America has always been more than land or population. It has defined itself through a set of principles: liberty, equality, and human dignity. From the Declaration of Independence onward, these principles have shaped both domestic life and the nation’s international reputation. They have provided the United States with a source of strength that extends beyond its military or economic capacities. In today’s strategic competition, the “Idea of America” remains one of the nation’s most valuable assets, and it is increasingly a target for adversaries.
A Strategic Asset in History
During the Cold War, the United States positioned itself as the defender of freedom against Soviet repression. Military might and economic growth were crucial, but America’s credibility as a champion of human rights and opportunity drew people behind the Iron Curtain. As John Lewis Gaddis observed, U.S. strategy relied not only on deterrence but also on the moral clarity of its leadership.1
The effect was tangible. Dissidents in Eastern Europe and elsewhere often looked to the United States as proof that an open society could survive and thrive. Radio Free Europe and Voice of America carried more than news; they carried the message that authoritarian systems were not the only option. In many respects, ideals dictated the outcome of the Cold War as much as weaponry. 2
Why Adversaries Attack the American Idea
Today, both China and Russia recognize the enduring influence of American values. They designed their campaigns of disinformation and malign influence to weaken faith in U.S. institutions, amplify division, and undermine confidence in democratic governance.
China’s “Three Warfares” strategy emphasizes the use of public opinion, psychological tactics, and legal measures to shape environments in its favor. Part of this effort involves portraying the United States as hypocritical or declining. Russia has relied on updated forms of its Soviet-era “active measures,” using social media and digital platforms to exploit existing fractures in American society and erode trust in democracy.3,4
These operations show that adversaries understand the power of the American idea. By attacking legitimacy and unity, they hope to neutralize one of the United States’ most effective tools of influence.
Counterintelligence and the Defense of an Idea
Counterintelligence is usually described as the defense of secrets, but its broader purpose is to protect the nation from manipulation. That includes shielding the institutions and principles that give the United States its resilience.
When adversaries spread conspiracy theories, intimidate academics, or infiltrate online spaces to encourage division, they are striking at the credibility of the American idea itself. Counterintelligence professionals who expose and disrupt these efforts are defending more than classified programs; they are defending the core narrative of liberty and equality that holds the country together.
The Idea as an Enduring Advantage
The United States has many strengths, but one of the most enduring is the belief that individuals matter, that diverse perspectives can coexist, and that government should remain accountable to the people. These principles attract allies, inspire reformers abroad, and give the country resilience in the face of crisis.
An advantage, however, is only valuable if it is protected. Recognizing the American idea as a strategic asset requires more than rhetoric. It demands investment in education, institutions, and counterintelligence practices that safeguard the freedoms adversaries seek to undermine.
Bottom Line
The Idea of America is not soft power in the narrow sense. It is a foundation of national security. China and Russia recognize that reality, which is why they target the credibility of American institutions and the unity of the American public. Protecting the idea is as critical as defending territory or technology, because without it, every other advantage weakens.
Notes
- John Lewis Gaddis, Strategies of Containment: A Critical Appraisal of American National Security Policy during the Cold War (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), 353–56.
- Nicholas J. Cull, The Cold War and the United States Information Agency: American Propaganda and Public Diplomacy, 1945–1989 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008), 127–30.
- Michael Pillsbury, The Hundred-Year Marathon: China’s Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2015), 134–37.
- Thomas Rid, Active Measures: The Secret History of Disinformation and Political Warfare (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2020), 290–94.
