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A new form of U.S. diplomacy is emerging, one that places a greater emphasis on transactional, bilateral relationships over traditional alliances.
What does this shift mean for American influence abroad and for the Foreign Service professionals tasked with advancing U.S. interests? And what will it take to preserve the expertise, relationships, and nonpartisan service that effective diplomacy depends on?
We asked Ambassador Nicholas Burns to help us make sense of it.
Join us on Oct. 26, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. ET for this conversation.
This event is open to the public and will include an opportunity for Q&A.
About the Guests
Ambassador Nick Burns is career diplomat who served six U.S. presidents, most recently as U.S. Ambassador to China (2021–2025). His distinguished Foreign Service career also included serving as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and Ambassador to NATO and Greece. He is currently the Roy and Barbara Goodman Family Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations at Harvard Kennedy School.
About the Series
This event is part of AFSA’s Service Disrupted virtual series, spotlighting the accelerating institutional challenges facing the Foreign Service. The events are free and open to the public.
Questions? Contact us at ServiceDisrupted@afsa.org