# Democratic Foreign Policy Divide

> Democrats clash over Israel, AI, and China ahead of 2028 election.
- Title: Democratic Foreign Policy Divide · Foreign Affairs | Shortify
- Summary: Democrats clash over Israel, AI, and China ahead of 2028 election. Democrats face internal debates on Israel, AI safety, and China as they prepare for 2028…
- Keywords: democratic party, 2028 presidential campaign, israel, artificial intelligence, china, united states foreign policy, biden administration, progressive camp, centrist camp, nato, u.s. military, international order
- Source: Foreign Affairs — https://foreignaffairs.com/united-states/fight-future-democratic-foreign-policy
- Author: Thomas Wright
- Published: 2026-11-03T09:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: democratic party, 2028 presidential campaign, israel, artificial intelligence, china, united states foreign policy, biden administration, progressive camp, centrist camp, nato, u.s. military, international order
## 2028 Election Begins
The midterm elections mark the start of the Democratic Party’s 2028 presidential campaign after two years of debate over Kamala Harris’s 2024 election defeat.
## Party Split on Foreign Policy
Democrats are divided into centrists focused on strategic competition and restoring U.S. power versus progressives pushing for global cooperation and shared challenges.
## Biden’s Foreign Policy Shift
Biden shifted foreign economic policy away from free trade toward industrial policy, resilience, and technological leadership after Trump’s election.
## Centrists Debate International Order
Centrists debate whether a future Democratic administration can restore the U.S.-led international order or adapt to prolonged geopolitical upheaval.
## Progressives on Rules-Based Order
Progressives argue the U.S.-led order is flawed and favor a rules-based order that applies principles consistently, even if it constrains U.S. power.

> In a rules-based order, hypocrisy is vulnerability.
## Israel Policy Divide
Centrists want stronger pressure on Israel over Gaza and Middle East conflicts, while progressives support maintaining U.S.-Israeli ties with limited engagement.
## AI Safety Debate
Centrists advocate slowing AI development to ensure safety and manage economic impacts, while progressives push for a complete halt to AI development and a moratorium on data centers.
## China Policy Split
Centrists see China as the top strategic challenge requiring managed competition, while progressives believe in cooperation on shared challenges like AI safety and climate change.
## Climate Policy Divide
Centrists prioritize climate as a factor in affordability and jobs, while progressives focus on reducing oil and gas supply through policy.
## Middle East Strategy
Centrists aim to reduce U.S. military commitment to the Middle East while avoiding withdrawal, whereas progressives push for full withdrawal and distancing from Gulf allies.

> It is long past time for the United States to withdraw its forces from the Middle East.
## AI Competition with China
Centrists want to win the AI race with China through export controls and strategic partnerships, while progressives believe the U.S. cannot win and should halt development.
## Economic Policy Divide
Centrists push for expanded industrial policy to cover robotics and advanced manufacturing, while progressives focus on climate and inequality over competition with China.
## 2029 Challenges
The next Democratic president will face frayed alliances, Chinese pressure on Taiwan, and potential wars in Iran and Ukraine.
## Common Ground
Both camps support NATO, the EU, backing Ukraine, and rooting out corruption while differing on how to address China and climate.
## 2028 Campaign Focus
The Democratic Party must resolve internal debates on foreign policy before the 2028 election to avoid a repeat of Jimmy Carter’s 1977 leadership challenges.
## Key takeaway

Democrats face internal debates on Israel, AI safety, and China as they prepare for 2028 presidential campaign.