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THE TRUMP TRANSITION: Key Appointees and Global Reaction

Primary featured article section

A photo illustration shows a stack of vintage TVs with images of Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, Dr. Oz, Elon Musk, and a fighting gorilla in them.
A photo illustration shows a stack of vintage TVs with images of Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, Dr. Oz, Elon Musk, and a fighting gorilla in them.

Get Ready for Trump’s TV Government

The incoming administration will be chaotic and personalist, not organized autocracy.

Argument
Samantha Hancox-Li
A photo illustration shows an elephant holding a radio microphone against a muted red background to represent conservative radio hosts.
A photo illustration shows an elephant holding a radio microphone against a muted red background to represent conservative radio hosts.

The Original Joe Rogan

Bob Grant and other talk radio hosts got out the Republican message through the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Insider
Julian E. Zelizer
A small line of reindeer seen from above crossing a showy landscape. Trees in the background.
A small line of reindeer seen from above crossing a showy landscape. Trees in the background.

In Sweden, Clean Energy Is Coming for the Reindeer

Green transition infrastructure threatens the Sami people’s way of life in Europe’s far north.

Dispatch
Francesca Dini, Simone Tramonte
A person wearing headphones puts his hands to his face as he looks through glass in a radio booth. A person stands behind him.
A person wearing headphones puts his hands to his face as he looks through glass in a radio booth. A person stands behind him.

Mourning Turkey’s Last Progressive Radio Station

Acik Radyo featured diverse voices, angering the Erdogan regime.

Argument
Kaya Genc

Syria’s Future

People dance and sing as they take part in victory celebrations in Damascus, Syria, on Dec. 13.
People dance and sing as they take part in victory celebrations in Damascus, Syria, on Dec. 13.

How Post-Assad Syria Could Unleash a New Regional Order

Turkey can calm Arab nations fearful of an Islamist takeover by inviting Syria’s neighbors and the Gulf states to play a central role in the political transition.

Analysis
Galip Dalay
Syrian refugees and their supporters celebrate the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, seen in Istanbul, Turkey, on Dec. 8.
Syrian refugees and their supporters celebrate the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, seen in Istanbul, Turkey, on Dec. 8.

In Post-Assad Middle East, Iran’s Loss Is Turkey’s Gain
Analysis
Vali Nasr
People stand atop a tank holding a Syrian flag adn celebrating with their arms raised.
People stand atop a tank holding a Syrian flag adn celebrating with their arms raised.

Assad’s Fall Is the Middle East’s 1989
Analysis
Lina Khatib
A framed picture of Bashar al-Assad is seen with its glass shattered on the ground.
A framed picture of Bashar al-Assad is seen with its glass shattered on the ground.

How the World Got Syria Wrong
Argument
Charles Lister
An anti-government fighter steps on the head of a statue of late Syrian leader Hafez al-Assad in the Damascus district of Kafr Sousa on Dec. 9.
An anti-government fighter steps on the head of a statue of late Syrian leader Hafez al-Assad in the Damascus district of Kafr Sousa on Dec. 9.

Washington Needs a New Syria Policy Right Now
Analysis
Jonathan Lord
Russia's senior military officer Sergei Rudskoi sits below a map of Syria screened during a briefing at the Russian Defence Ministry headquarters in Moscow on April 14, 2018, following overnight joint strikes by the US, Britain and France in Syria.
Russia's senior military officer Sergei Rudskoi sits below a map of Syria screened during a briefing at the Russian Defence Ministry headquarters in Moscow on April 14, 2018, following overnight joint strikes by the US, Britain and France in Syria.

Syria Is Again a Victim of Its Geography
Argument
Arash Reisinezhad
A child and a man wear oxygen masks in a makeshift clinical setting.
A child and a man wear oxygen masks in a makeshift clinical setting.

Assad Must Face Justice for His Government’s Atrocities
Argument
Annie Sparrow, Kenneth Roth

Asia & the Pacific

Lee Jae-myung and Kweon Seong-dong pose for photos during their post-impeachment meeting in the National Assembly.
Lee Jae-myung and Kweon Seong-dong pose for photos during their post-impeachment meeting in the National Assembly.

Can Trump Work With South Korea’s Left?
Argument
Doug Bandow

In India, Sri Lanka’s Dissanayake Reasserts Partnership

The World Must Recognize Climate Refugees

India’s Fortunes Shift in Bangladesh

China

A photo of the Nvidia headquarters in Santa Clara, California. A black and green sign with the word Nvidia on it is in the foreground.
A photo of the Nvidia headquarters in Santa Clara, California. A black and green sign with the word Nvidia on it is in the foreground.

