{
  "id": 7316140,
  "title": "<em>The Atlantic</em>’s October Cover: Anne Applebaum on the “Empire of Grift” and the Revolution in American Foreign Policy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/em-the-atlantic-em-s-october-cover-anne-applebaum-on-the-empire-of",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-14T12:33:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Atlantic",
    "slug": "the-atlantic",
    "url": "https://www.theatlantic.com/press-releases/2026/09/the-atlantics-october-cover-story-by-anne-applebaum/688604/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nApplebaum 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.\n\nThe 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.",
  "summary": "In The Atlantic ’s October cover story, “ Empire of Grift ,” staff writer Anne Applebaum examines how far-right ideologues have transformed American foreign policy into a tool of private gain and antidemocratic reaction. Instead of making the world safe for democracy, she writes, U.S. foreign policy is rewiring the international order. Reporting from Brazil, Applebaum reveals that the United…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}