Departments

National Security and International Policy

Advancing progressive national security policies that are grounded in respect for democratic values: accountability, rule of law, and human rights.

Representatives of the U.N. Security Council members raise their hands to vote in favor of a draft resolution at the U.N. headquarters in New York, September 30, 2021. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

What We're Doing

Defending democracy

Democracies around the globe—including our own—face threats not seen in generations. We work to bolster the guardrails of democracy around the world, strengthening the rule of law and accountability, and in so doing, we add our voice to the chorus pushing against authoritarian forms of government.

Revitalizing diplomacy

The United States’ most enduring advantage is our network of alliances. Alliances and relationships are increasingly important components of U.S. national power, furthering economic, security, and humanitarian aims. We develop and support approaches for revitalizing diplomacy to further U.S. engagement in improving lives at home and around the world.

Putting climate at the center of U.S. foreign policy

Climate change threatens global security, stability, and humanity, bringing sweeping changes to our world. We are working to center climate in our international efforts and policies by transforming strategy, culture, and budgets; outlining collective responses; and defining new bilateral and multilateral alliances that can advance collective solutions to these urgent problems confronting the country and the world.

Redefining American security in today’s threat environment

Many of today’s most foreseeable threats are those that affect daily life and prospects for prosperity: COVID-19, climate change, systemic inequality, racism, and global disinformation aimed at undermining rights and democratic practices. We are working to reconceptualize what national security means in the 21st century and how U.S. national security institutions and foreign policy priorities can adapt to protect Americans and safeguard human security for all.

The National Security and International Policy department advances progressive national security policies that are grounded in respect for democratic values: accountability, rule of law, and human rights.

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Latest

Compact View

An Update on Military Actions in Iran Past Event
President Donald Trump tours the assembly line at the Ford River Rouge Complex in Dearborn, Michigan.

An Update on Military Actions in Iran

CAP experts are ready to fill you in on the details and repercussions of military actions in Iran.

Online via Zoom

Are the Iran strikes a good idea? In the News

Are the Iran strikes a good idea?

In a symposium for NOTUS, Damian Murphy argued that the U.S. strikes on Iran were wrong and unlawful, adding that American voters don't support regime change wars.

NOTUS

Damian Murphy

What Both Anthropic and the Pentagon Get Wrong In the News

What Both Anthropic and the Pentagon Get Wrong

In an op-ed for The New York Times, Frank Kendall writes about the standoff between Anthropic and the Department of Defense, arguing that Congress must pass strong regulations on artificial intelligence to ensure a level playing field and balanced interests.

The New York Times

Frank Kendall

How Trump’s Unilateral Foreign Policy Has Eroded American Power Article
An American flag flies near the dome of the U.S. Capitol.

How Trump’s Unilateral Foreign Policy Has Eroded American Power

In his State of the Union address, President Trump will attempt to project strength. But while his administration’s unilateral foreign policy—from military strikes on Iran to reckless tariffs—expands the bounds of executive power, it has only weakened the United States on the world stage.

Allison McManus, Dawn Le

Reining in DHS and Restoring Accountability Past Event

Reining in DHS and Restoring Accountability

Join a virtual discussion with the authors of five commonsense reforms to rein in DHS.

How middle powers can build a truly inclusive post-Trump order In the News

How middle powers can build a truly inclusive post-Trump order

H.A. Hellyer comments on Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's remarks in Davos and how the world's middle powers can band together to create a more inclusive global order after Trump.

Prospect

H.A. Hellyer

Marco Rubio’s Deal: Trading Venezuelan Democracy for Oil Article
Marco Rubio facing cameras across table

Marco Rubio’s Deal: Trading Venezuelan Democracy for Oil

Despite claiming to be a champion of freedom in the Western Hemisphere, Secretary of State Rubio’s Venezuela strategy has traded a democratic transition for oil access for the United States, sidelining the opposition and preserving the authoritarian regime.

Frances Colón

Illiberal International: The Transatlantic Right’s Challenge to Democracy In the News

Illiberal International: The Transatlantic Right’s Challenge to Democracy

In a chapter published in the European Center for Populism Studies’ report “Populism and the Future of Transatlantic Relations: Challenges and Policy Options,” Robert Benson investigates the transatlantic dimensions of far-right political mobilization, tracing the networks linking populist and authoritarian actors across Europe and the United States.

European Center for Populism Studies

Robert Benson

Iran and the Limits of American Power In the News

Iran and the Limits of American Power

Andrew Miller writes in Foreign Affairs about what a U.S. military strike in Iran would and would not achieve.

Foreign Affairs

Andrew Miller

Making Sense of Iranian Protests and U.S. Response Past Event

Making Sense of Iranian Protests and U.S. Response

Please join the Center for American Progress for a discussion that will explore the significance of the protests and assess the implications of potential U.S. responses.

Online via Zoom

La intervención militar de Trump en Venezuela beneficia a las grandes petroleras, no al pueblo estadounidense Artículo
A child walks along the beach at dusk on the outskirts of El Palito refinery.

La intervención militar de Trump en Venezuela beneficia a las grandes petroleras, no al pueblo estadounidense

La administración Trump arriesgó las vidas de militares estadounidenses con sus recientes acciones militares en Venezuela, todo en un esfuerzo por beneficiar a sus donantes petroleros a pesar del alto costo para los contribuyentes.