How China’s Antitrust Tactics Undermine U.S. Tech Leadership
Argument
Ruby Scanlon

What Trump’s Personalized Presidency Means for China

Is the U.S. Answer to China’s Belt and Road Working?

China Needs a New Approach in Syria

Middle East & Africa

Mozambique President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi and Russian President Vladimir Putin greet each other at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, on July 27, 2023.
Mozambique President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi and Russian President Vladimir Putin greet each other at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, on July 27, 2023.

Why Russia Is Not a Great Power in Africa
Analysis
Will Brown

Without Women’s Rights, Syria Risks Failed-State Status

Ethiopia’s Precarious Economic Reforms

Africa Brief’s Year in Review

Europe

Kaja Kallas stands and talks into several press microphones.
Kaja Kallas stands and talks into several press microphones.

Ukraine Backers Make Last-Ditch Effort to Seize Russian Assets
Analysis
Keith Johnson

Will Europe Fragment Under Trump 2.0?

Georgia’s Pro-Europe Protesters Are Facing Down Police Violence

What a Victorious Ukraine Can Offer Europe

Americas

Supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro march during a rally in Caracas on Dec. 1.
Supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro march during a rally in Caracas on Dec. 1.

Trump Prepares to Shake Up U.S. Venezuela Policy—Again
Latin America Brief
Catherine Osborn

Is Justin Trudeau Ready to Take a Walk in the Snow?

Bitcoin and Hawk Tuah Aren’t So Different

Would Trump Have Responded Differently to Seoul’s Crisis?

Weekend Reads

An illustration shows hands holding chopsticks and a spoon with a soup dumpling in it over a large blow. Inside the bowl is a Taipei cityscape with lanterns and semiconductor chips coming out of it.
An illustration shows hands holding chopsticks and a spoon with a soup dumpling in it over a large blow. Inside the bowl is a Taipei cityscape with lanterns and semiconductor chips coming out of it.

Soup Dumplings as Soft Power

Din Tai Fung has become a potent global symbol of Taiwan, at a time when the island sorely needs it.

Analysis
Rishi Iyengar
A historic black-and-white photo of a line of 8 school children wearing backpacks, their heads raised as they look up at a mural of Antonio Gramsci.
A historic black-and-white photo of a line of 8 school children wearing backpacks, their heads raised as they look up at a mural of Antonio Gramsci.

Why Giorgia Meloni Loves Antonio Gramsci
Analysis
Giorgio Ghiglione
A person in a suit with a mustache stands on a street with a church in the distance.
A person in a suit with a mustache stands on a street with a church in the distance.

‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ Finally Gets a Screen Adaptation
Review
Jordan Hoffman
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1-interior-chinatown_hulu-poster-hp

‘Interior Chinatown’ Falls Into Its Own Trap
Review
Jenny Tinghui Zhang

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Fareed Zakaria Looks Back at 2024

Every December, FP Live dedicates one episode to looking back at the year that was. 2024 was particularly turbulent, from the election of Donald... READ MORE

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Biden’s Foreign Aid Legacy
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The Future of Clean Energy
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Chip Wars in a Trump 2.0 World
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The Road Beyond the Israel-Hezbollah Cease-Fire

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A photo illustration shows an elephant holding a radio microphone against a muted red background to represent conservative radio hosts.
A photo illustration shows an elephant holding a radio microphone against a muted red background to represent conservative radio hosts.

The Original Joe Rogan
Insider
Julian E. Zelizer
A silver car drives past a Verizon store in Daly City.
A silver car drives past a Verizon store in Daly City.

Why the Salt Typhoon Hack Is Freaking Everyone Out
Insider
Rishi Iyengar
Wind turbines operate at a wind farm near solar panels near Palm Springs.
Wind turbines operate at a wind farm near solar panels near Palm Springs.

Will Trump Dismantle Biden’s Clean Energy Initiatives?
Insider
Ravi Agrawal

In the Magazine

Current Issue: Fall 2024 Archives
The cover of the Fall 2024 print issue of Foreign Policy magazine.
letters-president-america-election-nicolas-ortega-illustration-3-2
letters-president-america-election-nicolas-ortega-illustration-3-2

Letters to the Next President

No matter who wins the White House, these nine thinkers from around the world would like a word.

Analysis
Catherine Ashton, Jason Bordoff, Arancha González, Martin Kimani, Mark Malloch-Brown, Joseph S. Nye Jr., Danny Quah, Nirupama Rao, Joseph E. Stiglitz

Is 2024 Really the Most Important Election in History?

Democracy—and the global system—might not be so easily dismantled.

