LSE US Politics and Policy blog - USAPP

China’s Three Personality Problem with Professor Todd Hall | The Ballpark podcast | LSE United States Politics and Policy Understanding China’s role in the world has never been more important — or more complex. China projects itself variously as a moral global actor, a fiercely defensive power guarding its core interests...

Listen to the Ballpark podcast: China’s Three Personality Problem with Professor Todd Hall

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

The US war on Iran has vague deadlines, unclear victory goals and exit strategy, and no easy way to end | LSE United States Politics and Policy There are three ways Trump could bring the war to a close quickly and declare victory, though none are easy.

The US war on Iran has vague deadlines, unclear victory goals and exit strategy, and no easy way to end writes Christian Emery of @uclssees.bsky.social

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

The 2026 Midterms: How a State Senate primary race in North Carolina shows that some politics are still local | LSE United States Politics and Policy Local issues can still matter.

The 2026 Midterms: @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social writes on how a State Senate primary race in North Carolina shows that some politics are still local

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

The Democrats’ disagreement over the US attacks on Iran means Republicans can set the terms of the debate | LSE United States Politics and Policy The Democratic Party’s ambiguous stance on the US’ actions is currently too focused on procedural interventions.

US military strikes against Iran have drawn criticism both abroad and at home.

The Democrats’ disagreement over the attacks means Republicans can set the terms of the debate, writes Jack Roush @lsehy.bsky.social on @lseusablog.bsky.social

The Democrats’ disagreement over the US attacks on Iran means Republicans can set the terms of the debate | LSE United States Politics and Policy The Democratic Party’s ambiguous stance on the US’ actions is currently too focused on procedural interventions.

The Democrats’ disagreement over the US attacks on Iran means Republicans can set the terms of the debate writes Jack Roush of @lsehy.bsky.social

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Why America will succeed in an age of AI-enabled killer robots | LSE United States Politics and Policy the US’ nuclear and technology advantages – including in AI – will allow it to remain globally dominant.

Why America will succeed in an age of AI-enabled killer robots

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

The 2026 Midterms: Trump’s State of the Union marathon of greatest hits is unlikely to influence voters | LSE United States Politics and Policy Trump's State of the Union will likely have little impact on the outcome of the 2026 midterms.

The 2026 Midterms: Trump’s State of the Union marathon of greatest hits is unlikely to influence voters writes Peter Finn of @uniofgreenwich.bsky.social

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Attitudes towards authority, identity, and acculturation shape the diverse views towards police within Hispanic communities | LSE United States Politics and Policy Hispanics who hold stronger authoritarian views and who racially self-identify as white are more likely to support the police.

Attitudes towards authority, identity, and acculturation shape the diverse views towards police within Hispanic communities

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

How partisan politics shielded the Federal Reserve from inflation blame | LSE United States Politics and Policy Criticisms of the Fed’s role were overshadowed by party political narratives, allowing it to avoid scrutiny over its actions and their consequences.

Inflation was the defining issue of the 2024 election, yet neither party seriously questioned the Federal Reserve - the institution primarily responsible for controlling it.

New piece @lseusablog.bsky.social on how partisan politics shielded the Fed from scrutiny:

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

George Washington’s original “America First” policy warned how partisan division can lead to unchecked power | LSE United States Politics and Policy In a time of intense political polarization and concern about unchecked presidential power, and as the US marks Presidents’ Day and George Washington’s birthday, Erin Doss looks to the possible soluti...

George Washington’s original “America First” policy warned how partisan division can lead to unchecked power

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

The Supreme Court has ruled against Trump’s tariffs, but they may be here to stay and could reshape global industrial policy | LSE United States Politics and Policy Trump's blanket approach to tariffs could lead to a global wave of spending on industrial subsidies.

The Supreme Court has ruled against Trump’s tariffs, but they may be here to stay and could reshape global industrial policy.

@lsegovernment.bsky.social's @sjrickard.bsky.social for @lseusablog.bsky.social

The Supreme Court has ruled against Trump’s tariffs, but they may be here to stay and could reshape global industrial policy | LSE United States Politics and Policy Trump's blanket approach to tariffs could lead to a global wave of spending on industrial subsidies.

The Supreme Court has ruled against Trump’s tariffs, but they may be here to stay and could reshape global industrial policy writes Professor @sjrickard.bsky.social of @lsegovernment.bsky.social

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

New from me on how rising protest in the US is increasingly treated as data for the state - monitored, analysed, and managed rather than answered.

How partisan politics shielded the Federal Reserve from inflation blame | LSE United States Politics and Policy Criticisms of the Fed’s role were overshadowed by party political narratives, allowing it to avoid scrutiny over its actions and their consequences.

How partisan politics shielded the Federal Reserve from inflation blame

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

The US response to rising dissent shows what happens when protests become data for the state | LSE United States Politics and Policy How the trend by US institutions to measure protest is redefining what protests mean.

