My Plans for Covering News that Matters During the Second Trump Administration

And how you can help

I’ve been running Global Dispatches for a very long time. I started it just after Obama began his second term in 2012, through the first Trump administration, then Biden, and now. The first Trump term was unlike the rest, though, due to the fact that much of his foreign policy was aberrational to so many elements of what had been a post-war American foreign policy consensus. So, we should be clear-eyed about what is coming. You can expect in-depth and nuanced coverage of how Trump’s second term impacts all matters of foreign policy, from relations with the United Nations to policies toward China, the trans-Atlantic relationship, Africa, and much, much more.

But there is a world beyond the United States. And it is through covering these global stories that I believe both I, and the Global Dispatches brand, can make a unique contribution in the coming years.

Focus on What Really Matters

I determine the news value of the stories that I cover for Global Dispatches based on the impact these stories have on people’s lives. Far less of a consideration for me is the political, social, or cultural proximity these stories have to audiences in the West. A massive drought in southern Africa is newsworthy because it impacts the lives of 25 million of people—even if it has little bearing on audiences in the United States or Europe. The emergence of a network of local Sudanese mutual aid groups in the midst of a civil war is newsworthy because it shows an innovative solution to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. These stories may not have much relevance to a general audience, but they are important precisely because of the sheer number of people involved.

This is called humanitarian journalism. And I’m proud to have helped pioneer this journalism sub-genre.

Even in relatively calmer times, it is hard for the media to focus on world news of this sort. But one lesson I drew from the first Trump administration is that mainstream outlets become so completely obsessed with "The Trump Show" that it fully overwhelms their already limited capacity to focus on other things. Still, these stories deserve coverage!

Sometimes I describe what I do as “shining a spotlight on undercovered global stories.” But the point is the same: most journalists ignore these stories. But not me. I use my platform to bring these stories to you—and will continue to do so.

Find the Good News Stories

The pace of cooperative problem-solving on a global level may slow during these next four years without reliable American leadership. But it does not stop. The world goes on. There are still good people, doing good things—and in particular, designing innovative policy solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems.

Solutions journalism—which focuses on how problems are solved rather than simply covering the problem as such—has been a core of what I’ve done throughout my career. That kind of focus will be needed now more than ever. Yes, I will cover and explain the problems that Trump’s policies are bound to inflict. That is important. But it is equally important to shine a spotlight on the individuals and ideas that are nonetheless trying to nudge the global needle in the right direction. That focus, I believe, is more important now than ever.

How You Can Help

At a most basic level, you can purchase a subscription. Please trust me when I say that each individual subscription goes a very long way. The kind of journalism I do is rare because it’s not commercially viable. This beat does not bring in the big bucks! But I still think it’s important. And if I don’t do it, who will? That’s why your support matters.

Also, one thing that distinguishes my audience is that, for the most part, you are a high-impact bunch. We have several high-ranking government officials, at least one Biden cabinet official, heads of UN agencies, former Prime Ministers, legislators, parliamentarians, think tankers, NGO leaders, and media stars among the 14,400+ global affairs professionals and enthusiasts that have opted to receive this newsletter and the eponymous podcast.

If you work at an institution dedicated to finding solutions to some of our great global problems, I’d love to hear from you. If your institution wants to reach this audience with advertising or content partnerships, I’d also love to hear from you. These partnerships are an important part of our revenue stream.

These are uncertain times. But I’ll be with you every step of the way—and I hope and trust you’ll be with me too.