Elections 2020: America's role in the world

Inflection Points Jan 24, 2021

It’s Joe Biden’s America, but could it be Xi Jinping’s world?

As Joe Biden’s presidency enters its first one hundred days, he can’t take his eyes off Xi Jinping’s efforts to leverage the anniversary of the first one hundred years of the CCP’s power. Biden faces a wide array of international challenges, but this contest will be the one that will define his place in history—and whether democracy or authoritarianism will be the ascendant system for the future.

Fast Thinking Jan 20, 2021

FAST THINKING: Five big takeaways from Joe Biden’s inaugural address

By Atlantic Council

Joe Biden’s inaugural address was a call for unity—and also resilience. What did the speech signal about where his presidency is headed? Here’s key takeaways from five leading experts on international affairs.

Coronavirus Elections

Issue Brief Jan 22, 2021

The United States, Germany, and world order: New priorities for a changing alliance

By Roderick Kefferpütz, Jeremy Stern

Treating each divergence in security policy as an isolated incident may have allowed policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic to ignore the unpleasant fact that the United States and Germany could have increasingly disparate perceptions of threats and strategic cultures.

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

FAST THINKING: Rapid insight from our experts

Biden’s $1.9 trillion message to Congress

What’s next for the insurrectionists?

What Biden can do with a Democratic Congress

Subscribe to Fast Thinking email alerts

Exploring five big questions for the administration

Five big questions as America votes: Europe

Five big questions as America votes: China

Five big questions as America votes: Latin America

See the Whole Series

NATO 20/2020: Twenty bold ideas to reimagine the Alliance after the 2020 US election

NATO 20/2020

More than two decades after NATO’s inspired decision to invite former adversaries to join its ranks, the Alliance is in need of equally captivating ideas. Read our twenty essays on the future of NATO.

Top coverage

Research and analysis

Democracy

Elections 2020

Nov 16, 2020

We must face up to what is happening in the United States of America

By Mathew Burrows

Despite Joe Biden’s victory, the fallout from the 2020 election is posing a mortal threat to American democracy from within. We must not sugarcoat what is happening in our country. Instead, we should face up to it and the responsibility we all bear—whether we are Republicans, Democrats, or Independents—for our present predicament.

Elections Politics & Diplomacy

Energy and the environment

EnergySource Nov 29, 2020

Which Trump Administration-era policies should the incoming Biden-Harris Administration continue?

By Global Energy Center

Amidst the Trump Administration’s empty talk of “energy dominance,” “freedom gas,” and “the cleanest air, the cleanest water,” the Administration developed a number of good policies that align with President-elect Biden’s climate, energy security, and foreign policy objectives. If the Senate remains in Republican hands, these areas might be some of the best opportunities President-elect Biden has to advance his climate and energy goals.

Energy & Environment United States and Canada

Elections 2020 Oct 30, 2020

Either way, this election is a major turning point for our climate future

As the nation braces for the presidential election next week, there’s arguably no issue beyond the COVID-19 crisis for which the stakes are higher than climate change policy.

Climate Change & Climate Action Elections

Content

Fast Thinking

Nov 17, 2020

FAST THINKING: Trump’s plan to bring US troops home by Inauguration Day

By Atlantic Council

First he shook up the leadership at the Pentagon. Now, as his new acting defense secretary announced on Tuesday, Donald Trump is planning to withdraw significant numbers of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq. How should we weigh the noble cause of ending wars against the president’s rush to do so as his term comes to an end? And how will these moves affect the Biden administration’s options when it takes office in January?

Afghanistan Defense Industry

In-Depth Research & Reports

Nov 16, 2020

US sanctions policy: Lessons learned and recommendations for the new administration

By Daniel Fried

WTO reform is especially important now since it would provide an efficient way to tackle China’s unfair trade practices head-on. This paper proposes concurrent measures that the United States and European Union can take to revitalize the WTO.

China Economy & Business

Elections 2020

Nov 16, 2020

We must face up to what is happening in the United States of America

By Mathew Burrows

Elections Politics & Diplomacy

Inflection Points

Nov 15, 2020

Trump poses enduring challenge for President-elect Biden

By Frederick Kempe

President Donald Trump’s continued refusal to concede the 2020 election poses a host of national security dangers. However, the most hazardous of them all won’t be found on the conventional list of threats that occupy Washington’s legion of foreign-policy experts.

Elections Politics & Diplomacy

UkraineAlert

Nov 14, 2020

What can Ukraine expect from a Biden presidency?

By Peter Dickinson

Joe Biden’s US presidential election victory was welcomed by many Ukrainians who felt that bilateral ties had suffered during the Trump presidency despite continued bipartisan US support for Ukraine.

