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

United States

Is Rising Student Debt Harming the U.S. Economy?

Higher education provides students many socioeconomic benefits and increases the global competitiveness of the United States, but mounting student loan debt has sparked a debate over federal lending policies.

Backgrounder by Anshu Siripurapu and Mia Speier April 13, 2021
Middle East and North Africa

The Natanz Blackout: Can the Iran Deal Talks Still Succeed?

Washington and Tehran seem determined to revive the deal that freezes Iran’s nuclear program, despite domestic criticism on both sides and the apparent sabotage of an Iranian facility.

In Brief by Ray Takeyh April 12, 2021 Middle East Program
United States

How the U.S. Patrols Its Borders

President Trump sent U.S. troops to the border with Mexico to supplement the work of authorities there. President Biden pledges a new approach as pressures mount along the boundary.

Backgrounder by Amelia Cheatham, Claire Felter and Zachary Laub April 12, 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

Scott A. Snyder

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

Middle East and North Africa

What Is U.S. Policy on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?

The United States has long tried to negotiate a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but several factors, including deep divisions between and within the parties and declining U.S. interest in carrying out its traditional honest-broker role, hurt the chances of a peace deal.

Backgrounder by Kali Robinson April 12, 2021
Infrastructure

The State of U.S. Infrastructure

Amid an economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, debate continues over how to improve the nation’s infrastructure, as analysts say U.S. transportation, water, and other systems face major shortfalls.

Backgrounder by James McBride and Anshu Siripurapu April 8, 2021
China

Academic Webinar: U.S. Response to China’s Belt and Road Initiative

Susan A. Thornton, senior fellow at Yale University’s Paul Tsai China Center and visiting lecturer in law, leads a conversation on the challenges that China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) poses to …

Webinar by Susan A. Thornton April 7, 2021 Academic and Higher Education Webinars and Conference Calls
International Economic Policy

Avoiding a K-Shaped Global Recovery

With the support of its wealthy members, including the United States, the IMF should provide greater financial assistance and more liberal borrowing terms to help the world’s developing countries recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

by A. Michael Spence, Joseph E. Stiglitz and Jayati Ghosh April 6, 2021
Middle East and North Africa

Nobody Knows Why Syria Matters

Why is the United States still struggling to figure out what to do about the Assad regime?

by Steven A. Cook April 2, 2021 Middle East Program
Defense and Security

The Marine Corps’ Shifting Focus: What to Know

After decades of sustained land operations, the U.S. Marine Corps is looking back out to sea, embracing its roots as a naval expeditionary force.

by Walker M. Field March 31, 2021
Climate Change

The Climate Challenge and China's Belt and Road Initiative

BRI's fossil fuel investments will make combatting climate change more difficult. The U.S. needs to offer developing nations an alternative means of acquiring clean energy.

Blog Post by Jennifer Hillman and Alex Tippett March 31, 2021 The Internationalist
Refugees and Displaced Persons

Beyond the Sand and Sea

From Ty McCormick, winner of the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, an epic and timeless story of a family in search of safety, security, and a place to call home.

Book by Ty McCormick March 30, 2021
Terrorism and Counterterrorism

The Public Should Be Warned When a Rampage Is Underway

The spree of murders at several Atlanta-area spas demonstrates the unique threat posed by rampaging assailants. A new system that alerts the public during such attacks could help save lives.

by Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware March 24, 2021 National Security and Defense Program
Coronavirus

Academic Webinar: Equitable Vaccine Distribution and Pandemic Preparedness

Sonya Stokes, assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine and fellow at Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Health Security, leads a conversation on…

Virtual Event by Sonya Stokes March 24, 2021 Academic and Higher Education Webinars and Conference Calls
El Salvador

Why Central American Migrants Are Arriving at the U.S. Border

Thousands of people are arriving at the U.S. southern border after fleeing the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. President Biden is reviving efforts to tackle the problems that are prompting them to migrate.

In Brief by Paul J. Angelo March 22, 2021
Coronavirus

A Year Out: Addressing International Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic

In his testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Thomas J. Bollyky provides an overview of current engagement of the United States and its allies in addressing …

Testimony by Thomas J. Bollyky March 18, 2021 Global Health Program