he/him
Robert Benson, D.Phil., is the associate director for National Security and International Policy at American Progress. Prior to joining American Progress, Benson worked as a global relations consultant at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris and as a research fellow at the Social Science Center Berlin. He holds a Master of Science in global politics from the London School of Economics and a doctorate from the Free University of Berlin. Benson is an avid traveler who enjoys a good book and even better food on the road.
By normalizing coercion over cooperation, the United States forfeits trust, fractures alliances, and invites a more dangerous world.
In a chapter published in the European Center for Populism Studies’ report “Populism and the Future of Transatlantic Relations: Challenges and Policy Options,” Robert Benson investigates the transatlantic dimensions of far-right political mobilization, tracing the networks linking populist and authoritarian actors across Europe and the United States.
The Trump administration’s leaked “peace plan” hands Moscow strategic victories, forces Ukraine to swallow unilateral concessions, and sets the stage for a deadlier future war.
Robert Benson joined a symposium for NOTUS, in which he describes how the Russia-Ukraine conflict may look five years from now.
President Trump’s new sanctions finally target the heart of Russia’s war machine, but only aggressive, disciplined enforcement will decide whether they actually bite.
In an op-ed published by Euractiv, Robert Benson argues that the EU cannot credibly preach democracy abroad while tolerating stagnation in its own neighborhood.
When U.S. support retreats, autocrats escalate their attacks, leaving democratic institutions vulnerable. This creates a global environment where authoritarianism can thrive.
In an op-ed published by Politico Europe, Robert Benson argues that President Trump's recent trade deal with the European Union represents an alarming global reordering—one that empowers bullying, sows division, and destabilizes international norms.
Trump’s planned Alaska meeting with Putin risks becoming a “surrender summit” that pressures Ukraine into abandoning NATO aspirations and accepting imposed neutrality, rewarding Russian aggression.
The cases of Canada, South Korea, and Turkey illustrate a dangerous escalatory pattern: When elected leaders rely on the military to resolve domestic challenges, they often accelerate democratic backsliding.
Trump’s hasty ultimatum and symbolic tariffs will not deter Putin; only rapid weapons deliveries and enforceable energy sanctions can shift the battlefield and force Moscow to meaningfully negotiate, creating the conditions for a Ukraine ceasefire.
President Donald Trump’s second term has begun, and the NATO alliance faces its most existential threat yet.
