This Friday, H.R. McMaster explains why supporting pro-freedom dissidents in Venezuela and elsewhere advances American national security and foreign policy interests; Elizabeth Economy analyzes what the new National Security Strategy says about China policy under the Trump administration; and Benjamin Ginsberg reflects on his involvement in the milestone Bush v. Gore election law case, in the month of its 25th anniversary.
US Foreign Policy
“After María Corina Machado received the Nobel Prize for her courageous work to restore the Venezuelan Constitution and end the brutal oppression of the Venezuelan people under the regime of Nicolás Maduro,” writes Senior Fellow H.R. McMaster at his Substack, “it is worth considering why Americans and citizens of other free nations should support those like Machado who advocate for liberty despite great risk to themselves and their families.” McMaster shares excerpts from his 2020 book Battlegrounds, where he argued that “advancing liberty is in America’s interests” but also engaged with arguments contrary to this view. The former National Security Advisor concludes that the “best way to advance American interests and counter hostile authoritarian regimes like Maduro’s is to support courageous people like María Corina Machado who take risks and make sacrifices to advance freedom and liberty.” Read more here.
Freedom Frequency
In a new episode of China Considered Quick Takes, Senior Fellow Elizabeth Economy breaks down the Trump administration’s National Security Strategy (NSS) as it relates to China and the Indo-Pacific. She highlights that despite speculation that the United States is pulling back globally, the NSS makes clear that Washington is still firmly committed to the Indo-Pacific. At the same time, Economy notes a striking tension: The NSS calls out problems closely associated with China without explicitly naming China as the source. Watch or read more here.
In a new Plot Points analysis for Freedom Frequency, Policy Fellows Daniel Heil and Tom Church dissect the complicated formulas that determine the COVID-era subsidies for healthcare plans. The impact of those subsidies varies widely depending on enrollee income, but there are at least two notable points: the Democrats’ plan to extend the subsidies would disproportionately benefit enrollees with higher incomes (at least four times the poverty level). And in contrast, the GOP’s proposals to help people buy HSA-compatible plans would disproportionately help people on the lower end of the income scale. Read more here.
Revitalizing American Institutions
Twenty-five years ago this month, the US Supreme Court settled the final outcome of both Florida’s presidential vote count and America’s choice for its 43rd president. On the latest episode of Matters of Policy & Politics, Distinguished Visiting Fellow Benjamin Ginsberg, a preeminent authority on election law and a member of the Bush-Cheney legal team in the 36 days of post-election litigation and maneuvering back in 2000, discusses the two sides’ legal strategies. Ginsberg also reflects on Bush v. Gore’s lasting impact on America’s political landscape, election-integrity matters approaching in 2026 (like new voter-ID laws and the federal-state power struggle), and his work at Hoover involving ways to restore the electorate’s trust in the voting process. Watch or listen here.
Confronting and Competing with China
How does China’s expanding military reshape the strategic risks facing the United States and global stability? As this new short video from Hoover’s Tennenbaum Program for Fact-Based Policy explains, China has increased defense spending by 700 percent since 2000. China now boasts a formidable coastal navy, an expanded missile force, and greater preparation for a potential takeover of Taiwan. Even if China does not directly threaten the US homeland, its regional ambitions could upend global stability. Maintaining America’s technological and operational military edge is essential to sustaining credible deterrence. Watch here.
Featured Research Initiative
The United States faces a significantly different threat landscape in this century from the one it faced in the last. Military strength is necessary but no longer sufficient. Effectively managing our national security problems will require cooperation with allies and partners and must also leverage diplomacy, economic strengths, and science and technology. The Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) Initiative offers a fresh look, through a broad lens, to help navigate this emerging security landscape. Read more here.
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