Penn Student Groups Host Debate on American Imperialism, Foreign Policy

The discussion-style event featured topics like U.S. intervention in Venezuela and protectionist trade policy in China.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Penn's Government and Politics Association and the Philomathean Society co-hosted a public debate on Wednesday focused on issues of American imperialism and foreign policy. Over 20 people spoke at the event, which aimed to 'spark controversies' and 'create something that actually draws some real fascinating debate to Penn'.

Why it matters

The debate provided a forum for students to voice their opinions on U.S. international relations, a topic that has been a source of ongoing controversy and debate. The event highlights the desire among some student groups to foster more open and substantive political discourse on college campuses.

The details

The Feb. 4 debate was moderated by a member of the Penn Polybian Society and featured five topics: U.S. intervention in Venezuela, proposed U.S. acquisition of Greenland, U.S-Iran tensions, protectionist trade policy in China, and imperialist rhetoric regarding Gaza and Colombia. The event was planned to give students a platform to express different perspectives, with the 'only rule' being 'don't speak over each other'.

  • The debate was held on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.

The players

Ferenc Brezo

GPA President and College sophomore who helped plan the event, stating that GPA aimed to 'spark controversies' and 'create something that actually draws some real fascinating debate to Penn'.

Anjali Reddy

Penn Polybian consul and College and Engineering junior who prepared for the event by staying informed about political events, and expressed that 'most situations, if not all situations, that the U.S. has intervened in have had bad outcomes'.

Oscar Kaeli

A student at the University of Toronto who was invited to the event by a friend, and expressed that hearing 'different perspectives' gave him 'a better understanding of different people'.

Ashwin Luksmanage

Philomathean Society's moderator and College junior who wanted to use his background in political economy to bring a wider array of organizations like GPA into their network.

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What they’re saying

“We want to have real debate on campus. We want to create something that actually draws some real fascinating debate to Penn, and showcases two totally different sides of one case.”

— Ferenc Brezo, GPA President and College sophomore (The Daily Pennsylvanian)

“most situations, if not all situations, that the U.S. has intervened in have had bad outcomes.”

— Anjali Reddy, Penn Polybian consul and College and Engineering junior (The Daily Pennsylvanian)

“There always is some precedent.”

— Oscar Kaeli, Student at the University of Toronto (The Daily Pennsylvanian)

The takeaway

The debate highlights the desire among some student groups to foster more open and substantive political discourse on college campuses, providing a platform for the expression of diverse perspectives on issues of American foreign policy and imperialism.