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Home / People / Thomas Cavanna
@tcavannap
Grand strategy, China, Europe and Eurasia, Foreign and defense policy, Great power competition, International security, and NATO

Thomas P. Cavanna

Non-Resident Fellow

Defense Priorities

Thomas Cavanna is a non-resident fellow at Defense Priorities.

Cavanna is also an Academic Visitor at Lehigh University. He was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Lehigh University and Tufts University (Fletcher School), a Postdoctoral Fellow at Southern Methodist University, and a Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania. His interests include grand strategy, U.S. foreign policy, and the U.S.-China competition. His current book project is on the U.S.-China competition in Europe and Eurasia. His most recent articles and book chapters have been published by the Texas National Security Review (Unlocking the Gates of Eurasia: China’s Belt and Road Initiative and its Implications for U.S. Grand Strategy), Oxford University Press India (Quest for a Peaceful, Prosperous and Friendly Neighbourhood: India’s South Asia Policy, 2004–14), the Brookings Institution Press (Coercion Unbound? China’s Belt and Road Initiative), and the Oxford Research Encyclopedia (U.S. Grand Strategy since 1776). He also worked on U.S. policy in South Asia and America’s war in Afghanistan. Cavanna holds a French “Agrégation” in History, an MA and PhD in History from Sciences Po Paris, and an MA from Audencia Business School. He was also a Fox Fellow at Yale University.

op-edIran, Middle East, Nuclear weapons

All the reasons Trump should resist regime change in Iran

By Thomas P. Cavanna

January 20, 2026

Since early January, President Trump has committed several times to intervening in Iran should its regime violently repress domestic protests, […]

op-edAsia, China

How to Keep China-Japan Relations on an Even Keel

By Thomas P. Cavanna

December 24, 2025

op-edGrand strategy, Nuclear weapons

Resuming nuclear testing is a dangerous gamble

By Thomas P. Cavanna

December 13, 2025

More from Thomas P. Cavanna

op-edIran, Middle East, Nuclear weapons

All the reasons Trump should resist regime change in Iran

By Thomas P. Cavanna

January 20, 2026

op-edAsia, China

How to Keep China-Japan Relations on an Even Keel

By Thomas P. Cavanna

December 24, 2025

op-edGrand strategy, Nuclear weapons

Resuming nuclear testing is a dangerous gamble

By Thomas P. Cavanna

December 13, 2025

NATO, Alliances, Asia

How NATO’s Indo-Pacific ambitions would weaken the alliance

By Thomas P. Cavanna

August 11, 2025

ExplainerNATO, Asia, China, Russia

Keep NATO focused on Europe, not China

By Thomas P. Cavanna

July 24, 2025

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