The Just Security Podcast

What’s Next for U.S. Diplomacy and Foreign Assistance?

May 19, 2025
Daniel Fried, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council, Daphna H. Rand, a former Assistant Secretary of State, and Michael Schiffer, a former USAID Administrator, dive into the transformative changes in U.S. diplomacy. They discuss the proposed reorganization of the State Department and the potential merging of USAID, unpacking the implications for foreign assistance and U.S. diplomatic effectiveness. The guests emphasize the importance of expertise and collaboration amid geopolitical challenges while cautioning against the risks of reducing foreign aid and sidelining experienced diplomats.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Reorg Risks Undermining Diplomacy

  • The State Department reorganization risks undermining the integrated diplomacy functions essential to U.S. foreign policy.
  • Diminishing soft power and interconnected roles may weaken America's global engagement.
INSIGHT

Selective Pruning Has Limits

  • Pruning redundant single-issue offices can improve efficiency marginally and preserve strategic regional bureaus.
  • Cutting counter-disinformation tools and U.S. assistance programs harms critical strategic capabilities.
INSIGHT

Reorg Timing Risks U.S. Margin Loss

  • Aligning foreign assistance with regional bureaus could streamline policy, but lack of expertise and chaos risks inefficiency.
  • The world is moving fast, and slow reorganization could cause U.S. diplomatic sidelining during critical periods.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app