America at 250: The Best and Worst U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions, With Mary Dudziak and Christopher Nichols

Mary Dudziak, Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law at Emory University, and Christopher Nichols, Wayne Woodrow Hayes Chair in National Security Studies and Professor of History at the Ohio State University, sit down with James M. Lindsay to unpack a new CFR survey of historians on the best and worst foreign policy decisions in U.S. history. To mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. declaration of independence, CFR is dedicating a year-long series of articles, videos, podcasts, events, and special projects that will reflect on two and a half centuries of U.S. foreign policy. Featuring bipartisan voices and expert contributors, the series explores the evolution of America’s role in the world and the strategic challenges that lie ahead. Mentioned on the Episode: Christopher McKnight Nichols, Promise and Peril: America at the Dawn of a Global Age Joshua Kurlantzick, A Great Place to Have a War CFR.org, The Ten Best and Ten Worst U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or our guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

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America at 250: The Best and Worst U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions, With Mary Dudziak and Christopher Nichols is an episode from The President's Inbox by Council on Foreign Relations.

This episode is 40:13 long.

This episode was published on Jan 21, 2026.

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