The article argues that recent executive overreach and politicization have severely undermined established norms of U.S. civil-military relations. To restore professional standards, the incoming Congress must actively exercise its oversight powers, moving beyond mere criticism to demanding transparency in defense policy and personnel decisions. Key reforms include enforcing meritocratic promotion processes, requiring documented justification for senior officer removals, and preventing the partisan use of the military. These actions are crucial for bolstering public trust and ensuring the military remains a nonpartisan instrument of civilian control.
Trump’s summer of tariffs means trade uncertainty is here to stay
English Summary
The Chatham House analysis concludes that unpredictable tariffs are becoming a permanent fixture of US trade policy, establishing 'trade uncertainty' as the new normal. The administration has utilized various legal mechanisms (e.g., Section 301) to impose wide-ranging and often politically motivated tariffs across multiple sectors and global partners, including the EU, Canada, and China. This trend is sustained because Congress remains unwilling to set clear trade policy, effectively handing greater power to the executive branch. Strategically, this signals that global supply chains must prepare for persistent high levels of disruption and regulatory chaos from US tariff actions.
中文摘要
查塔姆館的分析指出，不可預測的關稅已成為美國貿易政策的永久性特徵，使「貿易不確定性」成為新的常態。該政府利用各種法律機制（例如第301條款），對包括歐盟、加拿大和中國在內的多個產業及全球夥伴實施了範圍廣泛且往往帶有政治動機的關稅。此趨勢得以持續，是因為國會尚未願意制定明確的貿易政策，實際上將更大的權力交予了行政部門。從戰略角度來看，這表明全球供應鏈必須為美國關稅行動所引發的持久性高層級混亂和法規動盪做好準備。
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