National Security

A threat to democracy anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere. Over the past decade, we have seen consistent and sustained attacks on democracies globally—most egregiously, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—threatening cooperative progress on climate action, migration, food security, and shared prosperity. The Biden-Harris administration has prioritized defending democracy, but what is preached at home must be practiced abroad—and practiced well. The Center for American Progress is committed to putting forward a progressive vision for a new era of U.S. engagement internationally. We believe national security goes beyond mere military power; it encompasses the need for a greater global response to complex crises, while also pushing for a new model for America’s economic and political competitiveness in the world. Critical U.S. foreign policy actions must be values-driven and mutually reinforcing with domestic priorities to advance an agenda of reform and renewal.

So, when we advocate for a more productive global ecosystem of accountability, we also analyze U.S. tax havens and financial loopholes. When we join the call for ambitious global action to tackle the climate crisis, we push for more robust emission reduction at home. And when we advocate for others to meet the moment, we acknowledge the weight of the United States in multilateral institutions and push for productive action instead of empty promises. At CAP, we know that America prides itself on being a leader, so we choose to advance a leadership agenda on the things that matter: promoting shared global prosperity, confronting climate change, and building resilient communities equipped to weather the storms ahead.

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The Risks of Trump’s Politicization of the Military Past Event

The Risks of Trump’s Politicization of the Military

Please join the Center for American Progress for a virtual discussion about the Trump administration's recent decision to fire high-ranking U.S. military members.

It’s Time for a Just and Lasting Peace in Israel and Palestine In the News

It’s Time for a Just and Lasting Peace in Israel and Palestine

In an op-ed published by Inkstick, Allison McManus argues why the United States should seize moments of opportunity ahead to propel the West Bank toward a just and lasting peace and outlines the role the country could play in doing so.

Inkstick

Allison McManus

Trump and Vance’s Disgraceful Oval Office Ambush of Zelenskyy Comes at America’s Expense and Only Benefits Putin Article
U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office at the White House, February 2025.

Trump and Vance’s Disgraceful Oval Office Ambush of Zelenskyy Comes at America’s Expense and Only Benefits Putin

Trump and Vance’s deliberate humiliation of Zelenskyy in Washington signaled to allies and adversaries alike that America’s leadership is in crisis, jeopardizing Ukraine’s fight for survival and emboldening Putin’s aggression.

Trump’s Rash Immigration Actions Place Cruelty and Spectacle Above Security Report

Trump’s Rash Immigration Actions Place Cruelty and Spectacle Above Security

Rather than adopting commonsense measures to fix the United States’ badly broken immigration system to benefit all Americans, President Trump’s indiscriminate immigration actions follow a pattern of cruelty, ripping apart families and communities and jeopardizing Americans’ security.

Syria’s Transition and the Shadow of the Arab Uprisings Report
The sun is seen setting over the city of Damascus.

Syria’s Transition and the Shadow of the Arab Uprisings

While the Syrian people should ultimately determine their own future, the United States must learn from its mistakes during the Arab uprisings to best facilitate a democratic transition.

Andrew Miller

Congress should block aid to Egypt In the News

Congress should block aid to Egypt

In an op-ed published in The Hill, Allison McManus argues that instead of releasing $320 million in military aid, Congress should hold Cairo accountable for its flagrant human rights violations.

The Hill

Allison McManus

CAP Joined by National Security and Gun Violence Prevention Advocates To Urge Congress To Protect Firearm Export Rule Article

CAP Joined by National Security and Gun Violence Prevention Advocates To Urge Congress To Protect Firearm Export Rule

The Center for American Progress, along with 34 organizations, authored a letter to Congress about protecting the Commerce Department’s firearm export rule, which will establish a new regulatory framework to protect U.S. national security interests.

Congress Must Provide Funding and Protect Oversight To Meet Global Security and Humanitarian Needs Article
Photo shows a view of the Capitol building against a blue sky, partly reflected in a shiny surface in the foreground

Congress Must Provide Funding and Protect Oversight To Meet Global Security and Humanitarian Needs

Recent bipartisan Senate legislation provides security and humanitarian assistance in critical areas—Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, and the Indo-Pacific—but Congress must ensure more oversight so that the funds are used according to U.S. law and policy.

Taiwan’s Election: PRC Interference and Its Implications for the 2024 Election Landscape Article
Election workers in Taipei count voting ballots.

Taiwan’s Election: PRC Interference and Its Implications for the 2024 Election Landscape

The Democratic Progressive Party’s triumph in Taiwan’s 2024 presidential election signals Taiwan’s resilience against the People’s Republic of China’s coordinated and intense interference efforts; but it also accentuates the critical need for nations worldwide to formulate robust strategies against escalating threats of interference, thereby safeguarding the integrity of global democratic processes.

Alan Yu, Michael Clark, Megan Shahi

These Fossil Fuel Industry Tactics Are Fueling Democratic Backsliding Article
The COP28 logo is seen in Dubai.

These Fossil Fuel Industry Tactics Are Fueling Democratic Backsliding

As citizens around the world increasingly favor serious policy action to fight climate change, the fossil fuel industry is undermining democratic principles to stem the tide of climate action—spreading misinformation and obstructing elected governments’ climate efforts, promoting anti-democratic movements and candidates, and even undermining democratic rights.

Chris Martinez, Laura Kilbury, Joel Martinez, 6 More Calee White, Mariel Lutz, Kat So, Kate Petosa, Allison McManus, Anne Christianson

Response to Horrific Attacks in Israel Must Avoid Collective Punishment for Gaza and Confront Obstacles to Peace Article
Fire and smoke rise above buildings in Gaza City.

Response to Horrific Attacks in Israel Must Avoid Collective Punishment for Gaza and Confront Obstacles to Peace

The horrifying Hamas terror attack on Israeli civilians has provoked an understandable imperative to bring the perpetrators to justice, but Israel must avoid collective punishment for Gaza that can bring a loss of moral clarity and reinforce historic grievances.

Patrick Gaspard

5 Reasons Why Congress Must Approve Aid to Ukraine Right Away Article
Dark clouds hang above the U.S. Capitol.

5 Reasons Why Congress Must Approve Aid to Ukraine Right Away

Immediate assistance to Ukraine is an imperative to counter Russian aggression, address Ukraine's immediate security needs, strengthen European and NATO resolve, check China's regional ambitions, and underscore American global leadership in times of crisis.

Alan Yu, Robert Benson, Sam Hananel

India’s Backsliding Democracy Past Event
Demonstrators gather in Bengaluru, India, to take part in a rally against the country’s new citizenship law, December 2019.

India’s Backsliding Democracy

Examining how attempts to stifle dissent threaten the world’s largest democracy

Guns Without Borders Past Event

Guns Without Borders

Addressing the flow of U.S. firearms to Mexico and Central America

Nick Wilson, Nick Wilson

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