US domestic politics

Analysing key issues, the role of the president in shaping US domestic policy, and how domestic policy influences foreign policy and vice-versa.

Major issues currently for US domestic policy include gun control and firearms ownership, surveillance operations within the country as a counterterrorism measure, social security, welfare and healthcare, as well as immigration and drugs enforcement.

The actions of the president also have a major impact on US domestic policy, especially in terms of the law and the economy. And presidential responsibilities such as setting the annual federal budget, proposing tax increases or cuts, and influencing foreign trade policy help determine how much money is available for US domestic programmes.

David Weigel and Clare Malone join the podcast to discuss the debate in Philadelphia between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

Pollsters say domestic issues will decide the contest in November. Yet the debate showed that America’s international standing and its future global role are still central to this election.

Relations between big tech, policymakers and the online accountability community have become hostile and politicized, degrading efforts to combat disinformation.

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz disembark from a blue and red bus.

Harris’s energizing candidacy means her words on Gaza are being carefully scrutinized by those hopeful for a new direction. But policy change is unlikely before the election.

This digital initiative of the US and the Americas Programme focuses principally on research reflecting the changing international role of the United States.

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Smoke rises from the chimneys of the coal-fuelled Oak Grove Power Plant in Robertson County, Texas.

The outcome of the US election is consequential for the global climate agenda, through its potential impact on environmental governance and perhaps more importantly, its consequences for global trade and tensions.

Tim Walz has been embraced by both moderates and progressives in the Democratic party, but what impact will Kamala Harris’s VP pick have on the outcome of the race?

Biden repaired damage to US leadership, delivered economic recovery, and rallied support for Ukraine. The Democratic Party must now unite to protect these achievements.

The former president has united Republicans under a MAGA agenda and a path to victory. But this extraordinary election may soon shift trajectory.

President Biden struggled to reassure an ambivalent public while Donald Trump played fast and loose with the facts.

Foreign policy played a prominent part in Biden’s efforts to distinguish his vision from Donald Trump – in a campaigning and fiery speech.

Divisions over key foreign policy issues, from the war in Ukraine to Gaza, could play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.

There is a growing divide in US society and politics along old civil war battle lines – and the election could make things worse.

America and Europe have been sent a clear warning about the risks of a second Trump presidency. But world leaders still have a chance to influence things for the better.

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From major elections to the AI boom, here are the issues six of our expert contributors expect to make the news in the year ahead.

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How Republican and Democrat opponents tackle the Trumpist radicalized right will determine whether democratic norms survive, writes Leslie Vinjamuri.

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‘Diversionary war’ and goosing the economy may be tempting routes for Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak and others seeking to retain office in 2024 – beware, writes Daniel Drezner.

That is not easy when Republicans see electoral advantage in attacking him as ‘soft on China’.

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Daniel Drezner introduces his new column and explains how he will address populism, climate change, the global economy and much more through a US lens.

Republican attacks on the president as ‘soft on China’ feed into criticism of his climate policy and support for Ukraine, eroding bipartisan alignment.

China’s assertiveness has paved the way for US–India cooperation. But the growing alignment between these two states also rests on a broad critique of the contemporary international order.

Protesters from AIDS activist group Act Up at HQ of the Food and Drug Administration in Maryland, USA, in 1988

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On June 5, 1981, the first account of what became HIV/Aids appeared. But a prompt medical reaction was undermined by political apathy, writes Harold Jaffe.

Ukrainian citizens and supporters attend a demonstration in front of the US Consulate General in Krakow, Poland on 10 February 2023.

Growing public opinion evidence and uncertainty about the future of the war suggests that continued American support for aiding Ukraine should not be assumed.

The timing of the State of the Union address is significant as Joe Biden tries to maintain focus on Ukraine and China while navigating partisanship at home.

Joe Biden has presided over the best midterm election results by a party in power in two decades, but the future for the Republican Party leadership is now uncertain.

The 2022 midterms have a heightened importance with long-term implications for the future of American democracy.

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States may be looking to build or restore nuclear plants, but they will need to bypass Chinese and Russian sector dominance, says Sung-Mi Kim.

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The outcome could threaten the fight against climate change and the future of democracy itself, warns Leslie Vinjamuri.

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The political historian talks to Mike Higgins about how Donald Trump has transformed the US midterm elections and the Republican party’s lurch further right.

Chatham House experts examine the implications for Taiwan, China and the United States of Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island.

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In the second of a series on the impact of the Roe v Wade ruling, we assess the economic and political damage that America’s right may unleash

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America’s hard-right has successfully played a long game at home, and now it’s schmoozing Europe. We should be worried, says Catherine Fieschi

Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell walks down a hallway

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Elaine Kamarck warns the former president’s rash words could cost him the 2024 Republican nomination

Americans are voicing their support for Ukraine. But in the face of inflation, rising prices and partisan divides, public opinion may change.

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Gabriella Cook Francis on how Covid has set back gender equality

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This event analyses the implications of the US election on the future of America’s global role.

This roundtable will explore transformations in the US conservative movement and the future of the Republican party in the US.

In a critical election year, experts look at the threats to American democracy.

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Experts and analysts discuss the likely outcomes ahead of the US presidential election. A reception will immediately follow this event.

What will the US election result mean for the US and for the world?

The tenth annual conference explores new ideas on how European countries can best respond to their challenges in security and defence, competitiveness and trade, technology and global influence.