What would you tell the next U.S. president?

Experts chime in for the Fall 2024 print issue. In this note, Amelia Lester, FP deputy editor, provides an exclusive first look into the Fall 2024 issue. Subscribe to unlock the upcoming magazine when it’s published next week, trusted coverage and newsletters, live interviews with geopolitical experts, and more. [BECOME A SUBSCRIBER](   After 20 years of covering its political eccentricities as an outside observer, I recently took the leap to become a citizen of the United States. The ceremony itself, held on the ground floor of a Virginia office building, lacked pomp. In fact, the long lines and inexplicable rules made it remarkably reminiscent of passport control in a busy airport. But though that experience can break even the most experienced of travelers, becoming a U.S. citizen felt like the opposite of powerlessness. By voting, I finally have the capacity to influence, even in the smallest of ways, the governance of what remains the world’s most consequential country. And what an election I’m starting with! This November’s presidential contest is once again being called the most important ever. Alongside our [ongoing coverage]( of the contest between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, we wanted to get a global read on a U.S. event that will affect everyone. Whichever candidate winds up in the White House, he or she will face long-term challenges stemming from a shifting order in which the United States is no longer the sole hegemon. So, for our Fall 2024 print issue, we asked nine prominent thinkers from around the world what they would say in a letter of advice to the next U.S. president.   Polls, predictions, and perspectives. [Join FP for expert elections coverage.](   Our contributors’ advice covers a lot of topics, from energy security to strengthening democracy, and some would likely even disagree with each other. [In a special pre-release yesterday](, Singaporean academic Danny Quah urges the next president to set aside the quest for international supremacy at all costs. “Do you know what will happen to the American people’s way of life and the U.S. system of government if you become No. 2?” Quah asks. “Absolutely nothing.” Quah isn’t urging Americans to cherish mediocrity, of course, but he’s channeling a broader strain of concern in Southeast Asia about the United States sidestepping international rules in a bid to prevent China’s rise—and to stay on top. The complete issue drops next week and includes essays from Nobel laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz, former Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, and former Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González, among several others. The next president of the United States may not want to heed the advice of our distinguished panel of letter writers. But put together, their words signal how the rest of the world is viewing America’s trajectory. Regardless of where you are or if you’re voting this November, we guarantee the letters in this print issue will provoke and inspire you. —Amelia Lester, deputy editor Unlock all essays—including the [special preview](—in the upcoming issue, the 54-year print archive, daily reports, expert insights and conversations, and more when you subscribe today. [JOIN FP](   Keep up with the polls [Rain clouds hang over the U.S. Capitol building in Washington on Aug. 9.]( //link.foreignpolicy.com/click/36626857.263612/aHR0cHM6Ly9mb3JlaWducG9saWN5LmNvbS8yMDI0LzA5LzAzL2NvbmdyZXNzLXByZXNpZGVudGlhbC1lbGVjdGlvbi1jb25ncmVzc2lvbmFsLW91dGNvbWUv/6442801f88c29c4d765242dcDeb132325[It’s Congress, Stupid]( The world may currently be focused on the presidential race, but how power is distributed on Capitol Hill is just as important. [Keep reading]( [U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris (C), Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (3rd L), Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (2nd L) and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (L) attend the 18th East Asia Summit during the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Sept. 7, 2023. ]( [Does Harris Have a Foreign Policy?]( [The Democratic National Convention did not shed much light on what a Harris administration’s global outlook would be.]( [Keep reading]( [Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House in Washington on July 25, 2024. ]( [America Is More Desperate for a Cease-Fire Than Israel and Hamas]( [How the U.S. election calendar is affecting the Middle East peace talks.]( [Keep reading]( [Trump supporters clash with police as they try to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.]( [Could Civil War Erupt in America?]( [The United States is now showing preconditions for political violence, scholars say. Here’s how it can prevent disaster.]( [Keep reading]( [It’s Congress, Stupid]( [The world may currently be focused on the presidential race, but how power is distributed on Capitol Hill is just as important.]( [Keep reading]( [Does Harris Have a Foreign Policy?]([The Democratic National Convention did not shed much light on what a Harris administration’s global outlook would be.]( [Keep reading]( [America Is More Desperate for a Cease-Fire Than Israel and Hamas]([How the U.S. election calendar is affecting the Middle East peace talks.]( [Keep reading]( [Could Civil War Erupt in America?]([The United States is now showing preconditions for political violence, scholars say. Here’s how it can prevent disaster.]( [Keep reading](   [Insightful. In-depth. Indispensable]( With daily reports, on-demand interviews with global experts, trusted newsletters, and more, FP provides the clarity in political reporting you deserve. 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