Foreign Policy and National Security

Foreign policy and national security are how the U.S. government manages its relationships with other countries and protects Americans at home and abroad. The federal government uses tools that include military force, treaties, tariffs, sanctions, intelligence, foreign aid, trade, and diplomacy.

This category explains who makes decisions on major issues, including military command in who’s actually in charge of the U.S. military, presidential foreign policy powers in presidential foreign policy powers, and how Congress, the president, and federal agencies shape U.S. strategy abroad.

You’ll also find clear guides to the laws, institutions, and debates that influence America’s role in the world, from defense and intelligence to sanctions and aid.