The global power shift: Why Idaho must build its own future

As global power structures shift and economic uncertainty looms, a Coeur d’Alene resident has a message: This is a time of reckoning — but also a time of opportunity.

When a local speaks about world affairs and how to navigate them, it’s rarely from the perspective of someone who, as Teddy Roosevelt put it, has truly been “the man in the arena.” But retired Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt, now calling North Idaho home, is one of those rare voices — and his insights are worth hearing.

With a career spanning decades in NATO, the United Nations, direct negotiations with Russia and China, and overseeing military operations in volatile regions, Holt has had a front-row seat to how power actually works. And now, as an entrepreneur building cutting-edge startups in defense, AI and advanced materials, he believes local communities, not global institutions, will shape the future.

“The world is shifting fast,” Holt says. “NATO is under stress, China is overextended, Russia is recalibrating and the United Nations is proving just how ineffective it really is. But that means local economies — places like Idaho — can step up and thrive in the chaos if we know how to move.”

As the global order fractures, Holt warns that business as usual is over.

“The financial collapse is coming. The old economic model is dying. But the people who can build real things — food systems, supply chains, technology, innovation clusters — will come out on top.”

    Holt in Manas, Kyrgyzstan with General Petraeus the U.S. Central Command commander.
 

Russia, China and NATO: The global power game Idaho must pay attention to

Few Idahoans have had direct confrontations with Russian military commanders, Chinese government officials and NATO’s inner circle — but Holt has. And he’s blunt about what it means for Americans at home.

“At my change-of-command ceremony in Kyrgyzstan, where I was leading U.S. air operations for Afghanistan, three Russian SU-25 fighter jets flew 200 feet over our heads. It was their way of saying, ‘We see you, and we don’t like you here.’”

Despite the tension, Holt’s approach wasn’t just military — it was strategic diplomacy.

“I sent a gift to the Russian base commander: a bottle of Jack Daniel's and a map of his hometown in Chechnya. I highlighted the hospital where he was born and the house where he grew up,” he recalls. “The next day, I got a call from the Russian embassy saying, ‘These are the things we do to you, comrade. You are not supposed to do this to us.’”

But it wasn’t just the Russians that shaped Holt’s understanding of power. His time embedded in Washington’s foreign policy circles exposed him to the forces that influence global conflict — forces that, he says, have little interest in peace.

“I started to learn about the neocons,” Holt says. “On the day Hillary dropped bombs on Libya and destroyed Gaddafi, my mentor at the time, Les Gelb, called me up and said, ‘Well, Mr. Conservative guy, I guess you like this use of air power — knocked another one off the deck.’ And I said, ‘No, I think this was a big misuse of American air power. I think we’re going to feel real bad effects from this.’”

According to Holt, the real lesson isn’t about political party lines — it’s about who benefits from endless conflict.

“Nobody wants these wars to stop. So who’s making out here? The answer is always the same — the people in power, the ones writing the checks and selling the weapons. And we’re the ones paying the bill.”

For Idaho, that means recognizing that global politics is more than what’s on the news — it’s about understanding how these power struggles will impact supply chains, local businesses, and regional security.

    Holt addressing a crowd in St Mihiel, France.
  

What Idaho can learn from global power shifts

For Holt, understanding global dynamics isn’t just about geopolitics — it’s about positioning Idaho’s economy for success in an uncertain future.

“The global supply chain model we’ve depended on is collapsing,” Holt warns. “What happens when you can’t get parts from China? What happens when interest rates spike and nobody’s lending? The answer isn’t in Washington, D.C. It’s in what we build here.”

His message to Idahoans is clear: The future belongs to communities that take ownership of their economies.

Lesson 1: Small, self-reliant economies will win

“The U.S. has gotten used to outsourcing everything — from food production to tech manufacturing,” Holt says. “That era is ending. The communities that will thrive are the ones that produce, build, and innovate locally.”

For Idaho, that means:

• Investing in regional manufacturing to avoid dependence on foreign supply chains.

• Building food and energy resilience to weather future economic shocks.

• Fostering business collaboration so local companies can compete in the new economic order.

“If you can build something in Idaho and ship it to the world, you win,” Holt says.

Lesson 2: AI and open-source innovation will redefine power

While many fear artificial intelligence will destroy jobs, Holt sees a bigger picture: It’s also a tool that will change who controls power.

“The future of economic and national security is not in billion-dollar contracts to defense giants,” he says. “It’s in small, fast-moving innovators who leverage AI, decentralized finance and open-source technology.”

Holt’s company is working on open-source defense technologies, a radical shift from the traditional model.

“Imagine if, instead of spending $4 trillion on a bloated government program for missile defense, we built an open-source system that any American engineer could improve on? That’s the future.”

For Idaho, he says, embracing open-source AI, local innovation hubs and decentralized finance is a way to level the playing field in the new economy.

Lesson 3: The future will belong to the builders

If there’s one thing Holt wants Idahoans to understand, it’s that this is not the time to wait for top-down solutions.

“The people who come out on top in this next phase won’t be politicians or bureaucrats — they’ll be builders, creators and problem-solvers.”

He sees Idaho as uniquely positioned for success:

• Strong communities that can work together.

• A growing ecosystem of entrepreneurs and tech talent.

• A culture of resilience and self-reliance.

“What I love about Idaho is that people here get things done. They don’t wait for permission,” Holt says. “That’s the mindset that wins in times like these.”

Final takeaway: Idaho’s moment to lead

The world is shifting. Old powers are failing. The centralized economic model is collapsing. But Holt sees that as an opening.

“The question for Idaho isn’t whether we’ll be affected — it’s whether we’ll lead,” he says.

“This is the time to build. The time to create businesses that don’t depend on fragile supply chains. The time to build networks of trust, collaboration and economic strength at the local level. We can either sit back and watch the chaos — or we can step up and build the world we want to live in.”

As a Build Cities Fellow, Holt is not just talking about solutions — he’s actively working with Idaho’s entrepreneurs, business leaders and policymakers to build them.

“Nick, your vision for what cities can be like in the future and communities in the future — I adore it. I’m completely behind it because if there’s something 30 years has taught me, it’s that we haven’t got it quite right yet. And so we will get there. What you’re building with Build is exactly the kind of thing we need more of. This is how we create real opportunities, real connections, and a future where people can actually thrive.”

The world is changing. Idaho has a choice. Let’s build.

Want to hear more about retired Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt?

Listen to a full two-hour interview he did with members of build_ by filling out the membership form at BuildJournal.club.

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