![Army boots with American flag](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/optimized/public/2021-01/GettyImages-1041861964.jpg?itok=DbrJPzz0) # Defense and Foreign Policy At a Glance Cato’s foreign and defense policies are guided by the view that the United States is relatively secure and so should engage the world, trade freely, and work with other countries on common concerns—but avoid trying to dominate it militarily. The United States should be an example of democracy and human rights, not their armed vindicator abroad. Although that view is largely absent in Washington, DC, today, it has a rich history, from George Washington to Cold War realists like George Kennan. Cato scholars aim to restore it. A principled and restrained foreign policy would keep the nation out of most foreign conflicts and be cheaper, more ethical, and less destructive of civil liberties. Subscribe to the Defense and Foreign Policy email newsletter Join the Conversation [\#CatoFP](https://x.com/hashtag/CatoFP) Share This Topic #### Featured Content [![President's Echo System 16x9](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2026-08/Presidents%20Echo%20System%2016x9.jpg?itok=umkWnCnt)](https://www.cato.org/events/presidents-echo-system-how-foreign-policy-sold-americans) events ## [*The President’s Echo System: How Foreign Policy Is Sold to Americans*](/events/presidents-echo-system-how-foreign-policy-sold-americans) Featuring Chad Levinson, [Emma Ashford](https://www.cato.org/people/emma-ashford), and [Justin Logan](https://www.cato.org/people/justin-logan) Chad Levinson’s The President’s Echo System details how successive administrations have collaborated with outside groups to popularize ideas that voters initially reject. [![us soldiers](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2026-09/GettyImages-2259620245.jpg?itok=nA0tAZNw)](https://www.cato.org/commentary/leave-europe-europeans) Commentary ### [Leave Europe to the Europeans](/commentary/leave-europe-europeans) By [Justin Logan](https://www.cato.org/people/justin-logan) and Jennifer Kavanagh A clear, written plan for substantial withdrawals would show Europeans that the Trump administration is serious about burden shifting. [![](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/brightcove/videos/images/posters/image_43690.jpg?itok=G0mvtgI9)](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/doug-bandow-examines-whether-abandoning-jcpoa-contributed-todays) Media Highlights TV ### [Doug Bandow discusses whether leaving the JCPOA led the war in Iran, Trump’s war promises during the campaign, and presidential powers on *Liberty Lens*](/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/doug-bandow-examines-whether-abandoning-jcpoa-contributed-todays) Featuring [Doug Bandow](https://www.cato.org/people/doug-bandow) [![Pentagon](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2026-03/Pentago%20touch%20of%20Light%20author.jpg?itok=hz_jO3X-)](https://www.cato.org/blog/squaring-defense-budget) blog ### [Making Sense of Failures in US Defense Funding](/blog/squaring-defense-budget) By [Benjamin Giltner](https://www.cato.org/people/benjamin-giltner) The real problem is America’s defense strategy: US policymakers are reaching for nonsensical goals. [![](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/brightcove/videos/images/posters/image_43712.jpg?itok=XkjrRo1_)](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/katherine-thompson-discusses-vice-president-jd-vances-timeline-us) Media Highlights TV ### [Katherine Thompson discusses Vice President JD Vance’s timeline for U.S. involvement in the war with Iran on BBC *World News America*](/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/katherine-thompson-discusses-vice-president-jd-vances-timeline-us) Featuring [Katherine Thompson](https://www.cato.org/people/katherine-thompson) [View More Related Content](/search/topic/20) #### Meet Our Experts [![Doug Bandow Cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2023-11/bandow-cropped.jpg?itok=ZDqToQa8)](/people/doug-bandow) ##### [Doug Bandow](/people/doug-bandow) Senior Fellow [![Brandan P. Buck - cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2024-11/brandon-buck-cropped.jpg?itok=3pFG7E8V)](/people/brandan-p-buck) ##### [Brandan P. Buck](/people/brandan-p-buck) Research Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies [![Benjamin Giltner Cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2025-07/Benjamin%20Giltner%20Cropped.png?itok=bWPlx2WD)](/people/benjamin-giltner) ##### [Benjamin Giltner](/people/benjamin-giltner) Policy Analyst [![Jon Hoffman cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2024-05/jon-hoffman-portrait-cropped.jpg?itok=J4OWAoj2)](/people/jon-hoffman) ##### [Jon Hoffman](/people/jon-hoffman) Research Fellow [![Justin Logan cropped portrait new](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2023-08/Justin-Logan-cropped.jpg?itok=XUHM7_6y)](/people/justin-logan) ##### [Justin Logan](/people/justin-logan) Director of Defense and Foreign Policy Studies [![Justin Mitchell - cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2025-11/Justin%20Mitchell%20-%20cropped.jpg?itok=MtTiWNhT)](/people/justin-mitchell) ##### [Justin Mitchell](/people/justin-mitchell) Research Associate [![John Mueller](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2021-01/John%20Mueller.jpg?itok=FgHy7NGE)](/people/john-mueller) ##### [John Mueller](/people/john-mueller) Senior Fellow [![patrick-porter-cropped.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2022-07/patrick-porter-cropped.jpg?itok=h7RbaEQL)](/people/patrick-porter) ##### [Patrick Porter](/people/patrick-porter) Adjunct Scholar [![Joshua Shifrinson cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2023-08/josh-shifrinson-headshot-Cropped.jpg?itok=6YE0cjty)](/people/joshua-shifrinson) ##### [Joshua Shifrinson](/people/joshua-shifrinson) Non-resident Senior Fellow [![Evan Sankey - cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2025-08/2015-06-12-Cato%20Institute-Evan%20Sankey--cropped.jpg?itok=IP8rqlo-)](/people/evan-sankey) ##### [Evan Sankey](/people/evan-sankey) Policy Analyst [![katherine_thompson_cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2025-11/katherine_thompson_cropped_0.jpg?itok=eusK4TXc)](/people/katherine-thompson) ##### [Katherine Thompson](/people/katherine-thompson) Senior Fellow, Defense and Foreign Policy Studies ##### *Power Problems*: Foreign Policy Podcast [![Power Problems Graphic](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/aside_mobile/public/serials/covers/powerproblems_16x9.jpg?itok=AnxiDJet)](https://www.cato.org/search/category/multimedia+power-problems) *Power Problems* is a biweekly podcast from the Cato Institute. Host [John Glaser](https://www.cato.org/people/john-glaser) offers a skeptical take on U.S. foreign policy and discusses today’s big questions in international security with guests from across the political spectrum. Follow along on social media with [\#CatoFP](https://twitter.com/hashtag/CatoFP). ##### Listen & Subscribe - [ Apple Podcasts ](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/power-problems/id1282100393) - [ Google Podcasts ](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5hY2FzdC5jb20vcHVibGljL3Nob3dzLzVlM2RiMWI5NjU5ZDU5NTc3MGY4YjliMA) - [ Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/7LrC4meqQkPvzFqP9PMwkS)