In a recent episode of Judging Freedom, Judge Andrew Napolitano sat down with Prof. John Mearsheimer for a wide-ranging discussion on the state of US foreign policy, the war in Ukraine, and the risk of escalation. The interview, published on July 21, 2026, offers a stark assessment from one of America’s foremost realist scholars.
Mearsheimer argued that the United States is effectively at war with Russia, even without direct troop engagement. ‘We are providing huge amounts of weaponry for the Ukrainians. We are providing important essential intelligence information. We are helping them to plan various operations. There’s no way that Ukraine could continue to conduct this war if it wasn’t for the fact that the United States and the Europeans are supporting Ukraine,’ he said. ‘So I think in a very important way, we are at war with Russia.’
He also addressed President Trump’s threats to ‘annihilate’ Iranian civilization, calling them consistent with US policy. ‘People in the Kremlin and people in Beijing understand that the United States is a mortal enemy. And not only is it a mortal enemy, it’s a ruthless, great power,’ Mearsheimer stated. He reminded viewers that both the Biden and Trump administrations have supported the ‘genocide in Gaza,’ making Trump’s genocidal language unsurprising.
On the question of Trump’s cognitive faculties, Mearsheimer said, ‘There’s no way you can avoid not sometimes wondering if the man is playing with a full deck. Sometimes he does look very rational… But there are other times where you surely wonder what he’s thinking.’
Regarding European bellicosity, Mearsheimer noted that the Kremlin is now fully aware that the US and Europe aim to ‘wreck Russia.’ He referenced Trump’s statements at the G7 and NATO meetings in mid-2026 as evidence of US support for weakening Russia. However, he does not expect Russia to strike a NATO country, given that the battlefield situation favors Moscow. ‘Events on the battlefield are moving Russia’s way. Ukraine is in serious trouble,’ he said, adding that the Ukrainian long-range drone campaign has lost effectiveness.
The interview provides critical context for Global South audiences: the US is perceived as an aggressive, unpredictable power by Russia, China, and Iran. Mearsheimer’s analysis underscores the multipolar reality that Washington’s adversaries have long understood — that the US is a ‘ruthless great power’ willing to use force and support wars by proxy. For readers in the Global South, this reinforces the need for alternative alliances and diplomatic strategies beyond the US-led order.