New Atlanticist

Transatlantic Relationship Forecast: Stormy Weather Ahead

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The transatlantic relationship is in for a rough ride over the course of Donald Trump’s presidency simply because there is no “correcting mechanism” among the incoming cabinet to counter the next US president’s rhetoric on the European Union, according to an Atlantic Council analyst. In an interview with the Times of London and Germany’s Bild […]

Monsieur Hollande Goes to Africa

By J. Peter Pham

French President François Hollande went to Bamako, Mali, last week for the twenty-seventh Africa-France Summit, his last scheduled visit to Africa before he leaves office in May, having been forced to give up any hope of a second term by the most abysmal approval ratings of any head of state in this history of the […]

With Migration Policy Change, Obama Leaves Cuba Relationship to Trump

By Ashish Kumar Sen

White House ends policy that allowed Cubans reaching US soil to automatically apply for asylum US President Barack Obama’s decision to end the “wet foot, dry foot” policy that allowed any Cuban migrant who reached US soil to stay in the country will slow the number of Cuban immigrants rushing to the United States, but […]

OPEC Oil Deal Will Stick, say Energy Ministers

The oil production cuts set forth in a deal recently enacted by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will be upheld by the nations involved, effectively stabilizing the global energy market, Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, OPEC’s secretary general, said in Abu Dhabi on January 12. “I remain very confident with what I have seen […]

Trump’s Energy, Climate Positions Causing Concern

By Ashish Kumar Sen

While there is “quite a bit of concern” about the direction of US President-elect Donald Trump’s energy policy, he is unlikely to take the United States out of the Paris climate change agreement for the simple reason that doing so would cause “huge collateral damage” to the United States, Todd Stern, a former US State […]

Trump Has Tweeted Himself into a Red Line, Says Lindsey Graham

In order to end the war on terror and attain a lasting peace in the Middle East, as well as protect US security interests, Donald Trump’s administration must invest in long-term solutions, or face the consequences down the road, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said on January 10. “To protect what we have here, we have […]

Here’s What Trump Should Keep in Mind as He Seeks a Reset with Russia

By Mark Simakovsky

Rex Tillerson’s confirmation hearing on January 11 put a spotlight on an eventual architect of the next US administration’s Russia policy. Although he holds deep international experience, Tillerson is a highly controversial selection for the job of secretary of state. He has a track record of opposing sanctions on Russia and calling for increased cooperation […]

Tillerson Provides a Glimmer of Hope for Ukraine

By John E. Herbst

At his confirmation hearing on January 11, Rex Tillerson went a long way toward assuaging skeptics who feared that his past relationships with Russian leaders might translate into a naïve and weak approach toward the Kremlin. This was apparent from the start with his confirmation statement that was released the evening before his testimony. He said that […]

Tillerson Hearing Takeaways

US President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the job of secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, had his confirmation hearing on January 11. Here are our analysts’ takeaways from that session.

Rex Tillerson’s Long Day in the Senate

By Ariel Cohen

US Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson presented a strong testimony at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 11. He demonstrated a broad understanding of the US foreign policy agenda, and at times sounded Reaganesque. Also impressive was the combination of US values, democracy, and human rights issues addressed during the […]