World Review with Ivo Daalder

Donald Trump’s first week in office has ushered in a new era in America’s relationship with the world. Pax Americana out; Great Power Competition is in. Whether it is buying Greenland, controlling Panama, threatening tariffs on Colombia, Mexico, Canada, and China, Trump wields American power to get what he wants. That creates both new opportunities. And new dangers. James Lindsay of the Council on Foreign Relations and Matt Kaminski of Politico join Ivo Daalder for a discussion of Trump’s World in this week’s edition of World Review. Get full access to America Abroad at ivodaalder.substack.com/subscribe

On Monday, European leaders watched the inauguration of President Trump from Davos and fretted about his threats to impose sweeping tariffs, his demands for significant increases in European defense spending, and the possibility he may shift America’s stance toward Ukraine. He already has followed through on withdrawing from the Paris climate agreements and the World Health Organization. Soon after the inauguration, newly sworn in Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with foreign ministers of the Quad countries - Australia, India, and Japan – an indication that countering China’s influence remains a top priority for Trump. How are European and Asian nations adapting to shifting geopolitical and economic dynamics in a new Trump era? Ken Moriyasu, Catherine Philp, and Prashant Rao join Ivo Daalder on this week’s World Review to analyze how Europe and Asia are responding to Trump’s return to office. They’ll also discuss the Gaza ceasefire and whether it is likely to hold.   Get full access to America Abroad at ivodaalder.substack.com/subscribe

President Biden entered office with ambitious foreign policy goals and is leaving a complicated legacy. Though he navigated the global COVID-19 pandemic, rallied allies to support Ukraine, and implemented policies to address climate change, challenges such as the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal, record illegal border crossings, the war in Gaza, and high inflation marred his term. The Gaza cease-fire that looks eminent mirrors a Biden proposal, yet Donald Trump has claimed credit for the deal. Will Biden’s presidency be remembered as an interlude between two Trump terms? Jamil Anderlini, Anton La Guardia, and Carla Anne Robbins join Ivo Daalder on this week’s World Review to evaluate Biden’s foreign policy record and what he leaves behind for Trump, including the Gaza cease-fire deal that Israel’s cabinet still needs to ratify and waning public support for continuing to aid to Ukraine.   Get full access to America Abroad at ivodaalder.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we unpack the first major global stories of 2025. Donald Trump’s expansionist rhetoric this week toward Greenland and Panama reflects his “America First” doctrine and risks violating international law, alienating allies, and deepening global tensions. How serious is he? Meanwhile, tech titans Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg stir misinformation controversies. What does Musk hope to gain by targeting European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with unverified allegations? And what impact will Meta’s decision to discontinue third-party fact-checking have on democracy? Ravi Agrawal, Susan Glasser, and Philip Stephens join Ivo Daalder to discuss the wild start to 2025 and what, if anything, might surprise them this year. Get full access to America Abroad at ivodaalder.substack.com/subscribe

In our final episode of 2024, we’ll dig into the stories that are not only dominating the headlines this week but also will command attention well into 2025. First, how is the Syrian revolution already reshaping the Middle East and how will it affect the balance of power in the region? Then, European leaders, including Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte, gathered in Brussels this week ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration to discuss support for Ukraine. What do Trump, Europe, and Zelensky want? Finally, we’ll wrap up by addressing President Trump's renewed hostility toward the press and examine what it might mean for press freedom during his second term. Steven Erlanger, Bobby Ghosh, and Carla Anne Robbins join Ivo Daalder to discuss the week's top news stories on World Review. Get full access to America Abroad at ivodaalder.substack.com/subscribe

This week we saw the end of one of the world’s most brutal dictatorships with the swift and unexpected fall of the Assad Regime in Syria. The Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former Al Qaeda affiliate that broke with the group years ago, has formed a transitional government that is pledging inclusivity while emphasizing accountability for former regime abuses. Meanwhile, Israel launched extensive airstrikes targeting military assets, while Turkey clashed with US-backed Kurdish forces in northern Syria. And in the midst of a presidential transition, the US seems solely focused on combating an ISIS resurgence. Matt Kaminski, Catherine Philp, and Gideon Rachman join Ivo Daalder to discuss what may happen in Syria, what it means for the region, and the impact on the US, Russia, Iran, and other outside powers. They’ll also dig into what’s happening in Romania. After first-round elections were annulled last week amid alleged Russian interference, Romanian pro-European parties have now agreed to form coalition government and could run a single candidate next year. Get full access to America Abroad at ivodaalder.substack.com/subscribe

Political chaos reigned this week as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared and then lifted martial law within hours amid public outrage, parliamentary backlash, and mounting calls for his impeachment. Meanwhile, France’s political upheaval came with the passing of a no-confidence measure against Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his cabinet on Wednesday, leaving the government in caretaker mode without an approved budget. And in a swift offensive that exploited regional instability and the weakened state of Assad’s allies, Syrian rebels captured Aleppo and then advanced on Hama. David Luhnow, Anna Sauerbrey, and Peter Spiegel join Ivo Daalder to unpack these stories and more on this week’s World Review. Get full access to America Abroad at ivodaalder.substack.com/subscribe

This week marked the 1,000 day of the Ukraine War. We'll unpack recent developments, including Ukraine's use of US-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory for the first time, intensified Russian attacks near Kurakhove, the pause in operations at the US embassy in Kyiv, and Russia's updated nuclear deterrence doctrine. Then world leaders met this week in Azerbaijan for the UN Climate Summit, Peru for the APEC Summit, and in Brazil for the G20. How did Trump's victory affect the dynamics of these meetings, with Biden already fading into the background and Xi being front and center? We'll also talk about Trump's pick of RFK for US health secretary and the possible impact on global health and pandemic prevention. Stefanie Bolzen, Prashant Rao, and Andrew Roth join Ivo Daalder to discuss these topics and more on this week's World Review. Get full access to America Abroad at ivodaalder.substack.com/subscribe

This week, we’ll analyze what Donald Trump’s early picks for key positions reveal about his approaches to foreign policy, national security, and international economic policy. We’ll explore who may benefit from his return to office—including potential gains for Russia, Israel, Gulf states, and the Global South—as well as those who may face setbacks, such as Ukraine and US allies in Europe and Asia. Will China suffer economic upheaval or take advantage of political opportunities? Finally, we’ll examine how Trump’s top issue of immigration and his promises of a closed border and mass deportations might undercut his other policy goals, especially related to the economy. Bobby Ghosh, Nahal Toosi, and Giles Whittell join Ivo Daalder for timely analysis of the strategic shifts that may be taking shape with Trump’s picks for top roles.  Get full access to America Abroad at ivodaalder.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Americans overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump to become the 47th president of the United States. While the polls predicted a tight race, they underestimated Trump's support, and he soared back to the White House along with large Republican gains in the House and Senate. Susan Glasser, James Harding, and Peter Speigel join World Review with Ivo Daalder to discuss the implications of Trump’s victory for the US and the world. How did Trump break the 'blue wall' and defeat Kamala Harris by such a large difference? Then, a look at the impact of Trump’s victory on the world, what to expect from his foreign and economic policies, and how the rest of the world is reacting and adaptin Get full access to America Abroad at ivodaalder.substack.com/subscribe