The Global Re-Order

13 snips

Dec 6, 2025

Guest

Mark T. Esper

In this insightful conversation, Ehud Barak, former Prime Minister of Israel, dives deep into Israel's military strategies in the region. Fareed Zakaria discusses the complexities of U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia amidst human rights concerns. Senator Chris Coons highlights NATO's investment and critiques cuts to USAID. David Petraeus emphasizes the need for military modernization in light of global conflicts, while Samantha Power warns of the humanitarian consequences of prioritizing politics. The dialogue navigates pressing international challenges, from Iran's nuclear ambitions to the U.S.-China rivalry.

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INSIGHT

Postwar Order Under Strain

The panel sees 2025 as a year when global order rapidly shifted and old institutions weakened.
Leaders note President Trump's actions and broader rightward shifts in Western electorates reshaped alliances and norms.

ADVICE

Prioritize Fentanyl Supply Cuts

Targeting fentanyl precursor exports to Mexico can save thousands of American lives, Fareed argues.
Policymakers should prioritize reducing fentanyl flows alongside other foreign-policy goals.

INSIGHT

Defense Buildup Amid Trade Uncertainty

Increased defense spending globally and a China trade framework mark strategic shifts.
But U.S. tariffs have created global uncertainty and damaged alliances.

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As we approach a full year of the Trump administration, the president has transformed the world order. Old institutions like NATO, the United Nations and the World Trade Organization are diminished, even in doubt, and the old trade regime and assumptions about alliances are gone. Relationships are transactional, and soft power is scoffed at. Traditional adversaries like Russia win praise, while there is talk about taking over Canada and Greenland. This is driven not only by those at the top but also by deep shifts to the right in electorates across the West, including in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and elsewhere.

Liberals and liberal values alike seem to be in retreat. Uncertainties dominate: How will China, North Korea and other nations respond to this new world order, and will they see it as an opportunity for adventurism?

In this discussion, we asked: Where are we now? And what are the real-world ramifications of these policies, and are they lasting?

Panelists: Ehud Barak, Former Prime Minister of Israel; Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware and a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; Mark T. Esper, Former U.S. Secretary of Defense; Avril Haines, Former U.S. Director of National Intelligence; David H. Petraeus, Partner at KKR, Chairman of the KKR Global Institute, Chairman of the KKR Middle East Global Institute New York and Former Director of the C.I.A.; Samantha Power, Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Former Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development; Fareed Zakaria, Host of “Fareed Zakaria GPS” on CNN

Moderator: Nicholas Kristof, Opinion Columnist at The New York Times

Filmed live at the 2025 DealBook Summit

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