Essay
Michael Hirsh

The Top International Relations Schools of 2024, Ranked
Infographic
Irene Entringer García Blanes, Susan Peterson, Michael J. Tierney

Revisiting Chinese Empire
Review
Bethany Allen

FP Columnists

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The Trump Transition

A photo collage illustration shows Donald Trump in profile against red striped background on a beige field. At left is the White House. At right, shipping containers, barricades used in war, and a cloud from a bomb attack in Gaza.
A photo collage illustration shows Donald Trump in profile against red striped background on a beige field. At left is the White House. At right, shipping containers, barricades used in war, and a cloud from a bomb attack in Gaza.

Key Appointees and Priorities

FP’s ongoing updates from staff and contributors.

Tulsi Gabbard in a red suit jacket sits on a small blue couch with her hands clasped on her knee. Behind her are golden circular wall hangings with words in a foreign text on them. A small table with a lamp is on one side, on another an ottoman with a plant atop it.
Tulsi Gabbard in a red suit jacket sits on a small blue couch with her hands clasped on her knee. Behind her are golden circular wall hangings with words in a foreign text on them. A small table with a lamp is on one side, on another an ottoman with a plant atop it.

The Transformation of Tulsi Gabbard
U.S. Army trainees stand at attention in a line in front of a blue backdrop.
U.S. Army trainees stand at attention in a line in front of a blue backdrop.

Trump Picks Vance Advisor for Army Secretary
A close photo of David Perdue with his hand up holding a pen.
A close photo of David Perdue with his hand up holding a pen.

Trump Picks Perdue to Be Next Ambassador to China
An employee works on an aluminum piston ring production line at a factory that produces car parts in the city of Binzhou, in eastern China’s Shandong province, on Oct. 14.
An employee works on an aluminum piston ring production line at a factory that produces car parts in the city of Binzhou, in eastern China’s Shandong province, on Oct. 14.

Trump’s Threat to Revoke China’s Trade Status, Explained
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump walk together at the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump walk together at the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019.

The Pitfalls for Europe of a Trump-Putin Deal on Ukraine
Visitors interact with an immersive light and AI display at the "Modern Guru and the Path to Artificial Happiness" exhibition by Australian art studio Eness at the Icon Siam shopping mall in Bangkok on Dec. 2.
Visitors interact with an immersive light and AI display at the "Modern Guru and the Path to Artificial Happiness" exhibition by Australian art studio Eness at the Icon Siam shopping mall in Bangkok on Dec. 2.

Trump Must Rebalance America’s AI Strategy

In Case You Missed It

A selection of paywall-free articles

An illustration shows piles of shipping containers and symbols of industry as protectionist islands in a sea.
An illustration shows piles of shipping containers and symbols of industry as protectionist islands in a sea.

America’s Zero-Sum Economics Doesn’t Add Up

Industrial policy and subsidies are nothing new and can be useful. But shutting off from the world will have consequences.

Essay
Adam Posen
An illustration shows the Statue of Liberty holding a torch with other hands alongside hers as she lifts the flame, also resembling laurel, into place on the edge of the United Nations laurel logo.
An illustration shows the Statue of Liberty holding a torch with other hands alongside hers as she lifts the flame, also resembling laurel, into place on the edge of the United Nations laurel logo.

A New Multilateralism
Essay
Gordon Brown
Chinese soldiers in Belarus for military training.
Chinese soldiers in Belarus for military training.

Asian Powers Set Their Strategic Sights on Europe
Analysis
C. Raja Mohan
An illustration shows Russian President Vladimir Putin on a television set with spinning lines behind him for a story about Russia's TV propaganda.
An illustration shows Russian President Vladimir Putin on a television set with spinning lines behind him for a story about Russia's TV propaganda.

A Day Inside Putin’s Surreal Television Empire
Analysis
Anastasia Edel
An illustration shows half faces of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Putin for a story about a ChiRussia alliance.
An illustration shows half faces of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Putin for a story about a ChiRussia alliance.

The China-Russia Axis Takes Shape
Analysis
Bonny Lin
A photo illustration shows Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden posing on pedestals atop the bipolar world order, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Russian President Vladamir Putin standing below on a gridded floor.
A photo illustration shows Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden posing on pedestals atop the bipolar world order, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Russian President Vladamir Putin standing below on a gridded floor.

No, the World Is Not Multipolar
Essay
Jo Inge Bekkevold
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greet each other at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on July 27, 2018.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greet each other at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on July 27, 2018.

6 Swing States Will Decide the Future of Geopolitics
Analysis
Cliff Kupchan

Subscribers’ Picks

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham chief Abu Mohammad al-Jolani checks the damage following an earthquake in the village of Besnaya in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province on Feb. 7, 2023.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham chief Abu Mohammad al-Jolani checks the damage following an earthquake in the village of Besnaya in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province on Feb. 7, 2023.

