Alliances have long been one of America's greatest strategic advantages. At 250, the United States must redefine its partnerships for a transformed geopolitical and technological era.
Preventing other nations from growing to retain American greatness will only undermine the value of the dollar. In its 250th year, the United States must learn to distinguish between size and wealth.
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.
"In the 20th century, nationalism was the driving force behind the two world wars that destroyed Europe," Distinguished Fellow Richard Longworth writes. "Now Trump wants to return it to its prewar domination of European politics."
The Trump administration rejects the post-Cold War international order and sets out a new vision in its National Security Strategy. At the Doha Forum, world leaders reckoned with its impact on long-standing alliances and its implications for war and peace.
The use of social media to incite violence in global conflicts and influence foreign elections pushed social platforms to take safety and integrity more seriously. AI companies should take note, Nonresident Senior Fellow Suzanne Nossel and Paolo Carozza write.
Human Rights Day arrives as norms fade, and pressures such as inequality and disinformation are rising. Kenneth Roth explains what’s really at stake.
"The National Security Strategy would suggest [Trump's] not about to come to the primary defense of Ukraine, that he thinks this is clearly Europe's role and Ukraine's role, and there needs to be compromise," Council President and CEO Leslie Vinjamuri says.
"US allies have no choice but to shift their long-term strategies to reduce their dependence on Washington," Nonresident Senior Fellow Paul Poast and Robert E. Kelly write.
