Statecraft 2.0: A Conversation on American Leadership in a Multipolar World

Statecraft—marrying objectives to means in foreign policy—may sound simple, but it is maddening, elusive, and difficult to pursue in practice. In his new book Statecraft 2.0: What America Needs to Lead in a Multipolar World (Oxford University Press), Ambassador Dennis Ross, a former White House advisor to four presidents, offers insights from good and bad examples of statecraft to help the Trump administration stake out the best path on America’s most pressing foreign policy issues, from Iran, China, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to growing national security challenges on climate, cyber, and pandemic issues. To celebrate the book’s publication and discuss the vital issues it raises, The Washington Institute was pleased to host a virtual Policy Forum with Ambassador Ross and Thomas Donilon, moderated by Susan Glasser. Dennis Ross is the Davidson Distinguished Fellow and counselor at The Washington Institute. Previously, he served in senior policy positions in the Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and Obama administrations, including as the president’s envoy for Middle East peace. Among his previous books is Statecraft, and How to Restore America’s Standing in the World (2007). Thomas Donilon served in the first Obama administration as assistant to the president for national security affairs. He is currently chairman of the BlackRock Investment Institute. Susan Glasser writes the online column Letters from Trump’s Washington in the New Yorker, where she is a staff writer.