The Influence of Think Tanks on U.S. Foreign and National Security Policy

The Corporation’s Stephen J. Del Rosso analyzes the role of think tanks in U.S. foreign and national security policy, how they can continue to evolve, and the balance foundations need to strike when funding them

By Stephen J. Del RossoNovember 8, 2021

Scholarship & Policy

In the aftermath of U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, think tanks have proven central to the national security policy conversation. This introduces questions about the role of think tanks in influencing foreign and national security policy, their perceived strengths and weaknesses, and how philanthropy can continue to propel them forward.

“For over a century, private philanthropy in the United States has been instrumental in establishing and supporting American think tanks, although the term only became part of the vernacular in the 1960s and 70s,” writes Stephen J. Del Rosso, director of Carnegie Corporation of New York’s International Peace and Security Program, in a policy brief for the Brussels School of Governance’s Center for Security, Diplomacy, and Strategy.

The United States now has 2,203 think tanks, a more than two-fold increase since 1980. These institutions generate new ideas for policymaking, assess existing policies, draw attention to neglected problems, convene experts for discussion, and engage with the media. They also engage in advocacy and public education efforts and have typically provided a path for individuals seeking to reenter government.

“Much policy outreach by think tanks is done behind the scenes in private, off-the-record briefings that are not touted publicly. An inherent risk is that policymakers will seek out think tank views that validate, rather than question, paths that have been predetermined or already taken,” observes Del Rosso.

As American think tanks continue to help shape U.S. foreign and national security policy, Del Rosso writes about the work that needs to be done for them to maintain their credibility and influence while adapting to evolving conditions. This will equip them to provide ideologically varied, methodologically sound, and empirically rich responses to critical questions.

As foundations continue to fund think tanks, Del Rosso recommends they prioritize the following:

support for analysts who ask important questions regardless of their place of employment, who provide ideologically varied perspectives, and who can articulate informed critiques and productive debate
a willingness to question basic assumptions on which certain failed policies have been built and perpetuated
practical efforts that increase transparency and raise confidence in fundraising practices
striking a proper balance among their investments through support of academic institutions, individual researchers, and a variety of media platforms as well as think tanks.

To learn more, read Del Rosso’s full policy brief Beyond Unhelpful Metaphors: The Influence of Think Tanks on U.S. Foreign and National Security Policy.

TOP: The White House is seen at dusk on the eve of U.S. President Joe Biden's second major foreign trip in October 2021. (Credit: Samuel Corum/Stringer via Getty Images)