When a leader's private grievances and media-driven narratives determine foreign policy, official strategy documents become window dressing rather than governing guides. This produces unpredictable, high-risk decisions that can contradict stated priorities and institutional checks.
— Recognizing this shift reframes debates about accountability, civil‑military relations, and the usefulness of formal strategy papers in constraining executive action.
Francis Fukuyama
2026.04.02
100% relevant
Fukuyama contrasts the Trump administration's National Security Strategy (which deprioritized the Middle East) with subsequent strikes on Iran and the administration's public rhetoric, attributing the gap to the president's personal motives and media influences.
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