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Is Donald Trump really a realist? Does the man have a coherent realist foreign policy, or is he an imperfect realist at best? Realists apparently disagree with both propositions, but who gets to judge whether a realist is for real? Is being hosted by the Center for the National Interest enough? Or does he need a collective nod from leading realist scholars? Either way, there is a realist civil war on the horizon. If this reality leaves you scratching your head, here’s a chart to help you identify the realest realists in theory and practice.*
Jack McDonald is a research and teaching fellow at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London.
*May include near-baseless caricatures that are far removed from the level-headed analysts and strategists that you know and love.
