Engage or Retreat? American Views on US Foreign Policy
The Wilson Center and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs joined together to release the 2019 Chicago Council Survey, a detailed look into Americans’ views on vital issues.
About This Event
Washington is torn between two futures for US foreign policy: one of engagement and intervention, another of retrenchment and retreat. The 2020 presidential election will provide an opportunity for the American public to critically assess the Trump administration’s "America First" foreign policy. Together, the Wilson Center and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs released the 2019 Chicago Council Survey, a detailed look into Americans’ views on today’s vital issues, including the value of trade and military alliances, the threats posed by China, Iran, Russia, and other rivals, and how America should respond to immigration and climate change.
About the Speakers
CEO, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Ivo H. Daalder served as the US ambassador to NATO from 2009 to 2013. He joined the Council as president in 2013 and took on the new role of CEO in 2023. Previously, he was a senior fellow in foreign policy studies at the Brookings Institution and served as director for European affairs on President Bill Clinton’s National Security Council. He is the author or editor of 10 books.
Richard Fontaine
CEO, Center for a New American Security
Richard Fontaine, CEO of CNAS, served as president of CNAS from 2012–19 and as senior fellow from 2009–12. Prior to CNAS, he was foreign policy advisor to Senator John McCain and worked at the State Department, the National Security Council, and on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Jane Harman
Director, President, and CEO, Wilson Center
Previously, Jane Harman served nine terms as US representative for California’s 36th congressional district. During this time she served on the house committees for the armed services, intelligence, and homeland security. Harman is a member of the Defense Policy Board, the State Department Foreign Policy Board, and the Homeland Security Advisory Committee.
Vice President, Public Opinion and Foreign Policy
Dina Smeltz, a polling expert, has more than 25 years of experience designing and fielding international social and political surveys. Prior to joining the Council to lead its annual survey of American attitudes on US foreign policy, she served in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the US State Department's Office of Research from 1992 to 2008.
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