Terrence Mullan

CFR Staff

Terrence Mullan

Associate Director, Council of Councils

Terrence Mullan is associate director of the Council of Councils at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Before joining CFR, he was manager of the president’s office at the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, and previously worked in the offices of Senator Roland W. Burris as a legislative aide and Senator Paul G. Kirk Jr. as a legislative correspondent. Mullan earned a BBA in international business and economics from George Washington University, an MA in international commerce and policy from George Mason University, and studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

United States

The High Geopolitical Costs of U.S. Economic Policies

Biden’s economic plans risk alienating the Global South when the United States needs them most.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan October 16, 2023 Renewing America
Diplomacy and International Institutions

The Corrosion of World Order in the Age of Donald Trump

Can the world still work together to address today’s most pressing global challenges? A broken economic order, Trump’s incoherent foreign policy, and the corrosion of trust offer little to be optimistic about.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan February 13, 2020 The Internationalist
United States

Trump Kills the G7's Legitimacy

Questions of legitimacy have long plagued the G7. The Trump administration's announcement of the Trump National Doral resort as the venue for next year's summit marks a new low.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan and Guest Blogger for the Internationalist October 18, 2019 The Internationalist
Global Governance

The World May Need Geoengineering, and Geoengineering Needs Governance

Failing to study and develop geoengineering methods to help prevent the severe effects of climate change would be irresponsible. Failing to govern them properly would be even more so.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan July 25, 2019 The Internationalist
Global Governance

Apathy Continues to Plague Global Health

In a world awash in troubles, nothing less than catastrophe will spur policymakers to forceful action on global health. Unfortunately, concerted action could come too late to prevent local crises from becoming global emergencies.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan July 25, 2019 The Internationalist
Global Governance

Making Trade Work to Mitigate Climate Change

Trade is a critical multiplier of the fossil fuel–intensive activities that contribute to climate change. Changes to the structure of global trade governance are necessary if the worst consequences of climate change are to be avoided.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan July 16, 2019 The Internationalist
Global Governance

The World Order is Dead. Long Live the World Order.

The liberal world order faces a litany of challenges today. Instead of abandoning the world order that has served most of the world well, the United States and Middle Powers should seek to preserve and prolong that order.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan June 25, 2019 The Internationalist
Global Governance

It’s the Global Economy, Stupid!

Experts from the Council of Councils rank managing the global economy the second highest priority on the global agenda and graded the world's performance on the issue a middling C+.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan June 12, 2019 The Internationalist
Climate Change

Climate Change and the Global Economy Should be the Top Priorities for Policymakers

How should world leaders prioritize global challenges in the coming year? Experts from twenty-eight think tanks ranked mitigating and adapting to climate change and managing the global economy as the two most important global issues.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan May 28, 2019 The Internationalist
Trade

Trump’s Trade War Unimportant in Grand Scheme of Things

Experts from the Council of Councils grade international cooperation on global trade a middling C in 2018, rank it one of the lowest priorities on the global agenda, and are only somewhat optimistic about progress in the next year.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan and Guest Blogger for the Internationalist May 16, 2019 The Internationalist
Global Governance

Don’t Show the Parents: The 2018–2019 Report Card on International Cooperation

How did world leaders do in managing global challenges in 2018? Experts from twenty-eight think tanks around the world grade international cooperation a middling C.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan May 14, 2019 The Internationalist
United States

America First Policies Leave America Alone and Disadvantaged

Trump's rebellion against the rules-based order may give the United States more freedom of action, but it undermines the ability of the United States to influence its own future in a global era.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan June 19, 2018 The Internationalist
Global Governance

Global Uncertainty in an Age of “America First”

Events over the past year threaten the open, liberal order and sow uncertainty into future prospects for global cooperation.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan June 28, 2017 The Internationalist
Diplomacy and International Institutions

International (Non-)Cooperation in a Changing World Order

The resurgence of geopolitical rivalry and the rise of angry populism are complicating multilateral policy coordination.

Blog Post by Terrence Mullan July 11, 2016 The Internationalist
European Union

Britain’s Torturous EU Exit and the Dilemmas of National Sovereignty

with Terrence Mullan via World Politics Review September 18, 2018
Global Governance

Global Summits to Watch in 2024

with Julia Katsovich and Terrence Mullan via Council of Councils December 21, 2023
Public Health Threats and Pandemics

The Virus Inside the White House

with Terrence Mullan via Think Global Health October 9, 2020
Diplomacy Reset: Ten Global Summits to Watch in 2022

with Terrence Mullan and Ania Zolyniak via Council of Councils January 12, 2022
Global Governance

Global Summits in 2023: A Test for the Rise of the Rest?

with Terrence Mullan via Council of Councils Global Memo December 19, 2023
Climate Change

In a Scary World, the Biggest Worry has to be Climate Change

with Terrence Mullan via CNN.com May 7, 2019
Global Governance

Diplomacy Reset: Ten Global Summits to Watch in 2022

with Terrence Mullan via Council of Councils Global Memo January 12, 2023

China

Religion in China

A significant proportion of China’s population claims to follow a religion. However, the government continues to toughen oversight, increase persecution of some religions, and attempt to co-opt state-sanctioned religious organizations.

Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors May 15, 2024

Japan

The U.S.-Japan Alliance

The alliance with Japan has been the cornerstone of U.S. security policy in East Asia for decades. Now, Japan’s role in global security is growing as challenges from China and North Korea mount.

Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors May 3, 2024

United States

How U.S. Water Infrastructure Works

The sprawling U.S. water system is central to the nation’s economy, but chronic underinvestment, increasing demand, and the consequences of climate change have revealed the system’s weaknesses.

Backgrounder by James McBride and Noah Berman May 2, 2024 Renewing America

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