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Gates Forum 4: Security Assistance
In an era of intensifying competition with major powers and non-state threats, what concrete actions can the United States take to redevelop its security assistance and make this vital tool of statecraft more effective?
In December 2025, Gates Forum 4, which was hosted by the Gates Global Policy Center in partnership with William & Mary’s Global Research Institute (GRI), brought to Williamsburg prominent policymakers and officials, alongside experts from government, higher education, journalism, and the private sector.
Under the leadership of Chancellor Robert M. Gates, the forum engaged participants with a singular focus:
In an era of intensifying competition with major powers and non-state threats, what concrete actions can the United States take to redevelop its security assistance and make this vital tool of statecraft more effective?
Working together, GF conferees worked to address this challenge that is so vital to our national interest. The goal of GF4 was to discuss and prepare the Robert M. Gates Global Policy Center to develop recommendations for action that will find broad support to the Administration and bipartisan support in Congress. The papers were produced by experts in security assistance and statecraft in the U.S. under the leadership of Dr. Ryan Musto, Director of Forums and Research Initiatives, and Eric Brown, Senior Research Scientist, of William & Mary's Global Research Institute.