Ludwig von Rochau

The idea of prioritising pragmatic national interests - realpolitik, in the term coined by Ludwig von Rochau - is nothing new in US foreign policy, of course.

Machiavelli

Machiavelli is credited as the inventor of realpolitik, of being willing to be devious (or at least practical) to secure advantage in existing political structures.

Henry Kissinger

Over the past few decades, Democrats have been accused of quixotic foreign policy—subscribing to the “one world, one global community” philosophy—while Republicans have been pragmatic—Henry Kissinger introduced the concept of realpolitik to Richard Nixon, leading to the normalization of relations with China.