The Good Fight The Good Fight Club: A Warm Welcome for MBS, the Future of MAGA, and Democrat Infighting
Nov 22, 2025
In this discussion, Edward Luce, a Financial Times columnist, critiques the blurred lines between business and politics during Trump's foreign dealings. Russell Muirhead, a government professor, analyzes the shift from institutional politics to a more personal leadership style. Lauren Harper Pope, co-founder of Welcome, argues that Democrats need to refocus on voters' priorities to regain credibility. The panel also tackles MAGA's future, GOP divisions, and the centrist strategies needed to navigate America’s polarized political landscape.
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Transactional Statecraft Replaces Institutional Diplomacy
- Trump's warm welcome for MBS reveals a personal, transactional style of statecraft over institutional diplomacy.
- Edward Luce and Russell Muirhead argue this blurs public and private interests and undermines traditional state norms.
A New Foreign Policy: Decrees Over Doctrine
- Trump's foreign policy mixes a genuine 'America First' break with a degradation of the policy state into decrees.
- The result is ambitious personal deals without clear principles or institutional backing.
Tariffs And Transactional Leverage
- Tariffs and transactional deals are central levers in Trump's global approach, not a coherent China strategy.
- His administration pairs protectionist economics with selective military expansion under personal command.
