[The United States] is an empire… that dare not speak its name. It is an empire in denial.

Ferguson is arguing that the United States functions in many ways like an empire—projecting military power globally, shaping political outcomes abroad, and underwriting an international economic order—yet resists the label for moral, historical, and domestic-political reasons. The phrase “dare not speak its name” suggests a taboo: Americans often associate “empire” with illegitimacy or European colonialism, so U.S. predominance is framed instead as leadership, security, or the spread of democracy. Calling it “an empire in denial” highlights a mismatch between power and self-understanding, implying that this denial can lead to inconsistent strategy, reluctance to accept the costs of hegemony, and confusion about responsibilities in world affairs.