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The Ballpark is the LSE US Centre's regular podcast on the politics and policy of the United States. Through features and interviews with academics from the LSE and elsewhere, The Ballpark looks more closely into what's going on behind the headlines.

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While Trump’s foreign policy record has not been very successful elsewhere as wars continue to rage in Ukraine and in the Middle East, the exception is Europe which Trump seems to want to divide and weaken.

The last decade has seen a period of prolonged competition between the US and China with China continuing to grow economically and pursue technological self-reliance while the US attempts to hinder this growth through measures like export controls.

Donald Trump’s first presidential term meant that many allies, including in the EU and Europe, were forced to consider the possibility that the United States could no longer be a reliable partner in global affairs.

To talk about Donald Trump’s foreign policy, in February 2026 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Walter Russell Mead

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Recent Guests

Kathleen McNamara
Professor of Government and Foreign Service, Georgetown University; visiting professor at the Phelan US Centre
Georgetown University; Phelan US Centre
Episode: LSE: The Ballpark | Donald Trump and the future of US-EU relations with Professor Kathleen McNamara
Walter Russell Mead
Professor and author; Ravenel B. Curry III Distinguished Fellow in Strategy and Statesmanship at the Hudson Institute; Alexander Hamilton Professor of Strategy and Statecraft at the University of Florida; Global View columnist at The Wall Street Journal
Hudson Institute; University of Florida; The Wall Street Journal
Episode: LSE: The Ballpark | American foreign policy in the age of Trump with Professor Walter Russell Mead
Ian Shapiro
Professor of Political Science, Yale University
Yale University
Episode: LSE: The Ballpark | After the Fall: From the End of History to the Crisis of Democracy with Professor Ian Shapiro
Dr. Raja Mohan
Distinguished fellow at the Council on Strategic and Defence Research (Delhi) and visiting professor at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore
Council on Strategic and Defence Research; Institute of South Asian Studies, NUS
Episode: LSE: The Ballpark | America first and the future of Eurasian geopolitics with Dr C Raja Mohan
Todd Hall
Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford, Director of the University of Oxford's China Centre
University of Oxford
Episode: LSE: The Ballpark | China’s Three Personality Problem with Professor Todd Hall
Anne-Marie Slaughter
CEO of New America and a leading thinker on global governance, democracy, and US foreign policy.
New America
Episode: LSE: The Ballpark | America adrift with Professor Anne-Marie Slaughter
Scott Kennedy
Senior Advisor and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
Centre for Strategic and International Studies
Episode: LSE: The Ballpark | US-China relations in an era of illiberalism with Dr Scott Kennedy
Charles Kupchan
Professor of International Affairs in the School of Foreign Service and Government Department at Georgetown University and Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations
Georgetown University
Episode: LSE: The Ballpark | The promise and peril of Trump’s America First with Professor Charles Kupchan
Gili Vidan
Assistant Professor of Information Science at Cornell University's Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science
Cornell University
Episode: LSE: The Ballpark | AI and deepfakes with Dr Gili Vidan

Host

Chris Gilson
Host of The Ballpark, Managing editor of the Phelan US Centre's blog on US politics and policy USAB

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LSE: The Ballpark | Donald Trump and the future of US-EU relations with Professor Kathleen McNamara
Q: What major challenges do you foresee for EU–US relations and the EU's own political authority going forward?
A key challenge will be countering the far-right's influence within Europe and defending democratic norms while managing misinformation; Europe must address internal governance gaps, ensure transparent accountability, and coordinate a coherent regional strategy to maintain influence in a post-American order.
LSE: The Ballpark | Donald Trump and the future of US-EU relations with Professor Kathleen McNamara
Q: You've mentioned the differences between Trump's first and second terms. How is his policy towards the EU in the second term different from that of his first, and how does it compare to his predecessors?
The second term intensified economic coercion, with sweeping tariff actions and a more aggressive stance toward European allies, while also questioning foundational alliances like NATO; this contrasted with a more conventional, alliance-building posture seen in postwar US policy and created new fault lines within the EU about strategic direction.
LSE: The Ballpark | Donald Trump and the future of US-EU relations with Professor Kathleen McNamara
Q: My first question really is about the EU, and who's in the White House right now, President Trump. What impact has Trump's return to the White House had on US–EU relations, and what have been the consequences of his policies for EU unity?
Trump has had an enormous impact, disrupting and dismantling the EU's sense of cohesion and prompting a reconsideration of alliances; his second term deepened strains by challenging NATO commitments, popularizing a confrontational approach to trade, and pushing Europe toward autonomous security strategies while exposing divisions within the bloc.
LSE: The Ballpark | American foreign policy in the age of Trump with Professor Walter Russell Mead
Q: What advice would you give to countries outside the US on handling Trump's style of foreign policy?
The recommended approach is to understand Trump's underlying aims, assess what he values, and seek to offer concessions that align with those priorities, while maintaining your own strategic priorities and security interests.
LSE: The Ballpark | After the Fall: From the End of History to the Crisis of Democracy with Professor Ian Shapiro
Q: How responsible are voters for the policies that followed the Cold War?
He argues that voters are largely retrospective and often unaware of policy details; the real responsibility lies with the leaders and elites who converged on policies that left many behind, enabling anti-system mobilizers to gain traction.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Ballpark

What is The Ballpark about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The Ballpark surveys US politics and policy through interviews with leading academics and policy researchers, with a strong emphasis on US foreign policy, grand strategy, and international relations. Episodes frequently explore how global power shifts—especially US-China dynamics, transatlantic alliances, and regional security—shape policy decisions, credible threats, and governance. The show often threads historical frameworks, current events, and scholarly analysis to offer nuanced takes on complex topics like democracy, technology's impact on politics, and the evolving role of major powers. A notable strength is its ability to translate academic research into accessible insights for professionals in policy, journalism, and business who w... more

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The Ballpark launched 10 years ago and published 5852 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Ballpark?

Recent guests on The Ballpark include:

1. Kathleen McNamara
2. Walter Russell Mead
3. Ian Shapiro
4. Dr. Raja Mohan
5. Todd Hall
6. Anne-Marie Slaughter
7. Scott Kennedy
8. Charles Kupchan

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