The Grand Strategy Sessions

Christopher Preble, Director of the Reimagining U.S. Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center, joins Emma Ashford to discuss the decline of U.S. relative power and the need for a more realistic foreign policy. They explore the necessity to prioritize Americans' security and reorient alliances to serve U.S. interests. Preble critiques the current grand strategy as outdated for a multipolar world, while Ashford advocates for focused engagement in Asia and Latin America and a balanced approach to economic statecraft, highlighting the limits of sanctions.

In this discussion, Jeremy Shapiro, Director of Research at the European Council on Foreign Relations, explores the evolving landscape of U.S. foreign policy amid declining unipolarity. He highlights the need for strategic discipline and prioritization, amidst a political climate where Democratic candidates seek emotionally resonant narratives. Jeremy also reveals how U.S. parties often lack coherent foreign policies, emphasizing the importance of adapting domestic cultural stories to shape foreign policy effectively.

The Strategy Sessions is a limited-run podcast hosted by Emma Ashford, a senior fellow with the Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center. Today, Emma talks with Jennifer Lind, an associate professor of Government at Dartmouth College. Emma and Jenny discuss prioritization, burden shifting, and how a strong progressive grand strategy can benefit the wider U.S. foreign policy debate.Emma and Jenny’s discussion is part of the New Visions for Grand Strategy Project, a collection of essays, videos, and podcasts in which out-of-the box thinkers discuss the future of U.S. foreign policy.*The  Strategy Sessions Podcast is hosted by the Stimson Center and produced by University FM.Show Links:Emma Ashford, First Among Equals: U.S. Foreign Policy for a Multipolar World (Yale University Press, 2025Jennifer Lind and Daryl G. Press, “Strategies of Prioritization: American Foreign Policy After Primacy,” Foreign Affairs, June 24, 2025Jennifer Lind  “To Build the World, Build the Strategy: Progressive US Foreign Policy” in New Visions for Grand Strategy, edited by Emma Ashford and Nevada Joan Lee,The Stimson Center. Washington, D.C., USA Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Strategy Sessions is a limited-run podcast hosted by Emma Ashford, a senior fellow with the Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center. Today, Emma talks with Julia Gledhill, a research analyst with the National Security Reform Program also at the Stimson Center. Emma and Julia discuss the state of the U.S. defense industry, current proposals for Pentagon acquisition reforms, and how partial nationalization of U.S. defense companies could help remove constraints on strategic decision-making. Emma and Julia’s discussion is part of the New Visions for Grand Strategy Project, a collection of essays, videos, and podcasts in which out-of-the box thinkers discuss the future of U.S. foreign policy.*The  Strategy Sessions Podcast is hosted by the Stimson Center and produced by University FM.Show Links:Emma Ashford, First Among Equals: U.S. Foreign Policy for a Multipolar World (Yale University Press, 2025)Julia Gledhill, “The Ugly Truth about the Permanent War Economy,” The Stimson Center, December 2, 2024Julia Gledhill, “Recognizing Reality: The Case for Nationalizing the US Arms Industry“ in New Visions for Grand Strategy, edited by Emma Ashford and Nevada Joan Lee, The Stimson Center. Washington, D.C., USA Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Strategy Sessions is a limited-run podcast hosted by Emma Ashford, a senior fellow with the Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center. Today, Emma talks with Mohammed Soliman, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. Emma and Mohammed discuss why American leaders need to focus not only on designing the future – but building it, how industrial policy ties into foreign policy, and what role AI and new innovations might play in shaping America’s role abroad.Emma and Mohammed’s discussion is part of the New Visions for Grand Strategy Project, a collection of essays, videos, and podcasts in which out-of-the box thinkers discuss the future of U.S. foreign policy.