Tom Wright: Living with Two Americas

Tom Wright joins Pacific Polarity to discuss the emergence of "two Americas", the consequences of America's political volatility for its allies, and what a future US strategy towards China might look like. Wright argues that allies cannot simply wait for the next administration to restore the old order, but need alliances that are structurally resilient to changes in Washington. He also argues that Trump is less interested in strategic competition with China than his predecessors, while defending the Biden administration's approach as responsible competition rather than a new Cold War. Using rare earths as a case study, he discusses America's difficulty in responding to China's economic leverage, the need for greater strategic industrial policy, and working with allies at an "allied scale". He also shares his thoughts on Trump's transactional approach to alliances, his meetings with Xi Jinping, and the emerging debate over the future of Democratic foreign policy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pacificpolarity.substack.com