Ivo H. Daalder | Lightnews

Ivo Daalder

@ivodaalder.bsky.social

3.5K followers 640 following 390 posts

Former US Amb @NATO. Now Senior Fellow @BelferCenter. Host World Review Podcast. Author America Abroad Substack. Policy Wonk. Dog lover. Baseball fan. New Chicagoan. Old Dutchman.

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Ivo H. Daalder is President of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and has served since July, 2013. He was the U.S. Permanent Representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) from May 2009 to July 2013 under President Barack Obama. He was a member of the staff of United States National Security Council (NSC) during the administration of President Bill Clinton. .. more

Political science 89%

Sociology 5%

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Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · 1d

NATO is a strategic bargain that ensures the US remains the world’s most powerful and economically secure nation at a fraction of the cost of going it alone—statement by US Ambassadors and Supreme Allied Commanders who served at NATO this century. newsletter.ivodaalder.com/p/nato-is-vi...

NATO is Vital to US Security

Sixteen US Ambassadors and Supreme Commanders who served at NATO this century issued a statement today on why NATO is vital to US national Security.

newsletter.ivodaalder.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · 22d

Just to be clear, as a matter of law, the United States is already obligated to help defend Greenland, which is part of NATO, if it is subject to armed attack.

Reposted by Ivo H. Daalder

Michael Kruse @michaelkruse.bsky.social · Jan 10

"For the president of the United States to say that NATO doesn't come and help us is, for those countries who fought alongside us, whose sons and daughters and husbands were killed in order to defend our interest, offensive," says @ivodaalder.bsky.social.

Take Greenland, lose NATO

www.politico.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 9

Imagine Putin and Xi watching CNN’s interview with Steven Miller about the US attack on Venezuela. Here’s what could happen next. My take for @notusperspectives.bsky.social
www.notus.org/perspectives...

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 9

Here’s how we could lose NATO: Take Greenland. My interview with @politico.com West Wing Playbook. www.politico.com/newsletters/...

Take Greenland, lose NATO

www.politico.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 9

I joined 14 colleagues who served in multiple Republican and Democratic Administrations at NATO, the White House, and the Defense and State Departments to explain the strategic importance of Denmark and NATO to US security.
open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

America’s Strategic Alliance with Denmark and NATO

A statement by 14 former officials in Democratic and Republican Administrations—including four NATO Ambassadors, 3 Assistant Secretaries of State for Europe, and 3 NSC Senior Directors

open.substack.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 8

🤦‍♂️

Opinion | Cartoon by Nick Anderson

Nick Anderson cartoon on NATO and Greenland.

www.washingtonpost.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 8

I talked with Elise Labott of Cosmopolitics about Greenland and NATO earlier today. Watch and let us know what you think! newsletter.ivodaalder.com/p/former-us-...

Former US ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder on Greenland and the future of the alliance

A recording from Ivo Daalder and Elise Labott's live video

newsletter.ivodaalder.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 8

The attack on Venezuela wasn’t about drugs or democracy. It was about oil. With Trump, it’s always about oil.

But that’s yesterday’s obsession. China meanwhile is embracing renewables and winning the future. And that’s a problem. My latest for @politico.eu. www.politico.eu/article/the-...

The problem with Trump’s oil obsession

The U.S. president is betting on becoming the world’s largest — and last — petrostate, while China is betting on becoming its largest and lasting electrostate.

www.politico.eu

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 7

Trump may find it easy to take Greenland. But the consequences for the United States are likely to be much bigger than he realizes. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

The Consequences of Taking Greenland

Trump is determined to make Greenland part of the United States. The consequences for the United States—and the world—will be severe

open.substack.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 6

I agree. The taking is easy. The keeping is quite another matter.

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 6

That’s not the point. The United States has already committed to defending Greenland, which is a member of NATO. If the only way the US believes it can defend Greenland is by owning it, it tells all other members NATO that they’re on their own.

Reposted by Joris Larik

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 6

The idea that the US can only be secure if Greenland is part of the United States is an effective declaration of the end of NATO, I told @richardquest.bsky.social on @cnnipr.bsky.social i just now. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

US Threats to Greenland Threaten NATO

If the only way to ensure US national security is by owning Greenland, then that signals the end of NATO, I told CNN's Richard Quest

open.substack.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 6

🚨Breaking News: Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are now the US Heads of State. Wonder how Trump feels about that

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 4

You can't actually "run" a country without governing it, I told CNN earlier today. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Running Venezuela without Governing It

Trump's announcement that the US will "run the country" leaves a lot of questions unanswered

open.substack.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 4

Here’s what caught my eye this week: China in the Arctic, Gen-Z rises up, Susie Wiles tells all, and the MBS-MBZ feud. Plus links to my latest TV and writing. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

What Caught My Eye (no. 43)

Some interesting articles and podcasts that caught my eye this week

open.substack.com

Reposted by Ivo H. Daalder

Bart Aafjes @bartaafjes68.bsky.social · Jan 4

The simple truth..

