Maxwell School News and Commentary
Filtered by: U.S. Foreign Policy
McDowell Contributes Chapter to Gates Forum Report on Economic Statecraft
“The Sources of American Financial Power and its Challengers,” written by Daniel McDowell, Maxwell Advisory Board Professor of International Affairs, was presented at the third annual forum, hosted by the Gates Global Policy Center in partnership with William & Mary’s Global Research Institute.
See related: Economic Policy, Federal, International Affairs, Trade, U.S. Foreign Policy, United States
McDowell Discusses Trump’s Plans to Maintain Dollar Dominance in BBC, Bloomberg, Wash Post Articles
“The idea that you’d use political coercion to bind countries, or bind market actors within countries, to use the currency is not how the dollar ascended to this place in the first place,” says Daniel McDowell, professor of political science. “If that’s what’s needed to maintain dollar dominance, that shows there’s a real fundamental problem with the economic appeal.”
See related: Federal, International Affairs, Taxation, Trade, U.S. Foreign Policy, United States
Taylor Talks to Newsweek About the US Sending Nuclear Weapons to Ukraine
“In theory, the U.S. could station U.S. nuclear weapons in Ukraine and maintain command authority of them, like it does in several NATO member states,” says Brian Taylor, professor of political science. “But it's extremely difficult to imagine that happening.”
See related: Conflict, Defense & Security, Government, International Affairs, Russia, U.S. Foreign Policy, Ukraine, United States
De Nevers Piece on Trump’s Second Term and America’s Future Role in NATO Published in The Hill
“Trump’s return to power in the U.S. raises serious questions about America’s future role in NATO. He has been open in his disdain for NATO for decades,” says Renée de Nevers, associate professor of public administration and international affairs. “This leaves European NATO with a serious security problem at a time when the threat to Europe from Russia is clear and present.”
See related: Conflict, Europe, Federal, Global Governance, National Security, NATO, Russia, U.S. Foreign Policy, United States
McFate Discusses the Russia-Ukraine War in Daily Express, Defense One and The National Articles
“Putin has lowered the bar for Russian nuclear engagement, a clear signal to NATO to back off. It’s a response to Biden's allowing Ukraine to use long-range American missiles against Russian targets,” says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
See related: Conflict, Defense & Security, Federal, Government, International Agreements, NATO, Russia, U.S. Foreign Policy, Ukraine, United States
McFate Talks to Fox News About How a Trump Presidency Will Factor Into Iran’s War With Israel
“Trump’s victory will give Iran pause as it considers striking back at Israel in their tit for tat,” says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
Taylor Speaks With AFP, The Hill and Newsweek About Trump’s Victory, Impact on Ukraine-Russia War
“I can’t imagine Donald Trump rolling up his sleeves and digging into the nitty-gritty of the words of this conflict,” says Brian Taylor, professor of political science. “That’s not who he is [but] that’s what it takes to bring about ceasefires and peace settlements, lots of detailed, nitty-gritty negotiation on a whole host of issues. It’s not simply tell both sides to stop.”
See related: Conflict, Federal, Russia, U.S. Elections, U.S. Foreign Policy, U.S. National Security, Ukraine, United States
McDowell Explains How US Sanctions Boost China’s Cross-Border Currency Use in The Diplomat Article
“By growing the use of the RMB in cross-border trade settlement directly between China and Russia, U.S. financial sanctions cut targeted actors off from using the dollar system, which forces targets into alternative currencies that are exchanged outside of the U.S. financial system,” says Daniel McDowell, professor of political science.
See related: China, Economic Policy, Government, U.S. Foreign Policy
Patel and McDowell Discuss Trump’s Plan to Impose Tariffs on Countries That Start Wars in The Hill
“The cost to the private sector is quite high,” says Kristen Patel, professor of practice of policy studies. “Former President Trump has not coherently explained how tariffs would benefit us, companies and consumers.” Daniel McDowell, professor of political science, says, “The idea of using tariffs to deter countries from invading other countries, it’s pretty out there.”
See related: China, Government, International Affairs, Taxation, Trade, U.S. Foreign Policy, U.S. National Security, United States
Taylor Quoted in Vox Article on the US-Russia Prisoner Swap
“Putin wanted to bring home a Russian assassin...and other spies, to show people who work in the Russian intelligence services that their government will try to bring them home if they get caught. The U.S. government and its allies wanted to free innocent people being held hostage in Russian prisons,” says Brian Taylor, professor of political science.