*The  Strategy Sessions Podcast is hosted by the Stimson Center and produced by University FM.Show Links:Emma Ashford, First Among Equals: U.S. Foreign Policy for a Multipolar World (Yale University Press, 2025)Mohammed Soliman, West Asia: A New American Grand Strategy in the Middle East (Polity Press, Forthcoming) Mohammed Soliman, “A Techno-Industrial Strategy for the Exponential Age“in New Visions for Grand Strategy, edited by Emma Ashford and Nevada Joan Lee,The Stimson Center. Washington, D.C., USA Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Strategy Sessions is a limited-run podcast hosted by Emma Ashford, a senior fellow with the Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center. Today, Emma talks with Michael Brenes, the director of the Brady Johnson Program on Grand Strategy and a lecturer in history at Yale University. Emma and Mike discuss what internationalism might look like after this administration, how cooperation rather than competition might lead the U.S. to greater success vis-a-vis China, and why American primacy might be a fool’s errand going forward.Emma and Mike’s discussion is part of the New Visions for Grand Strategy Project, a collection of essays, videos, and podcasts in which out-of-the-box thinkers discuss the future of U.S. foreign policy.We apologize for the poor audio qualities in parts of this episode due to unexpected technical difficulties.*The  Strategy Sessions Podcast is hosted by the Stimson Center and produced by University FM.Show Links:Emma Ashford, First Among Equals: U.S. Foreign Policy for a Multipolar World (Yale University Press, 2025)Michael Brenes and Van Jackson, The Rivalry Peril: How Great-Power Competition THreatens Peace and Weakens Democracy (Yale University Press, 2025)Michael Brenes, “After the Age of Trump: Rejecting Competition“ in New Visions for Grand Strategy, edited by Emma Ashford and Nevada Joan Lee,The Stimson Center. Washington, D.C., USA Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Strategy Sessions is a limited-run podcast hosted by Emma Ashford, a senior fellow with the Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center. Today, Emma talks with Ali Wyne, a senior advisor for U.S.-China relations at the International Crisis Group. Emma and Ali discuss the psychological challenges posed by a resurgent China, why anxiety is a harmful driving force for foreign policy discussions, and how the rise of China might actually present U.S. policymakers with opportunities. Emma and Ali’s discussion is part of the New Visions for Grand Strategy Project, a collection of essays, videos, and podcasts in which out-of-the-box thinkers discuss the future of U.S. foreign policy.*The  Strategy Sessions Podcast is hosted by the Stimson Center and produced by University FM.Show Links:Emma Ashford, First Among Equals: U.S. Foreign Policy for a Multipolar World (Yale University Press, 2025)Ali Wyne, America’s Great-Power Opportunity: Revitalizing U.S. Foreign Policy to Meet the Challenges of Strategic Competition (Polity Press, 2022)Michael Beckley, “A Free World That Works” in New Visions for Grand Strategy, edited by Emma Ashford and Nevada Joan Lee,The Stimson Center. Washington, D.C., USA Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sumantra Maitra, a senior writer and director of research at The American Conservative, dives into the complex U.S.-Europe relationship. He discusses the concept of offshore balancing and the need for the U.S. to pivot its strategy towards maritime strength. Maitra critiques NATO and the EU's structural problems, emphasizing Germany's pivotal role in burden-sharing. He argues that America's foreign policy should prioritize domestic revitalization in manufacturing and education, challenging the notion that the U.S. must always maintain a favorable international perception.

Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and Princeton lecturer, discusses the future of U.S. foreign policy in a multipolar world. He defines 'fragmented multipolarity' and contrasts military dynamics in different regions. They touch on the necessity for hard strategic choices, advocating for a shift in U.S. commitments towards building flexible coalitions. The conversation highlights the unpredictable nature of U.S. reliability on allies and China’s strategic outreach, while also addressing the risks of nuclear proliferation among allies.

Michael Poznansky, a Professor at the U.S. Naval War College and an expert on international order, discusses renovating the liberal international order. He analyzes the shifting dominance from U.S. unipolarity to a China-centric competition, advocating for multilateralism and the promotion of the rule of law. Poznansky contrasts binding institutions like NATO with the UN and emphasizes the need to balance values with rules. He also debates strategies for U.S. diplomacy and military alliances to strengthen foreign policy in a multipolar world.