The Empty Throne: America's Abdication of Global Leadership

PAST EVENT VIDEO

Lecture

Council President Ivo Daalder and James M. Lindsay discussed their new book, The Empty Throne: America's Abdication of Global Leadership.

Speakers

Ivo H. Daalder
James M. Lindsay
Steve Edwards

Event Date

October 25, 2018

About this event

Council President Ivo Daalder and James M. Lindsay, senior vice president and director of studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, discuss their new book The Empty Throne: America's Abdication of Global Leadership—an inside look at President Trump’s foreign policy and its implication for global order.

Has America relinquished its global leadership role? From the ruins of World War II the United States led the creation of an international order based on strong alliances, free and open markets, and a commitment to democracy and human rights. But today this order, and the historic peace and prosperity it has underpinned for seven decades, is unravelling—a process that has dramatically accelerated since the election of President Trump and his America First agenda. What does this new foreign policy outlook mean for America’s influence and security? How might the rest of the world respond as the US abandons the institutions and agreements it once established?

About the Speakers

Ivo H. Daalder

CEO, Chicago Council on Global Affairs

Ivo H. Daalder served as the US ambassador to NATO from 2009 to 2013. He joined the Council as president in 2013 and took on the new role of CEO in 2023. Previously, he was a senior fellow in foreign policy studies at the Brookings Institution and served as director for European affairs on President Bill Clinton’s National Security Council. He is the author or editor of 10 books.

James M. Lindsay

Senior Vice President, Council on Foreign Relations

James M. Lindsay is senior vice president, director of studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg chair at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Steve Edwards

Managing Director, Koya Partners

Steve Edwards is managing director of Koya Partners, and served as chief content officer and interim CEO at WBEZ.