United States of America
Despite polarized domestic politics and social tensions, the United States remains a major player in international relations, on the economic, military and diplomatic levels.
Related Subjects
Trump II and Asia: The Wind is Picking Up…
The Indo-Pacific is a priority for the second Trump administration, which sees China as the United States' principal rival. However, Donald Trump began his second term in a rather disconcerting fashion by taking a harder line with Washington's traditional partners. He then provoked hostilities with Beijing, sparking a trade war even more intense than during his first term. The Chinese authorities have no intention of taking it lying down.
What Is Dividing the West?
Once united by shared values and strategic interests, the West is increasingly fractured along ideological lines. Just as illiberal politicians have spent years building an international reactionary movement, their liberal counterparts must foster transatlantic dialogue to forge a common democratic vision.
Trump's Trade War: What Answers for the European Union?
The announcement, on April 2, 2025, of “reciprocal tariffs” by the United States has opened a sequence of profound break with decades of established trade policy practices, where the administration behaviour has been marked by dogmatic blindness, amateurism, and self-serving interests.
How Will the Trump Presidency Change EU-China Relations?
Over the past few years, European countries have started to line up with the United States on China policy. But now, as Donald Trump destroys the trust European countries had in America, China is stepping up, promising stability and consistency.
A Fragile Consensus? The Pressure on the Norm Against Nuclear Testing
Apart from North Korea, no state has conducted explosive nuclear tests in the 21st century, reflecting the emergence of a strong international norm against such testing.
France, the U.S. Oldest and Most Complicated Ally: A Stubborn Defender of a Truly European Industrial and Defence Policy
France, the U.S.’ oldest ally, is also the EU country which most stubbornly defends genuinely European industrial and defence policies. It calls for ‘strategic autonomy’ in all political domains, a position increasingly difficult to hold against a hardening international climate.
Migrations Between Mexico and the United States: More of the Same or a Headlong Rush?
As Trump prepares to tighten border controls with Mexico and carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, Mexico is questioning the economic consequences of this migration policy and expects to have to negotiate the issue in connection with the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
Donald Trump v. the States: the Case of New York
While the disruptive policies of the second Trump administration are being implemented at the federal level and on the international stage, they are also being felt in the federal states and major cities across the country. In the spring of 2025, several cases involving the state and city of New York demonstrate that the president’s attacks on environmental protection, the separation of powers, freedom of speech, etc., are also being carried out at the local level.
A Transatlantic Defense Industrial Base? Two Contrasting Views
The evolving landscape of global defense cooperation has brought the transatlantic relationship between the United States (US) and Europe into sharp focus. As geopolitical tensions rise and the threat environment becomes more complex, the question of how Europe can best ensure its security while navigating its relationship with the United States has become paramount. This double feature report offers two contrasting views on the dynamics of US-Europe defense industrial relations, highlighting the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for both parties.
(Replay) US-China-Taiwan Relations: What to expect in the Trump II Era?
Replay of Ifri's Center for Asian Studies' conference "US-China-Taiwan Relations: What to expect in the Trump II era?", held at Ifri on Tuesday 11 March 2025.
Trump 2: Challenges for the US Military Posture - Politique étrangère, Vol. 90, No. 1, Spring 2025
The distribution of operational leverage points in US strategy has changed significantly over the past two decades, with a sharp reduction. Donald Trump's distancing and repeated criticism of traditional US alliances threaten to undermine the entire architecture of the US presence in the world, beyond the concrete, real and, in particular, industrial impasses of America's military posture.
Donald Trump v. the States: the Case of New York
While the disruptive policies of the second Trump administration are being implemented at the federal level and on the international stage, they are also being felt in the federal states and major cities across the country. In the spring of 2025, several cases involving the state and city of New York demonstrate that the president’s attacks on environmental protection, the separation of powers, freedom of speech, etc., are also being carried out at the local level.
A Transatlantic Defense Industrial Base? Two Contrasting Views
The evolving landscape of global defense cooperation has brought the transatlantic relationship between the United States (US) and Europe into sharp focus. As geopolitical tensions rise and the threat environment becomes more complex, the question of how Europe can best ensure its security while navigating its relationship with the United States has become paramount. This double feature report offers two contrasting views on the dynamics of US-Europe defense industrial relations, highlighting the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for both parties.
Trump 2: Challenges for the US Military Posture - Politique étrangère, Vol. 90, No. 1, Spring 2025
The distribution of operational leverage points in US strategy has changed significantly over the past two decades, with a sharp reduction. Donald Trump's distancing and repeated criticism of traditional US alliances threaten to undermine the entire architecture of the US presence in the world, beyond the concrete, real and, in particular, industrial impasses of America's military posture.
How the US under Trump Became a Strategic and Ideological Adversary of Europe
The Europeans' worst security nightmare seems to be coming true: on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Saudi Arabia to initiate the normalization of relations between their two countries. The meeting also aimed to set up peace negotiations for Ukraine. However, despite having the potential to affect the entire continent, the discussions took place without the Europeans or the Ukrainians being present.
Will Trumpian Authoritarianism Lead to a Constitutional Crisis?
Since his return to the White House on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump has signed around sixty executive orders to implement his political agenda. Numerous other measures have also been introduced by the White House and the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as part of these orders.
