United States | Council on Foreign Relations

The U.S. Vice President and Foreign Policy

Modern vice presidents can trace much of their political influence to the broad reforms that Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale made to the second-highest elected office in the late 1970s.

Backgrounder by Jonathan Masters Sep 22, 2016

Demographics of the U.S. Military

Deployed around the world, the armed forces are a pillar of U.S. power and influence abroad. But many civilians are unfamiliar with their composition. How much does the military resemble U.S. society?

Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors Jul 13, 2020

Disinformation and Election 2020

Bret Schafer, media and digital disinformation fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy, an initiative of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, discusses disinformation and the threat of foreign interference in the upcoming election. Carla Anne Robbins, CFR adjunct senior fellow and former deputy editorial page editor at the New York Times, hosts the webinar.

Conference Call with Bret Schafer Aug 6, 2020

Energy and Environment

U.S.-Canada Pipeline Dispute, Harris and AMLO Talk Migration, and More

A major fuel pipeline from Canada to the United States could be shut down, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) meet virtually to discuss migration concerns, and the European Union and India are expected to revive trade talks.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Robert McMahon May 6, 2021 The World Next Week
Global

The President's Inbox Episodes by Topic

The President's Inbox (TPI) has produced more than two hundred episodes since it debuted in November 2016. The topics covered have ranged from Afghanistan to China to human rights to Russia to the ro…

Blog Post by James M. Lindsay May 5, 2021 The Water's Edge
United States

The U.S. Vice President and Foreign Policy

Modern vice presidents can trace much of their political influence to the broad reforms that Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale made to the second-highest elected office in the late 1970s.

Backgrounder by Jonathan Masters May 4, 2021

Experts in this Region

Caroline Bettinger-Lopez

Adjunct Senior Fellow for Women and Foreign Policy

James M. Lindsay

Senior Vice President, Director of Studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg Chair

Yascha Mounk

Senior Fellow

Scott A. Snyder

Senior Fellow for Korea Studies and Director of the Program on U.S.-Korea Policy

Coronavirus

India’s COVID-19 Surge, Somalia’s Political Crisis, and More

India struggles with the world’s largest COVID-19 surge, Somalia’s president addresses Parliament after dropping a bid to extend his term, and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan gets underway ten years after the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Robert McMahon April 29, 2021 The World Next Week
Energy and Environment

Biden’s Ambitious Climate Pledge Puts U.S. Credibility on the Line

Biden’s Earth Day summit leaves important, lingering questions, the most important of these being the feasibility and credibility of his plans.

Article by Stewart M. Patrick April 29, 2021 International Institutions and Global Governance Program
United States

U.S. Maritime Strategy, With RADM James Bynum, RADM Pat DeQuattro, and MajGen Paul J. Rock Jr.

Rear Admiral James Bynum, Rear Admiral Pat DeQuattro, and Major General Paul J. Rock Jr. sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the new Tri-Service Maritime Strategy, which was released in December 2020. Rear Admiral Bynum currently serves in a dual capacity as the assistant deputy chief of naval operations for war fighting development, and the director of warfare development in the office of the chief of naval operations. Rear Admiral DeQuattro is the Coast Guard deputy for Operations, Policy and Capabilities. Major General Rock is the director of Plans, Policies & Operations in the Strategy and Plans division at Marine Corps Headquarters.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay, James Bynum, Pat DeQuattro and Paul J. Rock Jr. April 27, 2021 The President's Inbox
Europe

The Belt and Road Initiative: Forcing Europe to Reckon with China?

In addition to undermining European unity, BRI may also work to cleave the transatlantic alliance. To head off these dilemmas, Europe will need to provide clear alternatives to Chinese infrastructure spending.

Blog Post by Jennifer Hillman and Alex Tippett April 27, 2021 The Internationalist
Energy and Environment

Biden’s Climate Pledge Puts U.S. Credibility on the Line

Biden’s Earth Day summit leaves important, lingering questions, the most important of these being the feasibility and credibility of his plans.

Blog Post by Stewart M. Patrick April 26, 2021 The Internationalist
Pharmaceuticals and Vaccines

Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Undergoes Review, Biden Addresses Congress, and More

A U.S. advisory panel considers whether to lift the pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, U.S. President Joe Biden addresses Congress, and international films are judged for the ninety-third Academy Awards.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Robert McMahon April 22, 2021 The World Next Week
U.S. Trade Deficit

Tariffs and the Trade Balance: How Trump Validated His Critics

Before Donald Trump became president in 2017, Americans paid tariffs on just two percent of their imported goods. The average tariff rate was 1.7 percent. In 2018, however, Trump launched…

Blog Post by Benn Steil and Benjamin Della Rocca April 21, 2021 Geo-Graphics
United States

How Police Compare in Different Democracies

Recent killings by U.S. officers have sparked widespread calls for police reform and an end to systemic racism. Here’s how U.S. policing compares with other countries’ approaches.

Backgrounder by Amelia Cheatham and Lindsay Maizland April 21, 2021
Global Governance

The U.S. Intelligence Community’s Harrowing Take on Our Possible Futures

In the next 40 years, institutions at all levels could struggle to adapt to abrupt demographic shifts, economic turbulence, runaway climate change, and technological innovation.

Blog Post by Stewart M. Patrick April 19, 2021 The Internationalist
Education

School Policy Decisions During COVID-19

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, speaks on the considerations schools face in terms of reopening, taking into account their individual needs as well as public healt…

Webinar by Jacob Carpenter and Randi Weingarten April 15, 2021 Local Journalists Webinars
Middle East and North Africa

U.S. Relations With Iran, 1953–2021

Onetime allies, the United States and Iran have seen tensions escalate repeatedly in the four decades since the Islamic Revolution.

Timeline by Kali Robinson April 15, 2021
Afghanistan

Biden’s 9/11 Withdrawal From Afghanistan: What to Know

A complete U.S. military withdrawal by September 11, 2021, could allow the Taliban to take over much of Afghanistan.

In Brief by Max Boot April 14, 2021 National Security and Defense Program