Trump Is Putting Military Leaders in a No-Win Situation In the News

Trump Is Putting Military Leaders in a No-Win Situation

In an op-ed published by The New York Times, Frank Kendall explains how the current legal chain of command for the military is made up of the yes-men who will not push back on anything President Donald Trump or Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth commands them to do.

The New York Times

Frank Kendall

China First: The Trump Administration Has Willfully Destroyed U.S. Levers of Power in Advance of the APEC Summit Article

China First: The Trump Administration Has Willfully Destroyed U.S. Levers of Power in Advance of the APEC Summit

The Trump administration has both sabotaged the sources of American strength and competitiveness at home and dismantled American power and influence abroad, leaving the country in a weak, compromised position as President Trump heads to the APEC summit to negotiate with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

A New Vision for American Foreign Policy Past Event

A New Vision for American Foreign Policy

Please join the Center for American Progress for an event unveiling an affirmative vision for American diplomacy and global leadership.

Center for American Progress and online via Zoom

Peace in Gaza? Hopefully, But Not Assuredly Article

Peace in Gaza? Hopefully, But Not Assuredly

Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement offers hope for an end to the war, but its implementation will depend on disciplined implementation from the inconstant president.

Andrew Miller

Nobel Peace Prize for Department of War President? In the News

Nobel Peace Prize for Department of War President?

In an op-ed published by Foreign Policy, Damian Murphy argues that instead of making the world a safer place, the president’s approach to foreign policy stokes tension to further American interests.

Foreign Policy

Damian Murphy

The Turnberry trap: Trump, Europe and global reordering In the News

The Turnberry trap: Trump, Europe and global reordering

In an op-ed published by Politico Europe, Robert Benson argues that President Trump's recent trade deal with the European Union represents an alarming global reordering—one that empowers bullying, sows division, and destabilizes international norms.

Politico Europe

Robert Benson

The Authoritarian Playbook in Action: What Global Cases Tell Us About Trump’s 2025 Military Deployments Article
President Donald Trump, alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Attorney General Pam Bondi, speaks during a news conference.

The Authoritarian Playbook in Action: What Global Cases Tell Us About Trump’s 2025 Military Deployments

The cases of Canada, South Korea, and Turkey illustrate a dangerous escalatory pattern: When elected leaders rely on the military to resolve domestic challenges, they often accelerate democratic backsliding.

Dan Herman, Robert Benson, Vishal Gogusetti

Save the PMF Program or Risk Losing a Generation of Public Servants In the News

Save the PMF Program or Risk Losing a Generation of Public Servants

In an op-ed published by Just Security, Andrew Miller and Kelly L. Razzouk discuss the importance of Presidential Management Fellows (PMF), a professional development program that the Trump administration is seeking to eliminate.

Just Security

Andrew Miller, Kelly L. Razzouk

America’s Window To Stop Russia Is Closing Article
Smoke blankets Kyiv after an overnight drone strike by Russia.

America’s Window To Stop Russia Is Closing

Trump’s hasty ultimatum and symbolic tariffs will not deter Putin; only rapid weapons deliveries and enforceable energy sanctions can shift the battlefield and force Moscow to meaningfully negotiate, creating the conditions for a Ukraine ceasefire.

Robert Benson

By cutting science, the Defense Department is eating its seed corn In the News

By cutting science, the Defense Department is eating its seed corn

In an op-ed published by Defense News, Frank Kendall warns that the Trump administration's cuts to science and research funding harm U.S. national security by giving China a solid edge on research and technology development.

Defense News

Frank Kendall

Is This What Winning Looks Like? Report

Is This What Winning Looks Like?

The Trump administration’s brazen unilateral trade war has put the future of America’s trade partnerships in doubt, made a recession more likely, and hurt American workers and families.

Ryan Mulholland

Uniformed Disservice: How Trump’s Agenda Harms Veterans and Service Members Past Event

Uniformed Disservice: How Trump’s Agenda Harms Veterans and Service Members

Please join the Center for American Progress for the latest installment in a series of virtual events highlighting the impact that DOGE’s cuts are having on the lives of everyday Americans: a discussion about the burdens the Trump administration’s failed policies are placing upon American veterans and service members.

Online via Zoom

Fact Sheet: Trump’s Rescission Request Would Slash Spending on Foreign Assistance Programs That Benefit American Interests Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet: Trump’s Rescission Request Would Slash Spending on Foreign Assistance Programs That Benefit American Interests

The Trump administration’s FY 2025 rescission package would eliminate more than $8 billion in investments critical to global health, stability, and democracy while the administration increases spending in areas that bring little benefit to the American people.

Laura Kilbury

The Trump Administration’s Reckless Strikes in Iran Raise More Questions Than Answers Article
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

The Trump Administration’s Reckless Strikes in Iran Raise More Questions Than Answers

Amid a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Iran, the ultimate consequences of President Trump’s military intervention in Iran remain unknown but are potentially deeply damaging to U.S. interests. Congress should exert its authority to prevent the president from drawing the United States further into conflict in the future.

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