Emma Ashford

Emma Ashford is a columnist at Foreign Policy and a senior fellow with the Reimagining U.S. Grand Strategy program at the Stimson Center, an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University, and the author of Oil, the State, and War.

Follow Emma Ashford:
On X
Articles by Emma Ashford
A black and white headshot of Donald Trump looking at a man in glasses at left.
A black and white headshot of Donald Trump looking at a man in glasses at left.

Arms Control Was Once Trump’s Signature Issue This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Emma Ashford
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Jan. 16.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Jan. 16.

How Realistic Is Carney’s Call to Action? This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Emma Ashford
From right: U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth monitor U.S. military operations in Venezuela from Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Jan. 3.
From right: U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth monitor U.S. military operations in Venezuela from Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Jan. 3.

Venezuela Might Be Where Trump’s Luck Runs Out This article has an audio recording

Argument
Emma Ashford
U.S. President Donald Trump with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and U.S. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bassent while meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Nov. 18.
U.S. President Donald Trump with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and U.S. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bassent while meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Nov. 18.

Trump Should Stick to His Guns on Venezuela

Argument
Emma Ashford, Evan Cooper
U.S. President Donald Trump walks from the Maine One presidential helicopter to Air Force One on Sept. 22.
U.S. President Donald Trump walks from the Maine One presidential helicopter to Air Force One on Sept. 22.

Trump’s Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan Is a Step Forward

Argument
Emma Ashford
us-restraint-realism-europe-military-withdrawal-mark-harris-illustration
us-restraint-realism-europe-military-withdrawal-mark-harris-illustration

Passing the Baton in Europe

Excerpt
Emma Ashford
Traditional Russian wooden nesting dolls depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump are displayed for sale at a gift shop on Arbat street in downtown Moscow on Aug. 13.
Traditional Russian wooden nesting dolls depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump are displayed for sale at a gift shop on Arbat street in downtown Moscow on Aug. 13.

The Trump-Putin Summit Could Actually Be Helpful This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Emma Ashford
Samuel Zbogar, the head of the Slovenian mission to the United Nations Security Council, speaks to the press alongside other U.N. representatives ahead of a Security Council emergency meeting on Gaza at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Aug. 10.
Samuel Zbogar, the head of the Slovenian mission to the United Nations Security Council, speaks to the press alongside other U.N. representatives ahead of a Security Council emergency meeting on Gaza at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Aug. 10.

What Was the Tipping Point on Gaza?

Analysis
Emma Ashford
An illustration shows Donald Trump's face on a historical drawing of Andrew Jackson astride a horse. A hand tips a hat. Trump's face smirks and looks to the side.
An illustration shows Donald Trump's face on a historical drawing of Andrew Jackson astride a horse. A hand tips a hat. Trump's face smirks and looks to the side.

If Trump Is Neither Hawk nor Dove, What Is He?

Argument
Emma Ashford
U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff speaks as U.S. President Donald Trump looks on, May 28, 2025.
U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff speaks as U.S. President Donald Trump looks on, May 28, 2025.

Trump Lacks the Patience for Peace

Argument
Emma Ashford
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony for interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on May 28.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony for interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on May 28.

Trump’s Choice on Iran

Analysis
Emma Ashford
With Jared Kushner to his left, Donald Trump listens to the rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch during a visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City on May 22, 2017.
With Jared Kushner to his left, Donald Trump listens to the rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch during a visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City on May 22, 2017.

Trump Isn’t Following the Script on Israel

Analysis
Emma Ashford
A drawn illustration of a Trump whirlwind on a red background
A drawn illustration of a Trump whirlwind on a red background

Four Explanatory Models for Trump’s Chaos

Analysis
Emma Ashford
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during an executive order signing event at the White House in Washington on March 31.
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during an executive order signing event at the White House in Washington on March 31.

Over and Out

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
CEO of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk wields a chainsaw as he leaves the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Feb. 20.
CEO of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk wields a chainsaw as he leaves the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Feb. 20.

What You Gonna Do When DOGE Comes for You?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
Load more by Emma Ashford Return to staff list

Latest

See All Stories

Trending

  1. 1
    Iceland Eu Accession Referendum Sovereignty Vote
  2. 2
    Peacemaking Power Politics United Nations Trump
  3. 3
    Iran Oman Strait Hormuz Deal Us Trump Oil Shipping
  4. 4
    Iran Trump Hormuz Escalate Energy Embargo
  5. 5
    Russia Ukraine War Putin Europe Attacks Drones Sabotage Nato Hybrid Gray Zone Warfare