New Books in World Affairs Trump, the UN Charter, and the Strange Politics of International Law
Feb 17, 2026
Robert Howse, Lloyd C. B. Nelson Professor of International Law at NYU and noted thinker on legal and political theory, discusses Trump’s instrumental relationship with the UN Charter from Gaza to Venezuela and Iran. He explores Strauss and Schmitt’s influence on contemporary right-wing thought. Conversations range from sovereignty and the use of force to virtue, masculinity, and the MAGA new right.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Trump's Ambiguous Role In The UN Order
- Many international law scholars view Trump's actions as destroying the UN Charter order, but that assessment can be one-sided.
- Robert Howse argues some UN outcomes (e.g., Gaza resolution) advanced because of, not despite, Trump.
Strauss Versus Aggressive Neoconservatism
- Leo Strauss influenced anti-communist thinking but did not endorse aggressive interventionist neoconservatism.
- Robert Howse stresses Strauss favored caution and saw wars as costly to civilization and philosophy.
Neoconservatism's Dual Critique Of Liberalism
- Neoconservatism split between firm Cold War liberalism and later aggressive democracy-spreading interventionism.
- Howse links parts of neocon critique to worries about moral decline and a desire to restore civic virtue and discipline.
