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Mark R. Kennedy

“KENNEDY DOESN’T IGNORE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM; TO THE CONTRARY, HE LOOKS IT STRAIGHT IN THE EYE.” JOHN KING - CNN

“BOLD AND SMART.” FRED BARNES - FOX NEWS

As Director of the Wilson Center’s Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition, Mark Kennedy (U.S. Congress, 2001-07 MN) defines paths to strengthening the alliances, technology and economic foundations of America’s global leadership.
As President Emeritus of the University of Colorado and past President of the University of North Dakota, Kennedy highlights the central roles of talent and technology in economic development and geopolitical competition.
As an appointed Civic Leader supporting the Secretary of the Air Force and a Senior Fellow at CNA - Center for Naval Analyses, Kennedy champions the grand strategy and military needed to deter aggression.
Mark applies experiences as a first-generation college graduate, presidentially appointed member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, author of Shapeholders, Business Success in the Age of Activism (Columbia University Press), member of the Council on Foreign Relations, member of the Boston Global Forum’s Board of Thinkers, Chairman Emeritus of the Economic Club of Minnesota, corporate executive, University of Michigan MBA (with distinction) and St. John’s University (MN) graduate.
Kennedy has engaged wide cross-sections of society in over 45 countries, including refugee camps, war zones, 60+ military bases and three aircraft carriers at sea.

Strategic Competition

American Leadership

Tech / AI Leadership

Military Alliances & Modernization

Economic Engagement & Resilience

President Emeritus of the University of Colorado

Speaking /Moderating

Select Events

US and Japan Collaborating on Energy Security and Infrastructure

Interview of Tatsuya TERAZAWA, Chairman and CEO of Tokyo’s Institute of Energy Economics - January 27, 2025

Strategic Competition in the Second Trump Administration

MODERATING WILSON CENTER EVENT - JANUARY 22, 2025

Ten Steps to Win the AI Race

SPEECH DELIVERED AT HARVARD TO FORUM SPONSORED BY BOSTON GLOBAL FORUM - NOVEMBER 25, 2024

Select Publications

Preparing for the Next Conflict: How NATO is Fortifying Its Defenses

Wilson Center Policy Brief with co-author Jeremy Renken - January 28, 2025

America’s AI Strategy: Playing Defense While China Plays to Win

Wilson Center Policy Brief - January 24, 2025

Red Flags in the Tech Race: America Must Act Now to Preserve Its Innovation Edge

WILSON CENTER POLICY BRIEF - JANUARY 14, 2025

Select Quotations in Media

US Postal Service briefly suspends inbound packages from China

Quoted in Voice of America Article - February 5, 2025
Mark Kennedy, director of the Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition at the Wilson Center, said the suspension of deliveries presents unprecedented difficulties. "This is not something they've done before. It's not an easy task. It'll be a big challenge for them to adapt to this change," he said. Kennedy predicted a backlog in processing all the additional packages requiring scrutiny. "They're going to ultimately need to collect this tariff from either the retailer that's shipping it or the person that is receiving it," he told VOA. "Many are worried that some of the products created by slave labor using Uyghurs in Xinjiang province are coming through here, and the textile industry has been complaining that this is costing them jobs," said Kennedy, referring to the autonomous territory in northwestern China. Congress is now likely to reverse direction and lower the dollar amount for the exemption, said Kennedy, a former Republican congressman from the state of Minnesota.

What Do Trump’s First Weeks Tell Us About His China Strategy?

Comment at a Wahba Institute Event Quoted in Wall Street Journal - February 5, 2025
“Does the Trump administration really think this is an urgent epochal competition?” as Robert Daly, director of the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States at the Washington-based Wilson Center, put it during [the Wahba Institute's "Strategic Competition in the Second Trump Administration" event].

DeepSeek's 'Sputnik Moment' Exposes Holes In US Chip Curbs

Quoted in Barron's - January 29, 2025
Former US Representative Mark Kennedy told AFP that DeepSeek's success "does not undermine the effectiveness of export controls moving forward". Washington could choose to fire the next salvo by "expanding restrictions on AI chips" and increased oversight of precisely what technology Chinese firms can access, he added. But it could also look to bolster its own industry, said Kennedy, who is now Director of the Wilson Center's Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition. "Given the limitations of purely defensive measures, it may also ramp up domestic AI investment, strengthen alliances, and refine policies to ensure it maintains leadership without unintentionally driving more nations toward China's AI ecosystem," he said.

Select TV Interviews

Biden, Xi to Meet in Peru following Trump Election Win

INTERVIEW ON NEWSNATION - NOVEMBER 14, 2024

Election Outcome Could Alter Relations with China, US

NEWSNATION INTERVIEW -- AUGUST 27, 2024

China, Russia Reaffirm Close Ties as Moscow Presses Ukraine Offense

NEWSNATION INTERVIEW (FROM HOTEL IN DOHA, QATAR) - MAY 16, 2024