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CFR in 2026: A Look Back

The Council—through its experts, content, convenings, and outreach—continued to inform U.S. engagement with the world throughout the year, as illustrated below and across this annual report.

By experts and staff

Published
Task Force on U.S. Economic Security project director and cochairs—CFR Senior Fellow Jonathan E. Hillman; CFR Board of Directors member and Lockheed Martin Chairman, President, and CEO James D. Taiclet, CFR Distinguished Fellow and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo; and CFR Board of Directors member and former Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Justin G. Muzinich—discuss the content of their newly launched consensus report with Wall Street Journal Chief Economics Commentator Greg Ip.
Read the Full Report

July 2025

CFR-Rodel Institute Foreign Policy Forum

CFR cohosted its second annual Foreign Policy Forum with the Rodel Institute. The forum brought together a bipartisan group of municipal and statewide elected officials from twenty-three states to CFR’s New York headquarters for three days of discussions led by CFR experts. Topics included tariffs, trade, conflict in the Middle East, transatlantic relations, artificial intelligence (AI) and defense, U.S.-China relations, and the future of energy.

CFR Event on Press Freedom

CFR hosted an event on global challenges to press freedom. Panelists explored the shifting landscape of journalism and the broader implications for press freedom and democratic values worldwide.

August 2025

September/October 2025 Issue of Foreign Affairs
<p>The cover of the September/October 2025 issue of <em>Foreign Affairs</em>.</p>
The cover of the September/October 2025 issue of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs had notable essays in the September/October 2025 issue on the weaponized world economy, including “After the Trade War” by CFR President Michael Froman.

September 2025

UN General Assembly

CFR hosted fifteen member events with foreign and U.S. officials during the UN General Assembly.

During the UN General Assembly, Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi discusses Yemen’s foreign policy priorities, regional security, and humanitarian situation with Meghan L. O’Sullivan, member of CFR’s Board of Directors and director of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, at CFR.
New CFR Book: The Age of Change

CFR Ralph Bunche Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies Michelle D. Gavin published her CFR Book, The Age of Change: How Urban Youth Are Transforming African Politics.

CFR Ralph Bunche Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies Michelle D. Gavin discusses her CFR Book, The Age of Change: How Urban Youth Are Transforming African Politics, with CFR Senior Vice President of Studies and Maurice R. Greenberg Chair Shannon K. O’Neil.

October 2025

Council of Councils Regional Conference 

The Council of Councils cohosted the sixteenth regional conference with the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria, South Africa—the first regional conference on the African continent. Attendees discussed the changing state of multilateralism, trafficking and terrorism, technology governance, and Africa’s place in global affairs.

The introductory video for the Council of Councils.

<p>At the 2025 Term Member Conference, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q. Brown Jr. discusses the most pressing geopolitical challenges and reflects on the lessons learned throughout his career with CFR President Michael Froman.</p>
At the 2025 Term Member Conference, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q. Brown Jr. discusses the most pressing geopolitical challenges and reflects on the lessons learned throughout his career with CFR President Michael Froman.
Term Member Conference 

CFR hosted the thirtieth annual Term Member Conference, the largest to date with more than five hundred attendees. The conference delivered a robust slate of programming spanning AI, national security, global economics, and leadership.

C. Peter McColough Series on International Economics

As part of the C. Peter McColough Series on International Economics, CFR hosted an event with Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Member Christopher J. Waller. He discussed the U.S. economic outlook with Bloomberg Surveillance host Tom Keene, and their conversation was broadcast live as a Bloomberg Surveillance episode.

As part of the C. Peter McColough Series on International Economics, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Member Christopher J. Waller discusses the U.S. economic outlook with Bloomberg Surveillance host Tom Keene.

November 2025

Task Force Report on U.S. Economic Security

The Task Force on U.S. Economic Security released its report, U.S. Economic Security: Winning the Race for Tomorrow’s Technologies, and briefed nearly thirty members of Congress. 

The Task Force on U.S. Economic Security’s report launch included a new landing page—one of the first examples of CFR’s web redesign.
The Task Force on U.S. Economic Security’s report launch included a new landing page—one of the first examples of CFR’s web redesign.
CFR Members Watch Kyoto at Lincoln Center Theater

CFR invited members to Lincoln Center Theater to watch the play Kyoto, which tells the story of the tense climate change negotiations during the third Conference of the Parties at the Kyoto Conference Center on December 11, 1997.

CFR-Senate Presidents’ Forum Seminar 

CFR partnered with the Senate Presidents’ Forum to host a one-day foreign policy seminar in Washington, DC, for state senate leaders from nine states. It featured discussions with CFR experts on China, the Middle East, U.S.-Europe relations, and AI.

Mayors Foreign Policy Summit 

CFR convened mayors for the first-ever Mayors Foreign Policy Summit in partnership with the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. During the summit, attendees discussed the most consequential challenges facing local communities, the United States, and the world, and explored how U.S. global leadership directly affects municipalities and informs solutions.

