US grand strategy and the Madman Theory

This is a new book. Condition: Brand New.

US grand strategy and the Madman Theory: From Nixon to Trump explores how U.S. presidents have used calculated unpredictability as a tool of foreign policy and the dangers that come with it. Richard Nixon pioneered the tactic, projecting a volatile persona to pressure adversaries like North Vietnam and the Soviet Union into concessions, hoping they'd fear he was unhinged enough to go nuclear. Decades later, Donald Trump revived the approach in his own chaotic, improvisational style, leveraging erratic behaviour to keep both allies and enemies off balance. While Nixon's version was tightly controlled and behind the scenes, Trump's was a public spectacle, blurring strategy with impulsiveness. This book examines how both leaders weaponised perception to gain leverage, and what that reveals about power, psychology, and leadership on the world stage. A gripping, timely look at how madness-real or performed-can be a feature, not a bug, in American diplomacy.

Book details and technical specifications

Format: Paperback / softback
ISBN13: 9781526197450
Published: May 2026

Number of pages: 288
Width: 129 mm
Height: 198 mm
Depth: 18 mm

Publisher: Manchester University Press