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2026 Owen Harries Lecture by Stephen Biegun
A central pillar of President Trump’s political promise was a retreat from costly American military intervention abroad. Yet 14 months into his second term, the president has ordered the apprehension of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and a major bombing campaign against Iran. He has threatened the forceful annexation of Greenland and overseen military action in Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Ecuador.
What is the strategy behind this assertion of American power, and are there clues in history and context that would explain what is driving the president’s decisions?
Featuring
Stephen E. Biegun
Stephen E. Biegun is the 2026 Rothschild & Co Distinguished International Fellow at the Lowy Institute and former Deputy Secretary of State of the United States. He is a recognised expert on the Korean Peninsula, US-China relations, and broader Indo-Pacific security.
Michael Fullilove
Dr Michael Fullilove AM is the Executive Director of the Lowy Institute.
