The original Italian strategic consultant Niccolo Machiavelli, on the question of whether it is better to be feared rather than loved, famously argued that “since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.” The Trump administration’sContinue Reading
The second Trump administration is raising geopolitical stakes. The new president’s “America First” vision of U.S. strength, safety, and prosperity underpins the White House’s disruptive decision-making, hardball dealmaking, and high-stakes deterrence. The unpredictability of U.S. leadership, once a cornerstone of stability in the global system, is upending the postwar rules-basedContinue Reading
Recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump and Special Envoy for Latin America Mauricio Claver Carone, as well as the trip by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Central America, have focused attention on the risks posed by the activities of China in Panama. Two points should be made clearContinue Reading
Marco Rubio’s appointment as Donald Trump’s secretary of state raised hopes among some Latin American governments and analysts that the region would once again figure among the United States’ diplomatic priorities. Will the United States under President Trump and Secretary Rubio devote more attention to Latin America, and in particularContinue Reading
For the past month, both before and after taking the oath of office on January 20, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened the territorial integrity of Panama. More recently, during his inaugural address, he openly pledged to take back the Panama Canal. In doing so, he has falsely claimedContinue Reading