The US response to rising dissent shows what happens when protests become data for the state writes @drdeanclay.bsky.social of @uniofhull.bsky.social

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

America adrift with Professor Anne-Marie Slaughter | The Ballpark podcast | LSE United States Politics and Policy America is undergoing profound change. Demographic transformation, shifting global power dynamics, and a foreign policy establishment in transition are reshaping how the United States sees itself—and ...

Listen to The Ballpark podcast: America adrift with Professor @slaughteram.bsky.social

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Concerns about US institutions suggest that ongoing loyalty from other democracies can no longer be taken for granted | United States Politics and Policy The last two decades have seen the US intervene in Iraq and Afghanistan. In new research, Ha Eun Choi, Scott de Marchi, Max Gallop, and Shahryar Minhas explore the effects of these often-costly overse...

Concerns about US institutions suggest that ongoing loyalty from other democracies can no longer be taken for granted write @haeunchoi.bsky.social, Scott de Marchi, Max Gallop, and Shahryar Minhas

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

The 2026 Midterms: How foreign policy really could make a difference in the midterm elections | United States Politics and Policy Donald Trump’s unpopularity is being fuelled by the negative economic impacts of his administration’s tariffs.

How foreign policy really could make a difference in the midterm elections

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

I wrote for LSE about how the NJ-11 Special Election demonstrates why the Blue Wave in November is already locked in. It's less about what happens between now and Election Day than it is about the strategic decisions of candidates made months ago.

Why the candidates running in the 2026 midterm elections may be just as important as the voters | United States Politics and Policy Why the Democrats' "Blue Wave" may be a self-fulfilling prophecy

The candidates running in the 2026 midterm elections may be just as important as the voters writes @dancassino.bsky.social of @fduwhatsnew.bsky.social

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Middle powers are rising – here’s how they can shape global governance | United States Politics and Policy Middle powers can work together to reshape global governance

Can middle powers work together to reshape global governance? In a post on the @sjrickard.bsky.social @lsegovernment.bsky.social finds that they already have.

She finds that coalitions of middle powers – and not the largest countries – made the largest contributions @lseusablog.bsky.social.

Voters know that politicians are rich, but dramatically underestimate just how rich they are | United States Politics and Policy Telling voters the truth about politicians’ wealth makes little difference to their attitudes towards their elected representatives.

Voters know that politicians are rich, but dramatically underestimate just how rich they are write Marko Klašnja of Georgetown University and @luciamotoliniac.bsky.social of Washington University in St. Louis blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Trump’s “America First” focus is reducing confrontation with China but risks greater regional instability | United States Politics and Policy Greater competition between the US and China has led to both countries pushing increasingly assertive policies towards one another. Sungmin Cho writes that this confrontation has become self-reinforci...

Sungmin Cho of SungKyunKwan University writes that Trump’s “America First” focus is reducing confrontation with China but risks greater regional instability blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Middle powers are rising – here’s how they can shape global governance | United States Politics and Policy Middle powers can work together to reshape global governance

Middle powers are rising – Professor @sjrickard.bsky.social of @lsegovernment.bsky.social writes on how they can shape global governance

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

US-China relations in an era of illiberalism with Dr Scott Kennedy | The Ballpark podcast | United States Politics and Policy To talk about the current state of US-China relations, in October 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Scott Kennedy, Senior Adviser and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics at the Center for...

US-China relations in an era of illiberalism with Dr Scott Kennedy @csis.org | The Ballpark podcast blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Why the US can and should leave Greenland alone for now | United States Politics and Policy While Greenland is geopolitically important, there is no need for the US to control it.

Trump threatened to annex Greenland, citing US national security interests. And while he has since backed down from using force to achieve this, he hasn't abandoned the goal.

But why does he want the territory when the security argument doesn't add up? Peter Harris for @lseusablog.bsky.social

Nonverbal analysis of the 2025 Alaska Summit shows how Putin dominated attention over Trump | United States Politics and Policy Studying subtle cues like gaze and speaking time shows that in Alaska, Putin was more assertive compared to Trump.

Nonverbal analysis of the 2025 Alaska Summit shows how Putin dominated attention over Trump blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Trump II means global production networks are coupling and decoupling in a world of trade policy uncertainty | United States Politics and Policy The likely outcome is a world of shorter, more cautious, and more politically dependent production networks

Trump II means global production networks are coupling and decoupling in a world of trade policy uncertainty writes Louise Curran of Toulouse Business School blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Why the US can and should leave Greenland alone for now | United States Politics and Policy While Greenland is geopolitically important, there is no need for the US to control it.

The US can and should leave Greenland alone for now writes Peter Harris of Colorado State University blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Here’s a blog post version of my recent paper in BJPS on coal dominance and local government capacity. Thanks, USAPP, for the opportunity to share a more accessible version of this work!