Since the end of World War II, the international system has been held together by American global leadership, rooted in an open economic order, a forward-deployed military, and a commitment to international liberal democracy. President Donald Trump has upended these pillars through a new tariff regime, open threats of allied abandonment, and a retreat from global democracy promotion.
Connor Fiddler is the associate deputy director of the Asia program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. His research focuses on alliance management, Asia security, and U.S. grand strategy. He has held previous positions at the American Enterprise Institute and the Ronald Reagan Institute.