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Jan 3

There’s just one problem. Having failed to learn the lessons of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, Trump may well have bitten off more than he can chew. The result is likely a disaster for the people of Venezuela. And for the United States. newsletter.ivodaalder.com/p/who-will-r...

Who Will Run the Country?

Since 2001, the US has shown incredible military prowess in removing regimes -- and very little ability to ensure stability afterwards. Are we about the repeat this failure in Venezuela

newsletter.ivodaalder.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Dec 31

In a master piece of reporting, the Times’s Adam Entous demonstrates the lasting truth of Eisenhower’s observation that “a good process does not guarantee a good outcome, but a bad process virtually guarantees a bad outcome. newsletter.ivodaalder.com/p/no-process...

No Process, No Peace

The New York Times dives deep into the Trump Administration's failure to secure an end to the war in Ukraine. It's a damning piece of reporting, demonstrating the lack of process is partly to blame.

newsletter.ivodaalder.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Dec 31

2025 was a Year of Global Upheaval. It was also a year in which the America Abroad community grew manifold. Learn more about (and join!) our community.
open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

A Year of Global Upheaval and Growing Community

It's been a busy and exciting year here at America Abroad. And there is much more to come in 2026.

open.substack.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Dec 30

Once again, Trump takes Putin at his word. From Helsinki in 2018 on election interference to Anchorage in 2025 on how war wouldn’t have happened if he’d been president to today, Putin’s word is Trump’s truth.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Dec 29

Trump on a report that Ukraine tried to strike Putin's residence: "I don't like it. It's not good. I heard about it this morning. You know who told me about it? President Putin told me about it ... I was very angry about it."

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Dec 29

Trump: “Russia wants Ukraine to succeed.” Anybody who says with a straight face can’t be a mediator for peace. The only way Russia wants Ukraine to succeed is by making Ukraine part of Russia. That’s what this war is about. youtu.be/yBU91X-CQ9s?...

'Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed': watch Zelenskyy react to Trump's claim

YouTube video by Guardian News

youtu.be

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Ivo H. Daalder

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Dec 29

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Dec 21

Here’s what caught my eye this week: The CIA loses a nuke on a mountain. Putin successful recruitment of Steve Witkoff. And how the arguments for Venezuela sound eerily like the arguments for the Iraq War—up to and including “weapons of mass destruction.” open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

What Caught My Eye (no. 42)

Some interesting articles and podcasts that caught my eye this week

open.substack.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Dec 20

This week on World Review — Venezuela, Ukraine, and Trump as Peacemaker. Watch or listen to the latest analysis by @nahaltoosi.bsky.social, Alex Ward, and Giles Whittell. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

World Review: Escalation in Venezuela. Ukraine Endgame. Fighting Undermines Peace President

A synopsis of this week's edition of World Review

open.substack.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Dec 16

Axios says Trump believes Putin will accept NATO-like security guarantees for Ukraine.

REALLY?

Russia says it invaded to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. It would only accept this if the US guarantees aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. Hardly reassuring to Ukraine.

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Dec 15

🚨BREAKING: Trump declares fentanyl a “weapon of mass destruction.” Jon Stewart predicted as much last week, showing how there Trump administration was using the Iraq playbook to gin up war fervor versus Venezuela. youtu.be/powm6EFL630?...

Jon and the News Team on Venezuela Tensions, Airport Pull-Ups & "Minor" Trump Slip | The Daily Show

YouTube video by The Daily Show

youtu.be

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Dec 15

substack.com/profile/1584...

Ivo Daalder (@ivodaalder)

European leaders statement on Ukraine diverges starkly from 28-point US/Russian plan: - strong support for Ukrainian defense - legally binding security guarantees - European-led multinational forc...

substack.com

Ivo Daalder @ivodaalder.bsky.social · Dec 15

🚨BREAKING: Washington sees security guarantees to Ukraine as a bargaining chip. That’s not only bad negotiations. It undermines the credibility of the security guarantee provided in the first place. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

When Security Guarantees Become a Bargaining Chip

The US sees its offer of "article-5 like" security guarantees as a bargaining chip. That undercuts their credibility.

open.substack.com

Reposted by Ivo H. Daalder

The DSR Network @thedsrnetwork.bsky.social · Dec 15

Trump’s National Security Strategy is another nail in the coffin for foreign policy. @ivodaalder.bsky.social, @djrothkopf.bsky.social, and @rosabrooks.bsky.social
discuss current anti-European sentiment and the implications of this “strategy.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

youtu.be/RMUyCVm_9PM

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