
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:
- "Arms Sales" in CATO Handbook for Policymakers 2022, November 2022.
- "2021 Arms Sales Risk Index," CATO Institute, January 18, 2022.*
- "Afghanistan and the Danger of Small Arms Transfers," Inkstick, November 2, 2021.*
- "Business as Usual: U.S. Arms Sales and Civilian Casualties in Nigeria," CATO Institute, September 30, 2021.*
- "Guinea's Coup Is The Latest Example of Risks From U.S. Military Aid," CATO Institute, September 14, 2021.*
- "New arms sales send the wrong signal on Taiwan," Defense News, August 18, 2021.*
- "A New Bill Seeks to Patch the Flaws in the Arms Export Control Act," Defense One, August 3, 2021.*
- "No F-35s for UAE, Please," Defense One, April 17, 2021.*
- "Don’t sell arms to the Philippines," DefenseNews, April 16, 2021.*
- "The Dangerous Global Marketplace for Conventional Weapons," Vital Interests Forum Issue 68, Center for National Security at Fordham Law, March 18, 2021.
- "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.
* indicates additional authors