First Among Equals: U.S. Foreign Policy in a Multipolar World

by Emma Ashford

A fresh, concise roadmap for U.S. grand strategy in a multipolar world
 
For the past thirty years, post–Cold War triumphalism and a desire to reshape the world have defined U.S. foreign policy. But the failures of the global war on terror, the return of conflict to Europe, and growing tensions with China all suggest that this approach to the world is flawed. For the United States—the country that has ruled the international system largely alone since 1991—this moment is particularly perilous. Can policymakers adapt American foreign policy to better fit the twenty-first century, and in doing so avoid the pitfalls and excesses of the past three decades?
 
In this book, Emma Ashford proposes a return to a more pragmatic, realist set of strategic principles, ones better suited for the emerging multipolar world, that would pursue narrower U.S. interests, cultivate the capabilities of friendly states, and emphasize room for maneuver over rigid alliances. In this she provides a valuable counterpoint to today’s liberal internationalist consensus, as well as a road map for policymakers who seek to change the course of U.S. foreign policy.

Genres: Politics, History, International Relations, Nonfiction

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 26, 2025

Reviews

[Hunter Marston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good and an important book that adds a lot of fodder to the debate over US foreign policy in Washington. I'll probably write a longer review soon.

[Evelyn Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshing perspective on the current position of US foreign policy, while calling us to do better.
A multipolar world doesn’t mean we will no longer have any influence. International realism doesn’t mean that we throw alliances and institutions out with the bath water. Thinking about our future in the ME, Europe, and Asia couldn’t be a more timely topic.
We still have the power to step back and pivot, which isn’t an opportunity to waste.

[Daphne Dluzniewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3.75. I like that her argument is very concrete, but I feel like she contradicts herself in saying the U.S. should embrace multipolarity while still maintaining primary influence in various regions around the world. Would’ve liked to see her grapple more with what the U.S. should do if, for example, China maintains hegemony in the Indo-Pacific

[Matthew Castro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not overly academic in diction with compelling arguments for a distinct vision of American foreign policy. Whatever gaps there might be, Ashford’s steady hand makes me believe she will continue to have her finger on the pulse of geopolitical developments.

[Max Dodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent clear headed analysis of US foreign policy and, more importantly, clear and actionable strategy for the future.

[C · Rating 2 out of 5]

Move over, Mead— we have a new typology! Recommendations section was a let down

[Julian Pritchard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Call for a more restrained US foreign policy with a more narrow conception of the national interest.

[Vish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went to a talk the author gave in DC and was inspired to pick up this book. She makes the case for restraint — her thesis is that America is no longer able to freely run around doing whatever it pleases, and that rather than trying to do that our foreign policy should take on a new, more targeted scope.

There’s an interesting bit she included about a Chinese spy balloon, that, after America shot it down, the House of Representatives voted 419-0 to “condemn” it. This highlighting how U.S. policy toward Asia is fundamentally a little performative and unserious.

But I get the sense that she believes in America; and that in spite of everything, America is still in a good position. Good read