What to Know About the Man Who Toppled Assad

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani has worked for years to rebrand himself, but has he truly broken from his al Qaeda past?

Q&A
John Haltiwanger
A white van crosses the Shehyni-Medyka checkpoint between Ukraine and Poland.
A white van crosses the Shehyni-Medyka checkpoint between Ukraine and Poland.

Ukraine’s Neighbors Are Turning Their Backs

Ukraine’s European border states are crucial for its defense, but they're increasingly uninterested.

Analysis
Paul Hockenos
A framed picture of Bashar al-Assad is seen with its glass shattered on the ground.
A framed picture of Bashar al-Assad is seen with its glass shattered on the ground.

How the World Got Syria Wrong

The international community misjudged the strength of the Assad regime—and its fixation on an external political process is being overtaken by internal events.

Argument
Charles Lister
Syrians pose for a picture on a destroyed tank in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Dec. 12.
Syrians pose for a picture on a destroyed tank in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Dec. 12.

Your Syria Questions, Answered

What Bashar al-Assad’s fall means for Syria, the Middle East, and beyond.

Situation Report
Amy Mackinnon, John Haltiwanger

Books

Viktor Orban, wearing a suit with an overcoat draped over his shoulders, stands in front of the wall of a black and white gridded structure.
Viktor Orban, wearing a suit with an overcoat draped over his shoulders, stands in front of the wall of a black and white gridded structure.

Hungary’s Descent Into Dictatorship

How Viktor Orban pulled off the unthinkable.

Review
Paul Hockenos
Book covers for 10 new fiction releases in December
Book covers for 10 new fiction releases in December

The Novels We’re Reading in December
Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
The book cover for Spying in South Asia: Britain, the United States, and India’s Secret Cold War
The book cover for Spying in South Asia: Britain, the United States, and India’s Secret Cold War

How the Cold War Forged India’s Intelligence Setup
Review
Sushant Singh
This article is adapted from Intent to Destroy: Russia’s Two-Hundred-Year Quest to Dominate Ukraine by Eugene Finkel (Basic Books, 336 pp., $30, November 2024).
This article is adapted from Intent to Destroy: Russia’s Two-Hundred-Year Quest to Dominate Ukraine by Eugene Finkel (Basic Books, 336 pp., $30, November 2024).

The Only Way to Achieve Lasting Peace in Ukraine
Excerpt
Eugene Finkel
The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic, Alan Moore and Steve Moore with various artists, Top Shelf Productions, $49.99, 352 pp, October 2024.
The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic, Alan Moore and Steve Moore with various artists, Top Shelf Productions, $49.99, 352 pp, October 2024.

Alan Moore Wants You to Invent Your Own God
Review
James Palmer
caption tk here
caption tk here

Noam Chomsky Has Been Proved Right
Review
Stephen M. Walt
Taming Silicon Valley: How We Can Ensure That AI Works for Us, Gary Marcus, The MIT Press, 240 pp., $18.95, September 2024; The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley, Marietje Schaake, Princeton University Press, 336 pp., $27.95, September 2024.
Taming Silicon Valley: How We Can Ensure That AI Works for Us, Gary Marcus, The MIT Press, 240 pp., $18.95, September 2024; The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley, Marietje Schaake, Princeton University Press, 336 pp., $27.95, September 2024.

How Technology Ruined Democracy
Review
Rishi Iyengar

Trending

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  4. The Elitist Truth About Far-Right Populism
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  6. Samantha Power on Biden’s Foreign Aid Legacy
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  8. Trump Prepares to Shake Up U.S. Venezuela Policy—Again
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  9. Europe Is Ready to Team Up on China—if Trump Is
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Visual Stories

US-Election-trump-graphics-voter-turnout-1500x100-HP-override
US-Election-trump-graphics-voter-turnout-1500x100-HP-override

6 Charts That Explain the 2024 U.S. Election

From the perpetual campaign cycle to turnout, we examined how the Nov. 5 vote compared with those in other countries this year.

Infographic
Claire Schnatterbeck, Anusha Rathi
Four men, three with prosthetic legs, wear bike helmets and t-shirts as they stand in a parking lot, gathered around a bicycle held up by the man second from the right. The sky above is a dim, dark blue; it seems to be either dawn or dusk.
Four men, three with prosthetic legs, wear bike helmets and t-shirts as they stand in a parking lot, gathered around a bicycle held up by the man second from the right. The sky above is a dim, dark blue; it seems to be either dawn or dusk.

Meet the Para-Cyclists Riding for Gaza

The Sunbirds’ story began with tragedy but has evolved into one of resilience.

Dispatch
Jonathan Rashad

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