What Daniel W. Drezner thinks about America
Political scientist writing Drezner’s World on international relations, American politics and the marketplace of ideas; author of The Ideas Industry.
Daniel W. Drezner did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
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21 dated positions, 2026, in their own words. Our reading of what Daniel W. Drezner has said — not written or endorsed by them.
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Their wordsThe truth is that the Trump years have torn asunder America’s foreign policy community. There is no common foreign policy consensus.
- 1 day earlier
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Their wordsAs the Trump administration staggers towards its midterm reckoning, it is worth taking yet another look at Marco Rubio’s stewardship of the State Department in particular and American foreign policy more generally. Because, unfortunately, the trendline is continuing in a negative direction.
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Their wordsAs Rubio continues to politicize the State Department, the Washington Sun’s Eric Katz reports that the State Department is attempting to force out senior foreign service officers viewed as political questionable
- 5 days earlier
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Their wordsUnfortunately, U.S. foreign policy right now is a complete shitshow.
↗American Foreign Policy Horror Storydanieldrezner.substack.com
- 11 days earlier
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Our readingThe culture of the Trump administration guarantees that special envoys will not be constrained.
Their wordsBut the story also reveals why the culture of the Trump administration guarantees that this will not happen: The secretary of state is not managing anything at Foggy Bottom so he can stay close to the president; The deputy secretary of state is an insecure martinet who would never have been placed in such a high position in any competent administration; The special envoys appointed by Trump will either leak to the press or complain to the White House if anyone tries to rein in their activities.
↗Heckuva Job You’re Doing, Marco Rubio!danieldrezner.substack.com
- 3 days earlier
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Their wordsMaybe it will not formally happen until after the midterms but Kimberly Guilfoyle’s time as an ambassador is nearing its end.
↗Kimberly Guilfoyle’s Two Weeks Noticedanieldrezner.substack.com
- 4 days earlier
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Their wordsTo repeat a theme: there are no adults in the White House right now.
- 3 days earlier
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Their wordsSo, on the whole, Trump’s trade agenda is alienating allies and angering the American public.
↗So How is the Trump Trade Agenda Going?danieldrezner.substack.com
- 3 days earlier
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Their wordsOf course, pledges and plans do not always bear fruit. And Canada’s geography cannot be changed; no matter how much Carney tries to diversify Canada’s economy away from the United States, there will always be some asymmetric dependence.
- 10 days earlier
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Their wordsThe thing is, while Trump’s staffers and advisers might be aware of the effect of political gravity, Trump himself remains unaware that he and his feckless subordinates have steered his administration off of a political cliff.
↗Welcome to the Wile E. Coyote Momentdanieldrezner.substack.com
- 3 days earlier
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Their wordsthe steady accumulation of humiliating defeats that have badly eroded U.S. deterrent power.
↗The Beclowning of the State Department Continues Apacedanieldrezner.substack.com 1st of 3 in this piece
- 2 days earlier
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Their wordsSo it does not seem as though U.S. preferences in the Persian Gulf will be achieved - which means prices in general and energy prices in particular are likely to stay high.
↗Donald Trump Is No Longer Feareddanieldrezner.substack.com 1st of 3 in this piece
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Their wordsThe current problem with prices might be one part AI construction boom, but it is one part Trump's tariffs and one part Trump's war in Iran as well.
↗Donald Trump Is No Longer Feareddanieldrezner.substack.com 2nd of 3 in this piece
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Our readingTrump is globally hated but not feared, the opposite of where Machiavelli said a prince should be.
Their wordsIn Machiavellian terms, Trump is no longer feared, and he's definitely no longer liked. Instead, he is hated - which is the one thing Machiavelli stressed should be avoided at all costs.
↗Donald Trump Is No Longer Feareddanieldrezner.substack.com 3rd of 3 in this piece
- 3 days earlier
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Their wordsExcessive use of financial statecraft, alliances with overseas populists, or prolonged bouts of anti-immigrant hysteria, however, will force even close allies to start thinking about alternatives.
↗The Dollar Will Be the Last Pillar To Falldanieldrezner.substack.com 1st of 3 in this piece
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Their wordsthe dollar's status is not a harbinger of U.S. hegemonic decline - it's a lagging indicator.
↗The Dollar Will Be the Last Pillar To Falldanieldrezner.substack.com 2nd of 3 in this piece
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Our readingThe Trump administration is accelerating the decline and fall of American global hegemony.
Their wordsI honestly do not know if the Trump administration will be able to completely eviscerate American power over the next two year - but damn they sure seem to be accelerating the decline and fall of American hegemony.
↗The Dollar Will Be the Last Pillar To Falldanieldrezner.substack.com 3rd of 3 in this piece
- 6 days earlier
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Their wordsThis suggests that Rubio is having some difficulties hiring anyone with talent and is settling for a putz who will do what Rubio tells him to do on Latin America.
↗The Devolution of the Policy Planning Staffdanieldrezner.substack.com 1st of 2 in this piece
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Their wordsIn practice, Hochman's hire is another nauseating sign that the Trump administration is destroying the bureaucracy in favor of some corrupt, neo-royalist husk of an apparatus that mostly posts memes and occasionally deploys the 82nd Airborne to extract rents.
↗The Devolution of the Policy Planning Staffdanieldrezner.substack.com 2nd of 2 in this piece
- 6 days earlier
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Their wordsthe Trump administration's deferential posture towards Russia and China has alienated allies. But on the other hand, it has gained the United States nothing in the way of strategic stability.
↗So How Is The Concert of Trump Going?danieldrezner.substack.com
- 2 days earlier
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Their wordsthe United States is not winning that war and the strategic costs have been massive.
↗Pete Hegseth is Losing His Gripdanieldrezner.substack.com 2nd of 2 in this piece