Results for:
Alexander Cooley

The World Cup Amplified Old Tensions and Deferred to New Politics

Analysis
by Alexander Cooley

FIFA is increasingly bending to host countries on domestic politics, raising questions about whether global sporting events can still function as unifying forces.

President DonaldTrump walks onto the stage for the trophy presentation during the World Cup final
Abbie Parr / AP
Sports Diplomacy

Beyond Defense Spending: What's at Stake for NATO in Ankara

Analysis
by Coauthors

Ahead of the 2026 NATO Summit, Council experts examine deeper fractures over threat perception, alliance trust, and Washington's commitment.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks after a meeting of NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels
Virginia Mayo / AP
Global Politics

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a Pitch for Global Politics

Analysis
by Coauthors

With the tournament set to kick off at a moment of geopolitical strain, authoritarian powers are seizing an opportunity.

AT&T Stadium, where upcoming World Cup soccer matches are scheduled to be played
Tony Gutierrez / AP
Global Politics

Why Hungary's Election is a 'Test Case' for the EU

Analysis
by Alexander Cooley

Prime Minister Victor Orbán’s fate may signal whether democratic backsliding is reversible.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán speaks during a countryside campaign tour
Denes Erdos / AP
Global Politics

The Age of Kleptocracy

In the News
Foreign Affairs
Alexander Cooley

"US foreign policy is now largely subordinate to the private interests of the president and his retainers," Council Senior Nonresident Fellow Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon write.

A gold presidential seal in the Oval Office
Alex Brandon / AP
US Foreign Policy

Olympic Officials Want the Games to Be Politically Neutral—Can They Be?

Analysis
by Alexander Cooley

By barring Russian athletes from competing under the Russian flag, the International Olympic Committee demonstrated its power as a global norm-maker. Now, sporting federation leaders are seeking to distance their games from geopolitics.

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych holds up his crash helmet during a press conference following a skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.
Steve Moore / AP
Global Politics

Trump Admin Reveals First-of-Its-Kind Funding Data in Elite College Crackdown

In the News
Axios
Alexander Cooley

Senior Nonresident Fellow Alexander Cooley tells Axios that the Department of Education painting foreign funds to US colleges as a national security issue is "misleading."

 President Donald Trump holds a signed an executive order relating to school discipline policies as Education Secretary Linda McMahon stands behind him at the Oval Office.
Alex Brandon / AP
US Foreign Policy

What Trump's Attack on Venezuela Means for the Region and the World

Analysis
by Coauthors

The US military captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during a large-scale strike. Experts assess what the unprecedented US intervention means for Venezuela, US foreign policy, and regional and global stability.

Supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro embrace in downtown Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country.
Cristian Hernandez / AP
Global Politics

Even in Retreat, America Will Remain Globally Consequential

Analysis
by Alexander Cooley

The world will continue to watch the outcomes of US elections, cultural conflicts, and social protests, which will shape global debates about justice, identity, education, and democratic possibility.

A person in a crowd holds a pole with the American flag hung upside down
Carolyn Kaster / AP
Global Politics

Predictions and Reflections on America at 250

Analysis
by Coauthors

In advance of the the Council's America at 250 Global Forum, experts share how changes in American leadership, alliances, and global engagement shaped the nation’s first 250 years—and what the current moment reveals about the next.

The US Capitol with its reflection in water
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
Global Politics