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4 September 2024

The National Interest Is What the President Says It Is - Opinion

Phillips Payson O’Brien

Leaders around the world justify their foreign-policy decisions in the name of the “national interest.” Joe Biden and his aides, for example, have used the phrase to defend the administration’s approach to cybersecurity, refugee admissions, the Afghan War, and growing tensions with China. National interest is a serious notion, pregnant with ideas about collective aspirations. It evokes geopolitical goals—such as territorial expansion, military hegemony, and regional harmony—that transcend individual politicians and are pursued over the course of decades or centuries.

This view of national interest is stirring. It is also divorced from reality in most cases. As American voters prepare to elect a new president, they should take note: Although broad perceptions about what is good for a nation do play a role in shaping its foreign policy, its geopolitical strategy—even in a democracy—is determined mainly by the personal preferences of its leader.


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