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The 2020 elections marked an inflection point for the United States. With historic turnout and a fractured electoral map, the election was a stark reminder of both the potential of this liberal democracy to rebuild, rebrand and renew itself from within, and of the internal divisions that make that reinvention so challenging. However, regardless of the results, the voters’ choices will not only reshape America’s domestic politics, but also its foreign policy. What is the historical significance of this year’s results? How will the Biden administration define US global leadership and envision America’s role in the world? How can a divided US develop a unified foreign policy fit for the challenges of our times? Finally, how does the international community interpret the election results, and what does that portend for global cooperation?

Please join the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security on Thursday, November 12, from 12:00 to 1:15 p.m. EDT, for a discussion on the outcome of this year’s election and the future of US foreign policy. This event is part of Elections 2020: America’s Role in the World, a series of conversations on the top foreign policy priorities for the next four years, featuring the most prominent voices shaping the national and international dialogues. 

The event is hosted by the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security’s New American Engagement Initiative. The New American Engagement Initiative scrutinizes prevailing assumptions governing US foreign policy, proposes and tests alternate assumptions, and develops policies informed by this in-depth analysis. The initiative helps policymakers manage risks, set priorities, and allocate resources wisely and efficiently, in order to strengthen our security and prosperity. Unconventional thinking is needed to help Americans put dangers into perspective, and encourage them to embrace global engagement through diplomacy, trade, and mutually beneficial cultural exchange. 

To participate, please register below. Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join. To join the Q&A with the panelists, use the hashtag #ACElections2020 or email Ms. Anca Agachi at fsr@atlanticcouncil.org. Follow the Atlantic Council on Twitter at @AtlanticCouncil and the Scowcroft Center at @ACScowcroft. 

Agenda:

Introductory remarks by

Damon Wilson
Executive Vice President
Atlantic Council

Fireside chat: What is the historical significance of the elections?

Mr. Michael Beschloss
Author
Presidents of War
Presidential Historian
NBC News
Contributor
PBS News Hour

In conversation with

Dr. Erica Borghard
Resident Senior Fellow, New American Engagement Initiative
Atlantic Council

Fireside chat: How will the next administration reshape domestic and foreign policy?

Gov. Terry McAuliffe
Former Governor
Commonwealth of Virginia

In conversation with

Amb. Colleen Bell
Executive Director
California Film Commission
Former Ambassador to Hungary

Fireside chat: How will the next administration reshape domestic and foreign policy?

Senator Ron Johnson
Senator, R-WI

In conversation with

Dr. Christopher Preble
Co-Director, New American Engagement Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security
Atlantic Council

Fireside chat: How does the international community see the election results? (recorded)

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
President
Asia Society Policy Institute

In conversation with

Dr. Miyeon Oh
Director and Senior Fellow, Asia Security Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security
Atlantic council

Fireside chat: How does the international community see the election results?

Ms. Ana Palacio
Former Foreign Minister of Spain

In conversation with

Mr. Ian Brzezinski
Resident Senior Fellow, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security
Atlantic Council 

Next-gen panel: What is the global impact of a Biden administration?

Clementine Starling
Deputy Director, Forward Defense and Resident Fellow, Transatlantic Security Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security
Atlantic Council

Nidhi Upadhyaya
Associate Director, Adrienne Arsht – Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center
Atlantic Council​​​​​

Pepe Zhang
Associate Director, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center
Atlantic Council

Moderated by

Pete Seat
Vice President
Bose Public Affairs Group