America Can’t Escape the Multipolar Order

In The Foreign Affairs Interview, Dan Kurtz-Phelan interviews Emma Ashford about the shifting global balance of power and the emergence of a multipolar world. They discuss how the Trump and Biden administrations have approached this new order, the concept of restraint in foreign policy, and the implications for American strategy. Ashford argues that while American power hasn't diminished in absolute terms, the rise of other countries necessitates a shift towards accepting multipolarity. The conversation covers topics such as spheres of influence, the war in Ukraine, the role of allies, and the challenges posed by China, as well as the need for a more realist and interest-driven foreign policy.