<em>The Atlantic</em>’s October Cover: Anne Applebaum on the “Empire of Grift” and the Revolution in American Foreign Policy

In The Atlantic's October cover story, "Empire of Grift," staff writer Anne Applebaum delves into how far-right ideologues have redefined American foreign policy as a means for private gain and anti-democratic action. Applebaum argues that U.S. foreign policy is no longer solely driven by trained diplomats and reliable officials working through state channels, but now includes informal envoys, private companies, online grifters, and ideologues with their own agendas.

These individuals, present both inside and outside the government, prioritize their business interests or ideological goals over promoting democracy or maintaining the United States' reputation.

Applebaum emphasizes that while the current administration and some Trumpists may be referred to as "isolationists," this characterization is misleading. Many officials view themselves as the vanguard of a movement that aims to alter not just America, but the world. They see their enemies as existential threats, such as "wokeness," "censorship-industrial complex," "regulation," and "mass migration."

To maintain their power and defeat these perceived enemies, these predators cannot rely on traditional diplomacy due to their mistrust of its practitioners.

The democratic world established after 1945, which was based on mostly self-imposed restraints, is undergoing a transformation. Applebaum notes that American power was previously largely derived from alliances that were not always exploited, and long-term relationships were valued as they were uncertain in their necessity. However, this U.S.-led democratic order is rapidly disappearing as different people within and outside the administration seize the revolutionary moment to achieve zero-sum victories.

Countries that do not participate in this "free-for-all" risk suffering, as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney cautioned at Davos earlier this year.