Us Grand Strategy and the Madman Theory - by James D Boys

About the Book

US grand strategy and the Madman Theory: From Nixon to Trump explores how both presidents used unpredictability and threats of irrational action to gain leverage in global affairs. The book analyses the strategy's roots, risks, and impact on U.S. credibility, offering a sharp lens on power and instability.

Book Synopsis

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 behavior 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 weaponized 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.

From the Back Cover

US grand strategy and the Madman Theory argues that projecting deliberate irrationality can be a powerful - but risky - tool of presidential diplomacy.

Originally popularised by President Richard Nixon during the Cold War, the theory was designed to make adversaries believe he was volatile enough to do anything, even use nuclear weapons, if provoked. Nixon used this persona strategically, with the aim of coercing North Vietnam and the Soviet Union into making diplomatic concessions out of fear of unpredictable escalation. Decades later, President Donald Trump revived a form of this approach, though in a much more public and improvisational manner. Trump's erratic tweets, policy U-turns and disregard for diplomatic conventions blurred the line between strategic unpredictability and genuine chaos, leaving both allies and enemies unsure of his true intentions. While Nixon's version of the Madman Theory was largely managed behind closed doors, Trump's was on full display, raising new questions about the boundaries between strategy, personality and performance in modern politics.

Though controversial, the Madman Theory underscores how perception and psychological manipulation can shape global power dynamics - sometimes with dangerous consequence.

About the Author

James D. Boys is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre on U.S. Politics (CUSP) at University College, London (UCL).