The gap between global threats and American power will grow in 2025

By Patrick Foulis, Foreign editor, The Economist

As the trump administration takes office in early 2025 the world will be in its most dangerous state since the cold war. The contest between America and China will loom large, two regional wars will be burning, a zone of anarchy in Africa will be expanding, the observance of global laws will be in decline and four autocracies—China, Russia, Iran and North Korea—will be tightening their pact to undermine Western power. As the Biden administration departs it will also be clear that America is alarmingly overstretched, with the strains being visible in everything from low missile stocks to creaking sanctions enforcement.