Assessing American Foreign Policy in the Middle of a Presidential Campaign: A Conversation with Dr. Kori Schake

On September 19, AGS and the Alexander Hamilton Society, a student-run, nonpartisan foreign policy club at Duke, hosted Dr. Kori Schake.

Dr. Kori Schake, a Senior Fellow and the director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, joined Dr. Rachel Myrick in conversation about US foreign policy and how the 2024 presidential election is shaping today’s geopolitical landscape. Dr. Schake gave insight into what it is like to be in the White House during an election period and its impact on policy. She reflected on continuities seen in the last several decades of presidential administrations; citing the effects of the American invasion of Iraq and the negative trade strategy positions held across political parties. Prompted by Dr. Myrick, Schake shared her high-level assessment of the Biden administration’s response to the war in Ukraine and the gap between US military rhetoric and legitimate policy implementation. From her unique experience, Dr. Schake also shared about her time serving on the commission to rename US Army bases and the historical importance of such a task.

Further, Dr. Schake shared the lessons she believes China is learning from the international response to the war in Ukraine and the impact of economic interdependence on the US-China relationship. When asked about the foreign policy instability caused by American presidential transitions, Dr. Schake emphasized that the transitions in the US remain a key element supporting the country’s dynamic nature. Additionally, on the subject of a Western economic alliance, Schake explained that the United States continues and will continue to play a key role in leading a liberal coalition, emphasizing the need to take advantage of trade opportunities.

Dr. Kori Schake is a senior fellow and the director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI).

Before joining AEI, Dr. Schake was the deputy director-general of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. She has had a distinguished career in government, working at the US State Department, the US Department of Defense, and the National Security Council at the White House. She has also taught at Stanford, West Point, Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, National Defense University, and the University of Maryland.