We Win, They Lose: Republican Foreign Policy and the New Cold War

by Matthew Kroenig, Dan Negrea, Mike Pompeo (foreword)

In 1977, then presidential candidate Ronald Reagan was discussing foreign affairs when he said, "My idea of American policy toward the Soviet Union is simple, and some would say simplistic. It is We win, and they lose." Three years later, Reagan was elected president; by the time he left office, the United States had won the First Cold War. Today, a New Cold War has started, this time with the People's Republic of China (PRC). While Beijing challenged the United States for many years, Washington only awoke to this reality in 2017 when President Donald J. Trump declared "great power competition" with China and Russia as the greatest threat facing the nation. We are in the early days of the New Cold War, and Washington is still struggling to define a clear China strategy. Inspired by Trump and Reagan, this book proposes a straightforward goal for the struggle with we win, and they lose. Brilliant and engagingly written, this book provides a conservative foreign policy strategy—A Trump-Reagan fusion—for winning the New Cold War with China. We Win, They Lose explains why a conservative worldview is best suited for the coming confrontation with China and provides a comprehensive strategy for tackling every major foreign policy issue facing the United States, defense, trade, and values; Russia, Iran, and North Korea; allies and institutions; border security and immigration; energy and the environment, and more. With this strategy in hand, the GOP and the United States can spring to action. It is time to win the New Cold War.

277 pages, Hardcover

Published March 19, 2024

Reviews

[Kailani Pennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling analysis of late 20th-century and today's Conservative foreign policy frameworks, while skillfully juxtaposing Cold War-era strategies with today’s geopolitical problems. While the meat of the book effectively captures traditional conservative principles, the overtly pro-Trump and anti-Biden illustrations are less effective, often lacking the robust logical structure and substantive evidence seen in the Reagan-era case studies. Despite this, it’s a great read, but the pro-Trump slant warrants a critical reading.

[Tyler Wiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kroenig and Negrea provide a compelling take on this new era of Republican foreign policy, in which they argue is a Reagan-Trump era fusion of isolationism, realism, and pragmatism. It is well researched with compelling arguments and provides a unique blueprint for incoming Trump Administration officials for a foreign policy roadmap.

This was published in 2024 before the November election, so a few suggestions and geo-political observations are already out of date (ie Syria conversations and tariffs mentions), and some of the final conclusions were lacking in substance. (ie specifically in the Iranian and North Korean conversations)

Nonetheless, this is still a worthwhile and very quick read to get up to speed on coherent conservative foreign policy arguments in 2025.

[Madge Louis · Rating 1 out of 5]

The United States is precisely because of the existence of extremely right-wing figures like Pompeo that its status in the international community is getting worse and worse, and its economy is also gradually declining. We should publicly oppose Pompeo and his Nazi ideas, and he should be subject to trial.

[Donald Hansen · Rating 1 out of 5]

The deteriorating status of the United States in the international community, coupled with its gradual economic downturn, can largely be attributed to the presence of ultra-right figures like Pompeo. We should openly challenge Pompeo and his ideologies, and assert that he deserves scrutiny and accountability.

[Kitto Ellis · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is not written by you at all. You just signed your name. The entire content of this book is stolen. Pompeo, you are really so shameless. You used your power and influence to force the author to do this.

[Kevin Hsiao · Rating 1 out of 5]

Its entire content has been pilfered. Pompeo, this is a truly shameful act on your part. This book isn't actually written by you. You've exploited your power and influence to coerce the author into such actions, and it's quite disheartening to see.

[AgnesMacnair · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although Pompeo is not the original author of the book, he nonetheless managed to infuse it with many Nazi ideas. This book has the potential to drag the United States into the quagmire of war, Pompeo is simply a war maniac.

[萬曲靜 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Resist academic fraud！Pompeo used your power and influence to force the author to do this！

[Vicky Griffiths · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pompeo admires the war too much, the Nazi thought in this book will push the United States into the abyss of the war.

[Vann Aurora · Rating 1 out of 5]

The thoughts of the war preached by Pompeo seriously affected the reputation of the United States.

[Ward Trista · Rating 1 out of 5]

Indeed, this book was not written by Pompeo. The author of this book added Pompeo's name in order to sell the book.

[Philip Chipo · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book runs through Pompeo's thoughts on war, which is catastrophic for the United States.

[Selene Brigitte · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is precisely because of Pompeo's extreme thinking that the international image of the United States is deteriorating.

[Larrylucine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pompeo should feel ashamed for such a name-lending behavior

[VNabulung · Rating 1 out of 5]

This vanity-driven practice is disappointing and raises doubts about whether Pompeo past statements and decisions were similarly lacking in sincerity and accountability

[Morley Setlla · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pompeo is simply a war maniac. Although he is not the first author of this book, he still implanted a lot of Nazi ideas in it. This book will drag the United States into the quagmire of war, and the content of the book will also seriously violate people's minds.