A Conversation With Rahm Emanuel

Why It Matters

Emanuel’s analysis links America’s internal divisions and underinvestment in education and research to weakened strategic posture, suggesting that restoring domestic strength is essential for effective foreign‑policy and security outcomes.

Key Takeaways

• US political divisions predate Trump but have been amplified recently
• Four historic crises—Iraq, financial crash, China rise, COVID—shape current anger
• Emanuel warns US inaction on education, research harms competitiveness
• Proposes UN‑monitored Strait of Hormuz and pipeline financing via Abraham Accords
• Calls for U.S. ability to fight simultaneous conventional and unconventional wars

Summary

The Council on Foreign Relations hosted former ambassador and mayor Rahm Emanuel for a candid discussion on America’s deepening political fractures and foreign‑policy challenges. Emanuel traced today’s volatility to four pivotal crises—the Iraq war built on false pretenses, the 2008 financial collapse, China’s strategic rise, and the COVID‑19 pandemic—arguing these events have amplified longstanding societal divides. He warned that domestic neglect, especially in education and scientific research funding, erodes U.S. competitiveness and fuels the very rhetoric that threatens national cohesion. The former diplomat highlighted that half of American children read below grade level, a failure he says the administration must address rather than blame external rivals. Turning to the Middle East, Emanuel framed the Iran‑Hormuz standoff as a "war of choice, bad choice" and outlined a three‑phase strategy: immediate UN‑monitored navigation of the Strait, a regional toll system to fund reconstruction, and leveraging the Abraham Accords to finance alternative pipeline routes. He stressed the need for the United States to develop the capacity to conduct simultaneous conventional and unconventional operations. Emanuel’s remarks underscore the intertwined nature of domestic decay and strategic vulnerability, urging policymakers to restore internal resilience while crafting multilateral solutions to geopolitical flashpoints. The conversation signals that U.S. leadership will hinge on addressing internal inequities as much as on managing external threats.

Original Description

Rahm Emanuel discusses the current U.S. foreign policy landscape and the future of U.S. diplomacy as the international order status quo continues to evolve.

Speaker

Rahm Emanuel

Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan (2022–25); Former Mayor, City of Chicago (2011–19); Former Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama (2009–10)

Presider

Bianna Golodryga

Anchor and Senior Global Affairs Analyst, CNN; CFR Member

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