CFR Senior Fellow for Technology and National Security Jessica Brandt facilitates a discussion group with mayors on AI and security at the Mayors Foreign Policy Summit.

December 2025

Preventive Priorities Survey

The Center for Preventive Action, directed by Paul B. Stares, published the fifteenth annual Preventive Priorities Survey, with surveyed foreign policy experts selecting Middle East conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war, and U.S.-Venezuela tensions as top U.S. security concerns for 2026.

January/February 2026 Issue of Foreign Affairs
<p>The cover of the January/February 2026 issue of <em>Foreign Affairs</em>.</p>
The cover of the January/February 2026 issue of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs had notable essays in the January/February 2026 issue on autocracy and democracy, including “The West’s Last Chance” by Finnish President President Alexander Stubb.

National Symposium

CFR hosted the eleventh annual National Symposium at the Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, California, gathering more than two hundred participants for discussions at the intersection of technology, national security, and American strategy. The symposium included optional site visits to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Meta, Palantir, Planet Labs, and Salesforce.

A recap of the 2025 National Symposium in Menlo Park, California.

January 2026

Twenty-Five Years Later: Reflections on 9/11 and the War on Terror Series

As part of the new Twenty-Five Years Later: Reflections on 9/11 and the War on Terror series, CFR and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum cohosted an event where panelists examined the lasting implications of 9/11 and the national security challenges facing the United States today.

CFR President Emeritus and Centerview Partners Senior Counselor Richard Haass, CFR Board of Directors member and former Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism Frances Fragos Townsend, and 9/11 Memorial and Museum Executive Vice President and Museum Director Clifford Chanin discuss the lasting implications of 9/11 and the national security challenges facing the United States today.
China Forum 

In partnership with the University of California San Diego, CFR’s China Strategy Initiative, directed by Rush Doshi, convened the annual China Forum, which brings together experts from the United States, China, and other countries around the world to discuss China policy.

Senator Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and CFR C.V. Starr Senior Fellow for Asia Studies and Director of CFR’s China Strategy Initiative Rush Doshi discuss the role of Congress in formulating and resourcing China policy and whether there ever was a bipartisan consensus on China.
Journalism Boot Camp 

The Local Journalists initiative organized the inaugural Journalism Boot Camp, which convened graduate students and early-career journalists at CFR’s New York headquarters for panels, small-group discussions, and networking opportunities to equip the next generation of journalists with tools, resources, and best practices for reporting on global dynamics.

At the inaugural Journalism Boot Camp, Committee to Protect Journalists CEO Jodie Ginsberg, CFR Shelby Cullom and Kathryn W. Davis Senior Fellow for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security Bruce Hoffman, NewsChannel 5 Nashville Chief Investigative Reporter Phil Williams, and CFR Senior Fellow Carla Anne Robbins discuss extremism and journalist safety.

February 2026

CFR Covers the U.S. War With Iran

Due to CFR Digital’s editorial efforts, the Council out-covered the global press on the U.S. war with Iran. In the war’s first week, CFR.org published approximately 125 pieces and ranked as the twelfth-most prominent website covering the conflict—ahead of BBC, CBS, Fox News, and the Associated Press—while holding the number one search result for “Does Iran have nuclear weapons?”

Ukraine Symposium 

The Wachenheim Center for Peace and Security, directed by Paul B. Stares, hosted its annual Ukraine Symposium. The multi-session event featured several ambassadors, such as Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Olga Stefanishyna, as well as Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property and member of the Senate Finance Committee.

At the 2026 Ukraine Symposium, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) discuss the United States’ role in peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and the stability of the region with ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent and This Week coanchor Jonathan Karl.
New CFR Podcast: The Spillover

CFR launched The Spillover, a new geoeconomics video podcast cohosted by CFR’s Paul A. Volcker Senior Fellow for International Economics Sebastian Mallaby and Senior Fellow Rebecca Patterson.

College and University Educators Workshop 

CFR hosted the fourteenth annual College and University Educators Workshop, welcoming ninety-eight educators from ninety-seven colleges and universities—more than a quarter of which were minority-serving institutions. The workshop allowed faculty to engage with CFR fellows, delve into foreign policy issues, and strengthen their teaching of global affairs.

Associate Director of CFR Education Marketing Rania Salem Manganaro speaks with attendees of the 2026 College and University Educators Workshop about CFR Education.
At the 2026 College and University Educators Workshop, CFR Education Associate Director of Marketing Rania Salem Manganaro speaks with attendees about CFR Education.

March 2026

CFR Named One of the Most Innovative Companies 

CFR was named one of Fast Company’s 2026 Most Innovative Companies—recognition anchored by an AI pipeline that translates thousands of Chinese government documents.

New CFR Book: The Infinity Machine

Sebastian Mallaby published his CFR Book, The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, DeepMind, and the Quest for Superintelligence, which later became a New York Times best seller.

