
There can be no doubt the world changed on the 20th of January 2025. As a matter of fact, a new US President was inaugurated — a second time for President Trump — whose return to power has spooked global friends and enemies alike since his election last November. The flurry of Executive Orders issued from day one says much about the determination of this US Administration to not only dismantle the work and legacy of the Biden Administration but potentially also many elements of the post-war multilateral order.
Indeed, amongst the first measures taken by President Trump upon his return to the White House was the withdrawal of the US from both the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organisation (WHO). However, beyond the bluster, the rhetoric on tariffs, and bold promises to end both the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the vast majority of actions and orders have concerned domestic matters, focused upon issues such as immigration and equality. This begs the question: is the Trump Administration more concerned with bombastic rhetoric rather than bombastic action when it comes to global and geostrategic affairs?
Dr Kathleen McInnis is definitely someone who can speak to this and many other related issues. Director and senior fellow of the Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and a former official at the US Department of Defence (DoD), she joins Ilana Bet-El in a wide-ranging conversation. From women and “dudes” in defence and foreign affairs, to modern strategic challenges, and the future of NATO and EU-US relations, this is a strong and surprising discussion concerning rhetoric, reality and continuity in America’s foreign policy under President Trump II.
Mentions
- The Heart of War: Misadventures in the Pentagon
- Smart Women, Smart Power podcast and resources
- The NCI Global Trends 2035 Report
Follow our guest:
- Kathleen McInnis X/Twitter & LinkedIn
- Kathleen McInnis’s CSIS profile
You can also follow us
- Instagram @women_leaders_podcast
- Our partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn & Facebook
- Ilana Bet-El
Credits
- Production: Florence Ferrando
- Music: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-roll License code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJT
The European Leadership Network itself as an institution holds no formal policy positions. The opinions articulated above represent the views of the authors rather than the European Leadership Network or its members. The ELN aims to encourage debates that will help develop Europe’s capacity to address the pressing foreign, defence, and security policy challenges of our time, to further its charitable purposes.
Image credit: Florence Ferrando