Trump’s Second Term: Laying the Groundwork for a New Trade War
In a statement released on February 1, 2025, President Trump announced the implementation of a 10% tariff on Chinese goods and a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico. While the former took effect via executive order on February 4, the latter were granted a 30-day reprieve. Sanctions targeting European Union (EU) products are said to be imminent.
From Conservative Nationalists to Tech-Libertarians: Far-Right Ideologies in the Trump 2 Administration
The officials and advisers of the Trump 2 administration represent diverse ideological currents, some of which are relatively new to Washington.
From nonproliferation to strategic competition: US export controls and China
Technological competition is at the heart of the renewed great-power competition that has characterized relations between the USA and China since the 2010s. The role of technological innovation in the evolution of power relations is already recognized in the literature of international relations. However, developments in US technology policy under the last two administrations raise the reverse question: how does the perception of changing power relations (in this case, Chinese technological catch-up perceived as a threat to US leadership) transform policies granting or denying access to technological innovation?
How Geopolitical Tensions Reshape Trade Patterns: Geoeconomic Fragmentation, or China’s Big Manufacturing Push?
A data-based analysis shows that widespread geoeconomic fragmentation of world trade is not visible, at least so far. In contrast, the geopolitically-motivated challenges to international coordination are striking, notably in relation with China's surging surplus in manufactured goods trade.
Kamala Harris's Economic Program
Since receiving the Democratic nomination in the wake of President Joe Biden’s decision to step aside in the 2024 American presidential race, Vice-President Kamala Harris has been striving to define her own policy platform to attract voters in the limited time remaining before the November 5th election. Since the economy is a central issue for American voters, Harris developed several propositions in that area.
Rare earths: Beijing threatens a new front in the trade war
China believes its near-monopoly gives it leverage over the US but supply cuts would spur rival producers.
Macron takes a risk in courting Trump, but has little to show for it
PARIS — President Emmanuel Macron was put on the spot this year in front of a room full of journalists when one asked, provocatively: Which man is more dangerous, North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un; or Donald J. Trump?
Reaction to U.S. Election Results
Europe needs better relations between Moscow and Washington. President-Elect Donald Trump spoke on the campaign trail of mending U.S. relations with Russia.
A facist America?
Are the United States at risk of giving into a totalitarian drift embodied by Donald Trump?
The United States: the decline of the right to vote
More and more states are requiring voters to present an approved form of identification, a formality that primarily affects ethnic minorities.
The 2020 Campaign and the Impeachment Process. Conference video
The Democratic Party primary campaign is in full swing and the Impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump proceeds speedily. What is the state of American public opinion less than a year before the elections? How are conservative and progressive media lining up to cover the event?
How will Middle America vote in 2020? (Henry Olsen)
An interview with Henry Olsen, Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC).
Transatlantic relations in the age of "America First" (James Lindsay)
An interview with James Lindsay, Senior Vice President, Council on Foreign Relations.
How will Middle America vote in 2020? (Lara Putnam)
An interview with Lara Putnam, Professor and Chair, History Department, University of Pittsburgh.
Transatlantic relations in the age of "America First" (Sophia Besch)
An interview with Sophia Besch, Research Fellow, Center for European Reform.
Jeremy SHAPIRO - Trump: One Year After The Election
Has Trump changed his views of transatlantic relations? What should Europeans do? Is Trump's Russia policy dictated by the Russia probe?
Michala MARCUSSEN - Trump: One Year After The Election
Is the American economy doing well? Will the Tax Reform change this? How could the bond markets evolve in 2018?
Jeffrey GOLDBERG - Trump: One Year After The Election
3 questions to Jeffrey GOLDBERG, Editor in Chief, The Atlantic
Karlyn BOWMAN - Trump: One Year After The Election
3 questions to Karlyn BOWMAN, Senior Fellow, American Entreprise Institute
Where is the U.S. nuclear arsenal headed?
An interview with Jon WOLFSTHAL, nonresident scholar, Nuclear Policy Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Donald Trump's challenge to American democracy and the western alliance
On April 27, 2017, Ifri hosted David FRUM (former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, senior editor for The Atlantic magazine) to discuss Donald Trump's challenge to American democracy and the western alliance.
The end of globalization ?
Michael Lind, Policy Director of the Economic Growth Program at the New America Foundation in Washington, D.C, was the guest of the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI) on September 29th 2014. In this video, he analyzes the major economic trends post-2008, and forecasts the end of globalization.
The United States and the World: what can we expect in the near future?
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Michael Lind, Policy Director of the Economic Growth Program at the New America Foundation in Washington, D.C, was the guest of the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI) on September 29th 2014. In this video, he discusses the limits and challenges of US foreign policy, particularly regarding the ongoing conflict against ISIS in the Middle East. |
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Related centers and programs
Americas Program
Ifri's work on the Americas region focuses mainly on the United States. Indeed, for more than 20 years, Ifri's Americas Program has provided keys to understanding American society and domestic policy while shedding light on developments in the country's foreign policy, including transatlantic relations and trade issues.
Since 2023, a specific axis on Latin America structures more actively Ifri's research on this region.
Ifri's Canada program was active in 2015 and 2016.