Highlighted content

Describe the kind of content you are highlighting here, why you are highlighting, and what it says about the work your program focuses on and how it makes an impact in the real world. Below, select three top pieces of commentary & analysis to feature from the past days or weeks. Update monthly via board process with Graeme Cranston-Cuebas and Vriddhi Sujan.

All impact stories

In the News

Jan 5, 2026

Kroenig quoted in Politico on the Trump administration’s Venezuela policy

By Atlantic Council

On January 3, Atlantic Council vice president and Scowcroft Center senior director Matthew Kroenig was quoted in a Politico article titled “The hawks are winning.” He argues that widespread support for military action in Venezuela was driven less by policy conviction than by an awareness of internal power dynamics, with officials mindful of where influence resides within the White House.

Defense Policy
Security & Defense

In the News

Jan 5, 2026

Kroenig in C-SPAN on foreign policy in 2026

By Atlantic Council

On January 2, Atlantic Council vice president and Scowcroft Center senior director Matthew Kroenig was interviewed on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” about foreign policy challenges for 2026. He analyzes threats from the People’s Republic of China, speaks about protests in Iran, and discusses the Trump administration’s National Security Strategy.

China
Iran

In the News

Dec 19, 2025

Kroenig in the Wall Street Journal on the US National Security Strategy

On December 19, Atlantic Council Vice President and Scowcroft Center Senior Director Matthew Kroenig published an opinion letter in the Wall Street Journal titled “What Trump’s Foreign-Policy Detractors Miss.” In the article, Kroenig argues that critics of the new NSS overlook the practical roadmap it lays out for addressing core strategic challenges.

Defense Policy
National Security

In the News

Dec 11, 2025

Kroenig in Foreign Policy on the National Security Strategy

On December 11, Atlantic Council vice president and Scowcroft Center senior director Matthew Kroenig published an article in Foreign Policy titled “Two Cheers for the National Security Strategy.” In the article, Kroenig lays out the strengths and weaknesses of the NSS and places it in a broader strategic context.

Defense Policy

In the News

Dec 10, 2025

Gray in The Wall Street Journal on the National Security Strategy

On December 10, Alexander B. Gray, a nonresident senior fellow with the GeoStrategy Initiative at the Scowcroft Center, published an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal titled “The Logic of Trump’s Foreign-Policy Doctrine”. He argues that the new National Security Strategy’s greatest strength is its clear prioritization of core national interests within a larger […]

Defense Policy

In the News

Dec 6, 2025

Kroenig on PBS News Weekend on the National Security Strategy

On December 6, Atlantic Council vice president and Scowcroft Center senior director Matthew Kroenig was interviewed on “PBS News Weekend” about the Trump administration’s national security strategy. He discusses key takeaways and areas where the NSS marks a departure from past policy.

Defense Policy

In the News

Dec 5, 2025

Gray quoted in Politico on the National Security Strategy

On December 5, Alexander B. Gray, a nonresident senior fellow with the GeoStrategy Initiative at the Scowcroft Center, was quoted in the Politico newsletter on the newly released US National Security Strategy. He called it “a fundamental break from 35 years of how America views the world.”

Defense Policy

In the News

Dec 4, 2025

Grundman in Aviation Week on Pentagon acquisition reform

By Atlantic Council

Forward Defense Senior Fellow Steven Grundman authored an article in Aviation Week entitled “Can Hegseth Transform U.S. Defense Acquisition?,” highlighting the importance of speed and agility in acquisition reform.

Defense Industry
Defense Policy

In the News

Dec 3, 2025

Hicks and Thornberry published in Defense News

By Atlantic Council

On December 2, Defense News published an op-ed by ReForge Commission Co-Chairs Kathleen Hicks and Mac Thornberry outlining why the United States must urgently rebuild an industrial base capable of outproducing and outlasting its adversaries. The piece highlights the strategic risks posed by today’s manufacturing shortfalls and the reforms needed to ensure the nation can […]

Defense Industry
Defense Policy

In the News

Dec 2, 2025

Bayoumi in Just Security on solar geoengineering

On December 2, Imran Bayoumi, associate director of the GeoStrategy Initiative, published an article for “Just Security” titled “As Solar Geoengineering Enters its Startup Phase, Governments Must Address Emerging Security Risks” cowritten with Scott M. Moore. The article breaks down potential security risks associated with solar geoengineering and argues governments must act now to regulate […]

Climate Change & Climate Action