The article argues that recent executive overreach and politicization have severely undermined established norms of U.S. civil-military relations. To restore professional standards, the incoming Congress must actively exercise its oversight powers, moving beyond mere criticism to demanding transparency in defense policy and personnel decisions. Key reforms include enforcing meritocratic promotion processes, requiring documented justification for senior officer removals, and preventing the partisan use of the military. These actions are crucial for bolstering public trust and ensuring the military remains a nonpartisan instrument of civilian control.
Mike Pence, 48 th Vice President of the United States, speaks at Chatham House
English Summary
The event frames Mike Pence’s central argument as a call for principled U.S. global leadership, based on his experience in the administration and focused on America’s evolving international role. Its reasoning centers on three linked policy questions: how Washington sustains alliances, manages emerging security threats, and reconciles domestic political priorities with external commitments. Chatham House positions the discussion as an on-the-record public forum to surface diverse perspectives on these strategic trade-offs. For policymakers, the implication is that U.S. strategy will hinge on whether leaders can maintain credible alliance commitments while adapting to new security pressures without losing domestic support.
中文摘要
該活動將麥克·彭斯的核心論點定位為對有原則的美國全球領導的呼籲，立基於其在政府中的施政經驗，並聚焦於美國不斷演變的國際角色。其論證圍繞三個相互關聯的政策問題：華府如何維持同盟、如何管理新興安全威脅，以及如何在國內政治優先事項與對外承諾之間取得平衡。查塔姆研究所將此討論定位為具名公開論壇，以呈現對這些戰略取捨的多元觀點。對決策者而言，其意涵在於：美國戰略將取決於領導人能否在因應新安全壓力的同時，維持可信的同盟承諾而不失去國內支持。
Related Entries
-
1.
-
2.
The article argues that Donald Trump's unique and prolonged lame-duck period, coupled with domestic political pressures, makes him dangerously prone to international instability. Having exhausted major diplomatic gambits, Trump is expected to channel his energy into high-stakes, unilateral actions, primarily targeting adversaries such as Iran and Cuba. These potential actions—ranging from fresh strikes in the Persian Gulf to attempts at regime change—carry a significant risk of destabilizing regional security and triggering a global economic crisis. Policymakers must anticipate this pivot to high-risk foreign policy to mitigate potential international flare-ups.
-
3.
The Blue Wave signals significant voter frustration with cost of living and inflation, giving Congress a mandate to prioritize affordability and cost-reduction measures. Economically, the rapid build-out of AI data centers is creating localized stress, driving up skilled labor wages and straining resources, while also facing constraints from power grids and potential local regulatory backlash. Policymakers must manage this 'sequencing issue'—addressing rising costs before full productivity gains from AI can materialize—and anticipate shifts in global data center infrastructure as the market matures.
-
4.
The built environment workforce, comprising 15.3 million workers across 95 occupations, is foundational to modern infrastructure and economic stability. While highly paid, the workforce suffers from significant demographic imbalances, being disproportionately white and male, and often lacking clear career progression pathways. To prevent project delays and cost overruns, policy must mandate that capital asset owners treat labor market forecasting as core to project planning. Strategic interventions are required to strengthen career pipelines through robust apprenticeships, improve retention, and actively recruit younger and more diverse workers.
-
5.
The U.S. is drastically reducing core funding to multilateral institutions, withdrawing from numerous bodies due to perceived misalignment with national interests. While multilateral channels offer critical advantages—such as pooling resources for global public goods and managing risk in fragile settings—the U.S.'s funding remains heavily 'earmarked,' which effectively 'bilateralizes' the system and undermines shared burden-sharing. This practice, coupled with deep cuts, diminishes the multilateral system's effectiveness and efficiency, particularly in humanitarian aid. Policy recommendations suggest the U.S. must adopt a systematic, published strategy for aid channel choice and shift from restrictive project-level earmarking to broader thematic funding to restore global cooperation.