and the EU must turn ambitions into tangible outcomes if the TTC is to tackle significant global issues.

Europe and the US recognize that their policies and strategies on the Indo-Pacific need to be more coherent. Existing structures such as the G7 and the Quad could become key forums for enhanced cooperation.

In 2021 G7 leaders pledged to build back a better world. They now need to redouble their efforts to make sure that this ambition is fulfilled.

The rise of China is one of the greatest challenges for the transatlantic relationship. Despite similar concerns, fundamental differences could prevent a joined-up European and US approach.

This paper offers a public policy ‘toolkit’ for governments in the US and Europe to support firms in securing resilient and sustainable supply chains

This paper takes a closer look at how South Korea manages its economic and security relations with the US and China in the context of increased rivalry.

This paper takes a closer look at the EU’s approach to China and how this may change as US–China tensions intensify.

Important political shifts in 2021 could bring greater clarity on Germany’s changing China policy, no matter who succeeds Angela Merkel as chancellor, writes Noah Barkin.

Getting to a security framework for the Middle East needs the buy-in of all regional actors, enabled by critical external partners. The time to act is now, argue Sanam Vakil and Neil Quilliam.

China’s expansion into the Indo-Pacific is meeting growing resistance from a range of countries that are looking to further their own interests in the region.

The authors of this paper consider the most pressing foreign policy challenges for the next US president, and examine how the outcome of the 2020 election will affect these.

A modernized and fully functioning WTO is more essential than ever. This paper makes the case for transatlantic cooperation as a necessary condition for reform.

This paper examines the risks of greater strategic competition as well as potential solutions for mitigating the impacts of the US–China economic confrontation.

In the context of recent developments, this paper reviews US President Donald Trump’s Iran strategy and explores possible pathways to a new nuclear agreement with the Islamic Republic.

Despite significant financial expenditure and thousands of lives lost, a fundamental shift in policy remains unimaginable at present.

In the first of a new annual series, Chatham House experts examine how aspects of the established order in global affairs are shifting.

If a new trade policy framework can be developed, Trump’s presidency could offer a chance to move the debate forward and actually strengthen global trade.