A Year of Global Upheaval and Growing Community
It's been a busy and exciting year here at America Abroad. And there is much more to come in 2026.
As we close out 2025, I’ve been reflecting on the sheer volume of history we’ve witnessed—and analyzed—together over the past twelve months.
When I launched America Abroad, my goal was to provide a clear-eyed look at the forces reshaping our world. Looking back at the numbers, it’s clear that there is a deep, growing hunger for this kind of analysis. This year, I published 174 posts, and our community has expanded at a rate I never expected: overall subscribers are up 230%, and paid subscribers have increased by 350%.
To every one of you who reads, shares, and supports this work: thank you. You are the reason this platform exists.
2025 — A Year of America Abroad
I wrote about a lot of different issues this year, including about the Middle East, China and Asia, India, the Western Hemisphere, the state of US and Europe’s democracy and much more. But most of the year, I spent thinking, writing, and talking about three main issues.
Present at the Destruction
The dominant theme this year has been the fundamental shift in America’s role in the world. That’s hardly surprising. When Donald Trump won reelection, I reflected on how his return to power would mean The End of Pax Americana—the post-WWII global order that Trump’s 13 predecessors had painstakingly built and sustained over three quarters of a century. Trump never shared their view that this international order served American interests and has spent the last year doing what he can to dismantle it.
That dismantlement has been fast and furious—faster and more furious than many predicted. Throughout the year, I reflected on these changes, focusing on both the dismantling of American institutions (eg, It’s a Coup, Not a Crisis) and of American foreign policy (eg, Present at the Destruction). My most-read post was an examination of Trump’s official declaration that the old rules were gone and a new era had arrived: Trump’s Unserious—But Dangerous—National Security Strategy.
Europe in Turmoil
One immediate effect of Trump’s change of course was on Europe in general and NATO, the US-led security alliance, in particular. I spent much of the year analyzing Trump’s impact on NATO and European security, especially at a time when the Russian threat to Europe has become more evident (as I discussed in another top-red post, Europe is at War with Russia). While European leaders spent much of the year trying to flatter Trump in an effort to convince his administration (and themselves) that Europe’s security remained fundamental to America’s, Trump gave every indication he didn’t share that view. The American president isn’t much of a fan of NATO (What Trump Doesn’t Understand About NATO), even though he could rightly take credit for NATO’s decision in June to increase defense spending significantly. But the publication of the new National Security Strategy finally brought home to even the most Atlanticist of European leaders, that Trump’s commitment to Europe has waned. My final piece of the year, Europe’s Five Stages of Grief, reflects on how Europe has come to accept the new reality. The challenge for 2026 will be to turn that realization into concerted action.
Ukraine on the Brink
During the 2024 campaign, Trump spent more time promising to end the war in Ukraine than on any other foreign policy issue. Yet, peace has remained elusive. That’s not for lack of trying—Trump and his top aides have spent a lot of time talking about Ukraine. Rather, the failure to end the war results from their fundamental misunderstanding of why the war began and what is at stake, as I told on MSNBC:
That failure continues until this very day. For 11 months, Trump has made clear that he wants the war to end, Russia has made clear that it will only end the war when it has achieved its goal of subjugating Ukraine, Ukraine will continue to fight to ensure it remains sovereign and independent, and Europeans will continue to help Ukraine while seeking to placate the American president. The result is that for all the talking and maneuvering, peace is still a long way off (Don’t Be Fooled. There is No Deal on Ukraine).
New Rhythms: “What Caught My Eye” & “World Review”
This year also saw changes here at America Abroad. I launched the weekly What Caught My Eye series to share the articles, podcasts, and data points that I found particularly interesting. It has become one of my favorite ways to engage with the broader foreign policy conversation. I encourage you to send me your ideas of things to include on the weekly round-up.
The year also brought a major transition for World Review with Ivo Daalder, my weekly look at new from around the world with three journalists who’ve reported on the stories. After I left the Chicago Council in June, the show went on a brief hiatus before finding its new home at the Belfer Center at Harvard Kennedy School. It has been great fun to resume these weekly deep dives with the world’s leading journalists. And for those of you in Chicago: I’m thrilled to share that WBEZ will begin broadcasting World Review in the new year. In the meantime, you can watch the show on my YouTube channel or download the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Looking Ahead to 2026: The Path Forward
As America Abroad continues to grow, so does the work required to keep it running at this level of depth and frequency. To ensure the long-term sustainability of this endeavor, I will be moving to a partial paywall in the new year. Here is how it will work:
Many posts will remain free, including my weekly “What Caught My Eye” and major news updates.
In-depth analysis and exclusive deep dives will be reserved for paid subscribers.
If you have already upgraded to a paid subscription, thank you—you’re already set. If you are currently a free subscriber, I hope you’ll consider joining our paid community to support independent, rigorous foreign policy analysis.
The world isn’t getting any simpler, and the stakes for American leadership have never been higher. I look forward to navigating what comes next, together.
Happy New Year,
Ivo