Charting America's Next Chapter: CFR's Bid to Redefine U.S. Strategy

WASHINGTON, DC – May 20, 2026 – Confronting a global landscape of shifting alliances, technological upheaval, and renewed great-power competition, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) today launched a major multiyear effort to redefine America's role in the world. The Future of American Strategy Initiative aims to develop a new strategic vision for U.S. foreign policy, moving beyond Cold War paradigms to address the complex realities of the 21st century.

The initiative arrives at what its leaders describe as a critical moment of uncertainty for the United States, where its global standing is more contested than at any point in recent history. "The United States is at a historic inflection point," said CFR President Michael Froman in a statement. "Amid a shifting geopolitical landscape, the Future of American Strategy Initiative aims to inform the next era of American international leadership by developing strategic concepts that grapple with the world as it is and will be—not as it was."

A World in Flux: The Impetus for a Grand Rethink

The urgency behind CFR's new initiative is rooted in a global environment that bears little resemblance to the unipolar moment of the 1990s. The post-Cold War era, according to the consensus in Washington, is definitively over. It has been replaced by a period of intense strategic competition, primarily with a revisionist China and an aggressive Russia. This rivalry is not just military but also economic, technological, and ideological, challenging the foundations of the U.S.-led international order.

Recent analyses from across the foreign policy spectrum highlight an emerging alignment of authoritarian states—including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea—working in concert to undermine democratic norms and reshape the global system to their advantage. This dynamic has created a more volatile and unpredictable world, with active flashpoints from the war in Ukraine to rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait and persistent instability across the Middle East. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, for example, has not only created a devastating humanitarian crisis but also strained U.S. diplomatic capital in a critical region.

Compounding these geopolitical shifts is a revolutionary wave of technological change. The race for dominance in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and advanced computing has become a central theater of global competition. These technologies hold the potential for immense progress but also pose new threats, from autonomous warfare to sophisticated disinformation campaigns that can be weaponized by adversaries to exploit domestic political divisions—a vulnerability that security experts have repeatedly warned about.

Beyond the Beltway: A New Approach to Foreign Policy

A central and defining feature of the Future of American Strategy Initiative is its explicit commitment to break out of the Washington bubble. Recognizing a growing disconnect between foreign policy elites and the American public, the initiative plans to actively engage communities across the country. The goal is to demonstrate the tangible, local impact of international affairs and capture a wider range of priorities and insights.

This approach seeks to counter the perception that foreign policy is an abstract exercise conducted by distant experts. "U.S. foreign policy is not abstract. It affects jobs, supply chains, energy prices, and the technology that people use every day," said Rebecca Lissner, the CFR senior fellow appointed to direct the initiative. Lissner, a respected scholar of American grand strategy, emphasized the need for a national conversation. "We need a rigorous and ambitious rethink of how the United States engages with the world. The initiative is committed to creating a sustainable, successful approach that resonates with all Americans, regardless of partisan beliefs."

By converting its analysis into relatable narratives and compelling multimedia content, CFR aims to build a broader, more durable public consensus around the nation's strategic goals. This focus on domestic relevance represents a significant shift for a field often criticized for its insularity and failure to communicate its importance to the average citizen.

Forging Consensus in a Polarized Age

Perhaps the most ambitious goal of the new initiative is its pledge to foster substantive debate across ideological and partisan lines. In an era of profound political polarization, where foreign policy is increasingly a tool of partisan combat, CFR aims to leverage its nonpartisan credibility to model civil discourse and find common ground.

The initiative is committed to bringing together a broad spectrum of thinkers, from established leaders to emerging voices, to reexamine first principles and challenge outdated assumptions. This is a tall order in a political climate where concepts like internationalism and the value of alliances have been openly questioned. A potential return to "America First"-style policies remains a powerful force in national politics, creating uncertainty among allies who view such a turn as a challenge to the very idea of strategic partnership.

By creating a neutral forum for these difficult conversations, the think tank hopes to help forge a more resilient and effective American strategy. The success of this effort may hinge on whether an institution like CFR can act as an effective bridge in a divided nation, proving that a nonpartisan, evidence-based approach can still influence policy and public opinion.

The Intellectual Engine and the Crowded Field

The initiative will be housed within CFR's prestigious David Rockefeller Studies Program, led by Senior Vice President Shannon K. O'Neil, and directed by Dr. Lissner. Lissner's background, which includes co-authoring the book An Open World: How America Can Win the Contest for Twenty-First-Century Order, signals the project's intellectual ambition to formulate a proactive strategy for the U.S.

CFR is not alone in its endeavor. Other major think tanks, including the Brookings Institution, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and the Atlantic Council, are all deeply engaged in analyzing the shifting global order and offering recommendations for U.S. policy. These organizations regularly publish forecasts and strategic papers on great power competition and the future of American leadership.

However, CFR appears to be differentiating its project through its scale, multiyear timeline, and explicit focus on building a broad-based, nationwide consensus. As part of its launch, the initiative has already released a multimedia package featuring its experts on a range of strategic topics, from relations with Asia and Europe to trade policy and the governance of AI. This initial salvo indicates a clear intent to drive the public conversation, not just whisper in the ears of policymakers, as it embarks on its ambitious quest to help shape the future of American power.