May 13, 2026
The New Interventionism
Jacob Shapiro
John Foster Dulles Professor of International Affairs at Princeton University and Vice Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Princeton University Center for Public and International Affairs
The New Interventionism
Jacob Shapiro
John Foster Dulles Professor of International Affairs at Princeton University and Vice Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Princeton University Center for Public and International Affairs
Jacob Shapiro and George Bustin, introducer
Minutes of the 30th Meeting of the 84th Year
President George Bustin convened the 30th meeting of the Old Guard’s 84th year at the Jewish Center in Princeton. One hundred thirty-three persons attended the session, including Henry Farber’s guest, Anne Case, a candidate for membership. Peter Epstein read the minutes for the previous meeting.
Fifteen new members were elected at the meeting: Steven Bogad, Peter Bogucki, Timothy Burman, Kathleen Cassidy, Elizabeth Cutler, Alan Di Sciullo, Burton Ford III, Jeffrey Griesemer, Mark Holmes, Robert Karlin, Michael Leopold, Bruce Leslie, Anne O’Neill, Edwin Price, and Linda Sernoff.
George Bustin introduced Jacob Shapiro, John Foster Dulles Professor of International Affairs and Vice Dean for Strategic Initiatives at Princeton University’s School of Public Policy and International Affairs. He is co-founder of the Empirical Studies of Conflict Project, a multi-university consortium that studies politically motivated violence around the world. This collaborative effort is attempting to assess, as even-handedly as possible, consequences of the Trump administration’s interventionist foreign policy - a dramatic departure from past U.S.-led efforts since the end of World War II to establish a liberal global rules-based order to help govern international relations and trade.
Formally spelling out its foreign policy strategy, the Trump administration explicitly rejects the argument that free trade and multi-lateral institutions produce peace. Instead, it calls for “America First” policies and frames military coercion as a tool to secure dominance, denies adversaries footholds in the western hemisphere, and focuses upon competition with China. It is attempting to shift more of the burden to allies, insisting that they must assume responsibility to defend their own regions.
Though its stated primary objective coming into office was to avoid “forever” wars and interventions to bring about regime change, the administration has instituted six interventions in its first 14 months, defining them as “time-limited,” not “forever.”
Shortly after it took office in March 2025, it undertook Operation Rough Rider in Yemen to obtain a cease fire of the Houthis’ missile launches into Israel and shipping in the Red Sea. However, insurers did not trust the Houthis and refused to cover shipping in the Red Sea area. As a result, to the present day, most of that traffic has remained re-routed via Africa.
In June 2025, in partnership with Israel, the administration undertook Operation Midnight Hammer, significantly damaging Iran’s nuclear program.
In August 2025 and continuing to today, it initiated Operation Southern Spear in the Caribbean and western Pacific, targeting small boats allegedly transporting drugs from South America into the United States. The small volumes of alleged drugs involved has meant that there has been no significant impact on drug prices or availability, but the operation placed military personnel in danger of significant mortal injury because they have been involved in law enforcement operations for which they are neither trained nor authorized to participate in by law.
In December 2025 through today Operation Hawkeye Strike has militarily attacked dozens of ISIS members and sites in Syria, but ISIS’s de-centralized insurgency continues nonetheless.
In January 2026, the administration undertook Operation Absolute Resolve to achieve regime change in Venezuela by overthrowing Nicolas Maduro and installing a more friendly government. This operation continues to the present day and, though some opposition political leaders in Venezuela have been released from prison, there has been no significant change to human rights in the country.
In February 2026, together with Israel, the administration initiated Operation Epic Fury in which an air campaign destroyed much of Iran’s navy, a significant portion of Iran’s missile forces, and portions of that country’s nuclear program. However, the U.S. expended about half of its critical long-range strike and anti-air munitions and Iran seized control of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which it had not done before. Gasoline prices in the U.S. rose by fifty percent. Fertilizer prices in India rose by thirty-one percent. Globally, the number of food-insecure people is projected to increase fifteen to twenty percent.
The administration’s attempted re-definition of the U.S. role in the world comes at a time of growing risks: shifting alliances and re-distribution of power is under way - more and more nuclear saber-rattling, climate change, changing birth rates, major technological changes that will have far-reaching impacts, major dislocations in science and the militaries, increased corporate power, and major income inequalities - all define the moment we are in.
Respectfully submitted,
Ralph R. Widner