Co-edited by Dr William D. James, Assistant Professor in Strategic Studies at RSIS, and Professor Greg Kennedy of King’s College London, Transatlantic Storms in Anglo-American Relations: How the Alliance Weathers Crises, a new volume published by Georgetown University Press, explains the longevity of the world’s closest bilateral alliance, amid repeated fractures. A book launch seminar was held on 14 May 2026 to discuss how political crises have shaped the UK-US alliance and the institutional ties that continue to underpin its resilience amid contemporary geopolitical challenges.
Dr James first provided an overview of the book, which examines the extent to which the UK-US alliance – often dubbed “the special relationship” – is affected by political crises. He argued that, despite scores of flashpoints between presidents and prime ministers over the past 80 years, deep institutional bonds in the intelligence, nuclear, and military spheres have kept the alliance together. The depth of cooperation and trust between officials is unprecedented in the history of sovereign states. This resilience, he suggested, is reinforced by a shared worldview that leads both countries to look to each other in times of crises. Dr James closed by outlining challenges to the relationship, chiefly the effect of years of British defence cuts on allied interoperability, and President Trump’s departure from that shared worldview. That said, he emphasised that this book and the history of these crises should give those who predict the imminent collapse of America’s alliance network some pause for thought.
Dr Adrian Ang U-Jin, Research Fellow and Coordinator of the United States Programme at RSIS, drew attention as a discussant to the asymmetries in the alliance, noting that these crises tend to matter more to London than to Washington. He also raised the question of whether core US allies such as the UK may increasingly join Washington’s other partners in hedging – in response to the current uncertainties surrounding American foreign policy.
Colonel Brock Hershberger, Visiting Fellow at RSIS, highlighted the extensive cultural and economic bonds between the UK and the US. He drew on his own experience of working with UK Special Forces as a lived example of the institutional pillars of cooperation that the book describes.
The seminar, chaired by Dr Sarah Teo, Assistant Professor at RSIS; drew a full house, underscoring the timeliness of its subject given current tensions over Iran and Greenland. Audience questions ranged from past flashpoints to scanning the horizon for future crises.
