A. Trevor Thrall
Associate Professor, George Mason University (website) || Senior Fellow, Cato Institute (website)
twitter: @trevor_thrall web: trevorthrall.com
email: athrall [at] gmu [dot] edu
phone: (703) 993-3724
Associate Professor, George Mason University (website) || Senior Fellow, Cato Institute (website)
twitter: @trevor_thrall web: trevorthrall.com
email: athrall [at] gmu [dot] edu
phone: (703) 993-3724
arms sales
Trevor Thrall is an associate professor at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government where he teaches courses in international security. He is also a senior fellow for the Cato Institute’s Defense and Foreign Policy Department, with expertise in international security and the politics of American national security.
Thrall’s current research includes work on the role of arms sales in U.S. foreign policy, shifting American attitudes toward foreign policy, and the debate over American grand strategy. His recent edited volume, U.S. Grand Strategy in the 21st Century: The Case for Restraint, offers a critique of current American foreign policy and makes the case for a more restrained approach.
Thrall has also published articles in a range of academic journals and his shorter commentary on foreign affairs has appeared in a number of publications including the Atlantic, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Foreign Policy, Detroit News, Huffington Post, War on the Rocks, and The National Interest.
Thrall is also the co-host of the Power Problems podcast, a biweekly podcast which explores key questions in international security with guests from across the political spectrum.
Thrall holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in political science from M.I.T.
Recent Publications:
Trevor Thrall is an associate professor at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government where he teaches courses in international security. He is also a senior fellow for the Cato Institute’s Defense and Foreign Policy Department, with expertise in international security and the politics of American national security.
Thrall’s current research includes work on the role of arms sales in U.S. foreign policy, shifting American attitudes toward foreign policy, and the debate over American grand strategy. His recent edited volume, U.S. Grand Strategy in the 21st Century: The Case for Restraint, offers a critique of current American foreign policy and makes the case for a more restrained approach.
Thrall has also published articles in a range of academic journals and his shorter commentary on foreign affairs has appeared in a number of publications including the Atlantic, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Foreign Policy, Detroit News, Huffington Post, War on the Rocks, and The National Interest.
Thrall is also the co-host of the Power Problems podcast, a biweekly podcast which explores key questions in international security with guests from across the political spectrum.
Thrall holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in political science from M.I.T.
Recent Publications:
- "Time to Rethink Arms Sales to Taiwan," Defense One, November 2, 2020.*
- "The US is Selling Arms to Riskier Clients," Inkstick, October 29, 2020.*
- "2020 Arms Sales Risk Index,” Cato Institute, October 27, 2020.*
- "Trump's dismal drone policy," Washington Examiner, June 23, 2020.
- "Explaining U.S. Arms Sales," CATO blog, June 18, 2020.
- "Power, Profit, or Prudence? US Arms Sales since 9/11," Strategic Studies Quarterly, Volume 14, Issue 2, Summer 2020, May 27, 2020.
- "Trump extends travel ban to 6 countries — but is OK with selling arms to those same places," NBCNews, January 31, 2020.*
- "Some Arms Exports are Riskier Than Others. Here's a Tool to Tell Which Ones, (with Caroline Dorminey)" Defense One, September 18, 2019.
- "Selling F-16s to Taiwan is Bad Business," Defense One, September 17, 2019.
- The 2019 Arms Sales Risk Index, (with Caroline Dorminey+)" (update) The Cato Institute, September 10, 2019.
- “Trump’s Misguided Assault on the Arms Trade Treaty,” The Hill, May 6, 2019.
- “The False Promises of Trump’s Arms Sales,” Defense One, April 5, 2019.
- “American Weapons in Yemen: A Cautionary Tale,” The Cato Institute, February 5, 2019.
- “U.S. Security Aid Enables Torture in Cameroon,” UPI, August 14, 2018.
- “Cancel Turkey’s F-35s — and Maybe Its NATO Membership as Well,” Defense One, July 13, 2018.
- “Arms Sales: Pouring Gas on the Fires of Conflict,” The Cato Institute, July 2, 2018.
- “A New Framework for Assessing the Risks from U.S. Arms Sales,” War on the Rocks, June 13, 2018.
- “Trump’s New Arms Sales Policy: What You Should Know,” The Cato Institute, May 16, 2018.
- “Yemen Shows Why US Needs to Change Its Arms Sales Policy ,” Defense One, March 21, 2018.
- “Risky Business: The Role of Arms Sales in U.S. Foreign Policy,” Policy Analysis No. 836, March 13, 2018.
- “Trump’s No Good Very Bad Arms Deal,” The Cato Institute, June 7, 2017.
- “Is Trump’s Saudi Arms Deal the Worst Arms Deal Ever?” Washington Examiner, May 25, 2017.
- “The Saudi Deal Shows Just How Broken the US Arms Export Process Has Become,” Defense One, May 25, 2017.
- “Moving Backwards on Middle East Arms Sales,” Huffington Post, April 20, 2017.
* Indicates co-author, or contributor.