Why Elected Leaders Need Global Experience

Co-authored with Andy Zelleke, Robert Dujarric argues that U.S. elected officials too often lack firsthand experience abroad, leading to foreign‐policy missteps. He highlights cases where diplomatic faux pas and trade misunderstandings stemmed from domestic career tracks isolated from global perspectives.

Dujarric and Zelleke recommend that political parties recruit and promote candidates with international careers—in diplomacy, business, or civil society—and encourage exchange programs that place future leaders in overseas postings before they seek office.