About the Forum

​The Trump Administration is reshaping the State Department, limiting and refocusing foreign assistance, and raising questions about its relationship with Europe.  Is this a fundamental shift from the largely bipartisan foreign policy that has guided America from the end of World War II through the Cold War and into the 21st century? How new are these developments?  Do some reflect a return to pre-WWII themes in American foreign policy? And what can we expect from these changes?

This is a vast subject.  The Ambassadors Forum will highlight key areas to bring greater clarity to the discussion.

Overview and panel moderator: Ambassador Ronald Neumann will frame the discussion with an overview of the evolution of post-WWII policy, provide some reflections on what was achieved for American prosperity and security, and how these high-level policy choices affect heartland America.

Economic Development: This has been one of the pillars of U.S. policy, along with diplomacy and force.  From the rebuilding of a war-torn Europe to disasters around the world, the United States has played a major role.  How much funding went to charity, how much was political, and what interests were served?  How are our interests defined, and what is changing?

Alliances: America’s formal and informal alliances have been a key element of foreign policy and our diplomacy.  From the formal treaty relationship with NATO through “coalitions of the willing” in the liberation of Kuwait, to new relations in the Pacific with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and others, America has worked to build and strengthen alliances.

Our Economy and the World: From the protests at the Boston Tea Party to the multibillion-dollar interaction with Canada and Mexico, America’s prosperity has been linked to trade.  For many years after WWII, economic policy focused on lowering trade barriers and expanding multilateral trading arrangements.  This direction began to lose favor as confrontation with China increased and America turned away from a trans-Pacific partnership it had once sought to create.  The new trend has accelerated with the current tariff wars and new approaches to trade agreements.