The Fractured Superpower

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In The Media

The Fractured Superpower

What no one should ignore is that U.S. states have the power as well as the motivation to both challenge Washington and shape the global policy agenda.

By Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar

Published on Sep 6, 2022

Foreign Affairs

About the Author

Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar

Former Carnegie President (2021-2026)

Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar was previously the tenth president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. A former justice of the Supreme Court of California, he has served three U.S. presidential administrations at the White House and in federal agencies, and was the Stanley Morrison Professor at Stanford University, where he held appointments in law, political science, and international affairs and led the university’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.

Recent Work

Commentary
Federal Accountability and the Power of the States in a Changing America
- Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar
Commentary
Prevention Beats Nonproliferation: Addressing the Risks of Mirror Life
- Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar, Corey Hinderstein, David Relman

Political Reform Foreign Policy United States

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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More Work from Carnegie China

Commentary

The Spring and Autumn of Chinese Politics

China’s political future will be shaped between now and next October. As the Communist Party enters its intense “campaign season” to prepare for a major political transition in 2027, reading Beijing's actions and responses may become more difficult as domestic politics weigh on its behavior more than usual.

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The nuclear missile formation passes through Tian'anmen Square during a military parade on September 3, 2025 in Beijing, China.

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Untangling the Nuclear Knot: A Constructive Agenda for Managing China’s Nuclear Relations with the United States and Its Allies

The nuclear relationship between China and the United States is increasingly shaped by widening perception gaps rather than deliberate strategic design.

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Emissary

Trump and Xi Are Angling for Three Years of Stability

But their "principal to principal" model will only be as effective as the political strength of each leader back home.

Damien Ma

Commentary

China Sells Stability Amid American Volatility

U.S. unpredictability has allowed China to capitalize on its positioning as the “responsible great power”. Paradoxically, the more China wins the perception game, the more likely expectations will rise for Beijing to deliver not just words but to demonstrate with its deeds.

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Vietnam's Top Leader To Lam meets with young representatives from China and Vietnam participating in the "Red Study Tours" at the Great Hall of the People on April 15, 2026 in Beijing, China. T

Commentary

Why Vietnam Is Swinging in China’s Direction

Hanoi and Beijing have long treated each other as distant cousins rather than comrades in arms. That might be changing as both sides draw closer to hedge against uncertainty and America’s erratic behavior.

Nguyễn Khắc Giang