Robert McMahon

Managing Editor

Browse My Work
Profile picture

Expert Bio

Robert McMahon has covered foreign affairs since 1990, writing for the Associated Press, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and CFR.org. As managing editor of CFR’s Digital Content department, McMahon oversees publishing of daily news-related content on CFR.org, supervising an editorial team that produces Backgrounders, In Briefs, long-form interactives, videos, and other multimedia content. He coordinates with CFR fellows to produce web-only publications. McMahon also contributes analysis and background reporting to the website and cohosts the weekly podcast The World Next Week with Senior Fellow Carla Anne Robbins. Under his guidance, CFR.org has garnered multiple media citations, including Emmy, Overseas Press Club, Society of Professional Journalists, Webby, and Online News Association awards.

Prior to joining CFR.org, McMahon held senior editorial positions at RFE/RL, including as news director in Prague, Czech Republic, where he was a founding editor of RFE/RL’s website, and as a UN correspondent. He has written extensively on democracy promotion, public diplomacy, human rights, UN peacekeeping, and nation-building. He is a contributing writer to the Foreign Service Journal. McMahon has a master’s degree in international relations from Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Clear All

Filter By

Regions
Topics
Type

More CFR Experts

See all Experts

Explore More on International Relations

Sub-Saharan Africa

It Matters How We Define the African Diaspora
The explicit incorporation of the African diaspora into U.S.-Africa policy risks segmenting the community into old and new, with important domestic and international consequences.

Post by Krista Johnson April 5, 2023 Africa in Transition

Sub-Saharan Africa

The Era of Good Feelings
The current diplomatic constellation presents Africa with plenty of options; the region must choose well.

Post by Ebenezer Obadare March 31, 2023 Africa in Transition

Sub-Saharan Africa

Putting African Aspirations First
African aspirations, not African leaders, should be the focus of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit.

Post by Ebenezer Obadare December 12, 2022 Africa in Transition

Top Stories on CFR

Trade

We’ve Been Looking at Trade All Wrong

Podcast
There was once a broad consensus in Washington that trade was a force for good—a way to connect, grow, and prosper. But today, trade has evolved into something much bigger than just the exchange of goods. It’s become a powerful tool to rewrite the rules of foreign policy, reshape how the United States is viewed by the rest of the world, and steer us toward an increasingly uncertain future. When did this change begin, and where did we go off course?  

Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra and Edward Alden March 19, 2025 Why It Matters

Democratic Republic of Congo

What’s Next for the Democratic Republic of Congo?
Start-and-stop diplomacy continues against a backdrop of humanitarian disaster.

Post by Michelle Gavin March 19, 2025 Africa in Transition

 

President Trump’s Address to Congress: Global Reactions Link

via Council of Councils March 14, 2025