The President’s Inbox

A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for Liberal Realism, With Charles A. Kupchan

Jul 30, 2024

Charles A. Kupchan, a senior fellow at CFR and international affairs professor at Georgetown University, discusses U.S. grand strategy amidst great power competition. He emphasizes the need to blend traditional realism with domestic influences to adapt foreign policy. Kupchan explores the evolution from isolationism to liberal internationalism, the challenges of multipolarity, and U.S. relations with rising powers like China and India. Ultimately, he advocates for a coherent strategy that balances competition, cooperation, and internal political stability.

37:35

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Episode guests

Charles A. Kupchan

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Quick takeaways

The U.S. must adapt its grand strategy to effectively navigate the complexities of a multipolar world while balancing domestic priorities.

A moderate foreign policy approach that emphasizes selective engagement and collaboration is vital for addressing global challenges and maintaining public support.

Deep dives

Defining Grand Strategy

Grand strategy serves as the essential framework that policymakers utilize to direct their diplomatic and military efforts. It functions as a guiding blueprint, helping to align a country’s strategic objectives with its economic, military, and political resources. Without a well-defined grand strategy, decisions become reactive rather than proactive, risking misaligned resources and objectives in an unpredictable world. Effective grand strategies also evolve with the geopolitical landscape, demanding adaptability to ensure they remain relevant amidst rapidly changing international dynamics.

Power Translates: Economics to Military

01:31

Grand Strategy Shapes Statecraft

01:27

Intro

3min

Navigating the Complexities of Grand Strategy and Realism

4min

Understanding International Power Dynamics

3min

Evolution of U.S. Grand Strategy: From Isolationism to Liberal Internationalism

3min

Navigating Multipolarity: U.S. Foreign Policy Challenges

25min

Charles A. Kupchan, a senior fellow at CFR and a professor of international affairs at Georgetown University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the United States should adapt to an era of renewed great power competition and domestic disagreement over what it should seek to achieve abroad. This episode is the third in a special TPI series on U.S. grand strategy.

Mentioned on the Episode

"A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for Liberal Internationalism, With John Ikenberry,” The President’s Inbox

Richard Haass, Foreign Policy Begins at Home: The Case for Putting America’s House in Order

Charles A. Kupchan, Isolationism: A History of America’s Efforts to Shield Itself From the World

Jake Sullivan, "Renewing American Economic Leadership”

Jake Sullivan, “The Sources of American Power: A Foreign Policy for a Changed World,” Foreign Affairs

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/new-us-grand-strategy-case-liberal-realism-charles-kupchan