Conflict Elections

Elections 2020

Nov 13, 2020

Optimism and obstacles for US-Iran relations under a Biden presidency

By Sina Azodi

The election of Joe Biden as the forty-sixth president of the United States has sparked optimism in many quarters that real diplomacy and engagement will be the preferred method of conducting US policy toward Iran after January 20.

Iran Middle East

New Atlanticist

Nov 13, 2020

How a Biden presidency could change US relations with the rest of the world

By Atlantic Council

We asked experts from around the Atlantic Council to preview what the election of Joe Biden as US president will mean for countries, big and small, all across the world. Here’s a quick spin around the globe as we preview what lies ahead for US foreign policy under Joe Biden:

Africa East Asia

New Atlanticist

Nov 12, 2020

How President-elect Biden can reshape US relations in Greater South Asia

By Shuja Nawaz

With the Taliban feeling increasingly emboldened, President-elect Biden must adopt a new and more practicable strategy for the region that is not based solely on military and security compulsions but includes future-oriented economic and political plans, working with international organizations and partners to achieve common goals.

Afghanistan Conflict

IranSource

Nov 12, 2020

A Biden-Rouhani agreement can positively impact Iran’s political future

By Mehran Haghirian

If he manages to reach an agreement with the United States, President Hassan Rouhani will undoubtedly garner the support of the majority of Iranians like he did after signing an interim agreement in 2013. This will allow him to position himself as the person who finally resolved the dispute with the US after forty-two years.

Iran Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Nov 12, 2020

Colossal ambition: How the Biden administration can revitalize the global economy

By Josh Lipsky

It would understandable, given the realities of a divided Congress, for a Biden administration to think small. But it would be a mistake. On both the international and domestic front the times call for colossal ambition.

Coronavirus Future of Work

Events

Online Event Thu, November 12, 2020 • 12:00 pm ET

The way forward: America’s role in the world after the US presidential election

China Coronavirus Economy & Business Elections

Online Event Tue, November 10, 2020 • 11:00 am ET

Initial Reactions: Disinformation in the 2020 Elections

Disinformation Elections Politics & Diplomacy United States and Canada

Online Event Wed, October 28, 2020 • 3:00 pm ET

2020 road to the White House: Why Latin America and the Latino vote matter

Elections Latin America United States and Canada

Public Event Wed, October 21, 2020 • 4:00 pm ET

Domestic violent extremism and the 2020 election

Disinformation Elections Extremism United States and Canada

Public Event Mon, October 19, 2020 • 10:00 am ET

The future of US national security

China Coronavirus Crisis Management Defense Policy

Public Event Wed, September 30, 2020 • 10:00 am ET

A conversation with Mayor Pete Buttigieg

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT – Mayor Pete Buttigieg discussed the future of US leadership, reigniting support for American engagement and diversity in foreign policy.

Civil Society Coronavirus Defense Policy Elections

Public Event Tue, September 29, 2020 • 3:00 pm ET

2020 Election integrity and foreign interference

Disinformation Elections United States and Canada

Public Event Mon, September 21, 2020 • 1:00 pm ET

Reporting on 2020: Free press, disinformation, and election integrity

Disinformation Elections Media United States and Canada

Public Event Mon, August 31, 2020 • 10:00 am ET

Elections 2020: Foreign policy half-time report

Elections

Public Event Thu, August 27, 2020 • 4:00 pm ET

America’s role in the world: US views on the future, at home and abroad

Elections

Public Event Wed, August 26, 2020 • 10:00 am ET

US defense strategy and posture for an era of great power competition

Elections

Public Event Tue, August 25, 2020 • 1:00 pm ET

Are we ready? Foreign interference, disinformation, and the 2020 election

Disinformation Elections United States and Canada

Public Event Fri, August 21, 2020 • 10:00 am ET

The next four years: American leadership on the global stage

Elections

Public Event Thu, August 20, 2020 • 3:00 pm ET

Democracy vs. authoritarianism: The role of American foreign policy

Elections

Public Event Thu, August 20, 2020 • 12:00 pm ET

Cyber-insecurity: The coming digital disruption

Elections

Public Event Wed, August 19, 2020 • 3:00 pm ET

Digital crossroads: World choices for 2021 and onward

Cybersecurity Democratic Transitions Digital Policy Elections

Public Event Wed, August 19, 2020 • 12:30 pm ET

Energy and environment in the next administration

Elections

Public Event Wed, August 19, 2020 • 11:00 am ET

Divergent threats and emergent powers

Elections Security & Defense

Public Event Mon, August 17, 2020 • 12:00 pm ET

A conversation with former US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT – Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed the key foreign policy priorities for the next presidential administration and the future of US leadership.

China Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy Russia

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The Atlantic Council has experts covering the geopolitical implications of the 2020 US elections. To connect with any of our experts, members of the media can view our experts’ bios by issue area below and contact the Council’s media relations team at press@atlanticcouncil.org to arrange: