Us Grand Strategy and the Madman Theory

US grand strategy and the Madman Theory: From Nixon to Trump explores how both presidents used unpredictability and threats of irrational action to gain leverage in global affairs. The book analyses the strategy´s roots, risks, and impact on U.S. credibility, offering a sharp lens on power and instability. What happens when a president convinces the world he might just do the unthinkable? In US grand strategy and the Madman Theory, James D. Boys argues that projecting calculated irrationality can terrify adversaries into submission, but at enormous risk. From Nixon’s secret Cold War gambit to Trump’s chaotic, tweet-driven diplomacy, he explores how these two leaders weaponised unpredictability to keep allies guessing and enemies off balance. But where does strategy end and madness begin? In an era where perception can dictate power, unpredictability becomes a weapon and fear its sharpest edge. This book reveals how calculated chaos reshapes diplomacy, destabilises norms and forces nations to question whether the next move is genius or catastrophe.