Zara Williamson

It’s been a rocky year for civil-military relations in the United States. Lethal boat strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific prompted questions about the legality of the U.S. military campaign. Several members of Congress who had served in military or national security roles then made a video imploring troops not to follow illegal orders. In response, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth censured Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) for participating in the video.

In May 2025, India and Pakistan engaged in another round of fighting in their long-running militarized rivalry. This time was different. The fighting crossed some significant military red lines and seemed to be escalating, before the two sides reached an unexpected ceasefire. Fast-forward to April 2026: India, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a long-time personal ally of Donald Trump, is suddenly on the outs with the United States.

Image combined on canva.com. In this episode of Chalkboard Politics, the team explores the evolving challenges facing international institutions in a period of populist backlash and shifting global power. In the first conversation, professors Allison Carnegie and Richard Clark discuss how international organizations – from the European Union to the IMF and WTO – navigate growing populist resistance, funding withdrawals, and declining hegemonic support.