Since the end of World War II, the United States has pursued its global interests through a policy of consistent but evolving support for a liberal international order. In recent years, however, international challenges — such as the rise of new powers, climate change, and failed states — have led to an intensified debate about the future of the U.S. relationship with that order. To inform this debate, this Perspective identifies areas of continuity and change in the historical U.S. approach to international order. It then outlines four alternative strategies that the United States might pursue vis-à-vis the liberal order in the future and proposes criteria for choosing among these options.