CFR Paul A. Volcker Senior Fellow for International Economics Sebastian Mallaby discusses his new CFR Book, The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, DeepMind, and the Quest for Superintelligence, with CFR Chairman David M. Rubenstein.
National Retreat 

CFR convened its inaugural National Retreat in Nashville, Tennessee. National members and community leaders discussed topics of local and global relevance, deepening engagement in the region and showcasing the Council’s authoritative, nonpartisan analysis.

A recap of the inaugural National Retreat in Nashville, Tennessee.

April 2026

<p>At the 2026 Local Journalists Workshop, Pushkin Industries CEO Jacob M. Weisberg and ABC News <em>Nightline c</em>oanchor Juju Chang discuss covering world news as a local journalist.</p>
At the 2026 Local Journalists Workshop, Pushkin Industries CEO Jacob M. Weisberg and ABC News Nightline coanchor Juju Chang discuss covering world news as a local journalist.
Local Journalists Workshop 

The fifth Local Journalists Workshop brought together eighty-four journalists from forty-one states and Washington, DC, at CFR’s New York headquarters for programming on how to draw connections between local stories and international and national trends and events.

CFR Term Members Visit Taiwan

CFR term members attended several trips, including one to Taiwan, where they met senior Taiwanese officials and visited key institutions such as the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.

Endless Frontiers 

CFR’s China Strategy Initiative cohosted the second annual Endless Frontiers retreat with Baylor University, Rice University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Texas at Austin.

A recap of the 2026 Endless Frontiers retreat.

<p>Members of CFR’s Emerging Leaders in Business and Geopolitics program attend a networking reception during the 2026 Corporate Conference.</p>
Members of CFR’s Emerging Leaders in Business and Geopolitics program attend a networking reception during the 2026 Corporate Conference.

May 2026

Corporate Conference 

The Corporate and CEO Programs convened more than two hundred participants for the 2026 Corporate Conference. The conference explored pressing issues affecting the private sector that included the global economy, the role of the United States in an evolving world, and AI.

Council of Councils Conference 

The Council of Councils’ fifteenth annual conference hosted thirty-three participants from nineteen institutes in eighteen countries. Participants gathered in Washington, DC, to discuss the rise of AI, rapidly changing dynamics in the Middle East, and the rearming of the world.

Institute for National Security Studies Senior Researcher Avishay Ben Sasson-Gordis attends a panel on disruptions in the Middle East at the Council of Councils Fifteenth Annual Conference.
Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop 

CFR hosted the seventeenth annual Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop, welcoming religious leaders from twenty-three faith traditions to engage with CFR experts and peers from across the country on global issues at the intersection of religion and international affairs.

A recap of the 2026 Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop.

Future of American Strategy Initiative

The David Rockefeller Studies Program launched the Future of American Strategy Initiative, directed by Rebecca Lissner. The launch included an event at CFR’s Washington office that featured Senators Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and former Deputy National Security Advisors Jon Finer and Victoria C. Coates.

CFR Digital created new webpages for CFR fellows’ Future of American Strategy Initiative articles.
CFR Digital created new webpages for CFR fellows’ Future of American Strategy Initiative articles.

June 2026

Conference on Expanding Access to International Affairs

CFR hosted the annual Conference on Expanding Access to International Affairs, bringing together more than three hundred college and graduate students and young professionals from diverse backgrounds for plenaries on foreign policy topics, seminars on professional development, and networking receptions.

A recap of the 2026 Conference on Expanding Access to International Affairs.

National Conference 

CFR hosted the thirty-first annual National Conference in New York, convening members from across the country and around the world for discussions on pressing global issues including the new trade order, the transatlantic relationship, U.S.-China competition, and the future of AI. As part of the conference, attendees also visited cultural, financial, and technological institutions in the city, including Citi, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Microsoft, Palantir, and the Tenement Museum.

A recap of the 2026 National Conference.

CFR Life Members Visit Las Vegas

CFR life members embarked on several trips, including to Las Vegas, where they visited Nellis Air Force Base and the Thunderbirds Museum, met senior commanders, and watched F-35s launch from the flight line.

CFR life members pose for a picture at the Thunderbirds Museum while on a CFR trip to visit Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas.
New CFR Book: Women in Power
<p>The cover of the July/August 2026 issue of<em> Foreign Affairs</em>.</p>
The cover of the July/August 2026 issue of Foreign Affairs.

CFR Senior Fellow for Women and Foreign Policy Linda Robinson published her CFR Book, Women in Power: Fighting for Democracy in an Age of Authoritarianism.

July/August 2026 Issue of Foreign Affairs 

Foreign Affairs had notable essays in the July/August 2026 issue on the future of war, including “The Mirage of China’s Military Edge” by former Commander in Chief of U.S. Pacific Command and former Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair.

CFR Major Benefactors Visit Cape Canaveral Space Force Station 

CFR U.S. Space Force Military Fellow Colonel Corey L. Trusty led a delegation of CFR major benefactors to Patrick Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The trip offered a comprehensive look at how the United States plans, tests, and executes space operations. 

Attendees of the Major Benefactor to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, led by CFR U.S. Space Force Military Fellow Colonel Corey L. Trusty, visit the Cape Canaveral Space Museum.