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Home / People / Justin Logan

Justin Logan

Director, Defense and Foreign Policy Studies

Cato Institute

Justin Logan is the director of defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute.

He is an expert on U.S. grand strategy, international relations theory, and American foreign policy. His current research focuses on three subjects: the failure of U.S. efforts at burden sharing in NATO, the shifting balance of power in Asia, and the limited relevance of the Middle East to US national security. He has authored numerous policy studies and articles on topics including international relations theory, U.S.-China policy, U.S.-Russia policy, stabilization and reconstruction operations, and the policy approaches to a nuclear Iran. His articles have appeared in International Security, Foreign Affairs, The Journal of Strategic Studies, Strategic Studies Quarterly, Foreign Policy, The National Interest, Harvard International Review, Orbis, and The Foreign Service Journal, among others. Logan holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from American University and a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Chicago.

In the mediaNATO, Burden sharing, Europe and Eurasia

Why and How Europeans Must Prepare for U.S. Retrenchment

Featuring Justin Logan

April 28, 2026

Donald Trump has not been the president of military restraint some in his coalition hoped for, yet elements of withdrawal […]

ReportMiddle East, Global posture, Grand strategy

The case for withdrawing from the Middle East

By Justin Logan

September 30, 2020

Press ReleaseSyria, Middle East

ICYMI: Foreign policy realists applaud decision to withdraw troops from Syria

By Benjamin Friedman, Justin Logan, Charles Peña, and Daniel Davis

December 21, 2018

More from Justin Logan

In the mediaNATO, Burden sharing, Europe and Eurasia

Why and How Europeans Must Prepare for U.S. Retrenchment

Featuring Justin Logan

April 28, 2026

ReportMiddle East, Global posture, Grand strategy

The case for withdrawing from the Middle East

By Justin Logan

September 30, 2020

Press ReleaseSyria, Middle East

ICYMI: Foreign policy realists applaud decision to withdraw troops from Syria

By Benjamin Friedman, Justin Logan, Charles Peña, and Daniel Davis

December 21, 2018

RSVP

Justin Logan Past Events

virtualNATO, Alliances, Burden sharing, Europe and Eurasia, Grand strategy

Assessing the 2026 NDS: Will it usher in burden shifting?

February 9, 2026
virtualBurden sharing, NATO, Russia, Ukraine

Securing Europe: shifting or keeping burdens

April 3, 2023

Justin Logan Featured Symposia

symposiumWestern Hemisphere

Americas first: A shift to hemispheric defense

February 10, 2026

symposiumGrand strategy

Realistic recommendations for Trump II

January 13, 2025

symposiumNATO, Alliances

Antique alliance: Rethinking NATO at 75

July 2, 2024

ukraine flag
symposiumUkraine, NATO, Russia, Ukraine‑Russia

Lessons from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

February 13, 2023

symposiumAfghanistan, Counterterrorism

Lessons from Afghanistan

September 10, 2021

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