Atlantic Council Podcast: Kurt Campbell on U.S. Strategy Toward China

On the Atlantic Council’s podcast, host Matthew Kroenig spoke with Kurt Campbell, chairman and co-founder of The Asia Group and former U.S. deputy secretary of state, about current U.S. strategy toward China. The episode covers the Biden administration’s approach, contrasts with the Trump administration’s posture, and the implications of an anticipated meeting between former President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Campbell, who previously served as assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and has been widely identified as a key architect of the U.S. “pivot to Asia,” discussed strategic choices Washington faces in managing competition with Beijing. The conversation, produced by the Atlantic Council, frames those choices in the context of alliance coordination, economic and security tools, and long-term geopolitical planning.

Atlantic Council

The episode positions the debate over China policy as both diplomatic and practical, involving how the U.S. aligns partners and uses trade, technology, and military posture to shape Beijing’s behavior. Kroenig and Campbell examine how different administrations weigh confrontation, competition, and cooperation, and what an incoming administration or political shifts could mean for policy continuity. The podcast also considers the potential effects of a high-profile meeting between Xi and Trump on bilateral ties and on Washington’s strategy discussions.

The Atlantic Council is a Washington-based think tank; the episode features a senior policy figure with direct experience in State Department China strategy, making the discussion salient for local policy debates and Capitol Hill watchers.

• Host: Matthew Kroenig on the Atlantic Council podcast.

• Guest: Kurt Campbell, chairman of The Asia Group, former U.S. deputy secretary of state.

• Topics: Biden-era China strategy, Trump administration approach, China–U.S. competition.

• Discussion includes alliance coordination, economic and security tools, and diplomatic options.

• Episode flags an upcoming Xi–Trump meeting as a factor shaping policy debates.

Look for how policymakers and Capitol Hill staff reference this episode’s framing in hearings and policy memos, and whether the Xi–Trump meeting prompts shifts in public U.S. statements or congressional scrutiny.

Atlantic Council

The Atlantic Council is based in Washington, and Kurt Campbell is a former senior State Department official; their podcast discussion directly informs local policy debates, Hill oversight, and the think-tank ecosystem that shapes U.S. China strategy in DC.

• Host: Matthew Kroenig on the Atlantic Council podcast.

• Guest: Kurt Campbell, chairman of The Asia Group and former U.S. deputy secretary of state.

• Conversation covers Biden-era strategy, Trump-era posture, and the U.S.–China competitive landscape.

• Discussion touches on alliances, economic tools, technology, and security posture.

• Episode notes an upcoming meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump as relevant context.

Watch for references to this podcast in congressional hearings and policy briefs, and whether the Xi–Trump meeting alters public messaging or prompts new legislative attention.