Helena Kopans-Johnson

CFR Staff

Helena Kopans-Johnson

Research Associate, Trade Policy

Helena Kopans-Johnson is a research associate for trade policy at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). She holds a BA in government from Colby College. 

Most Recent

United States

How the U.S. Asylum Process Works
Asylum has become a central part of the U.S. immigration debate in recent years after border crossings reached a record high in fiscal year 2023. Here’s how the asylum process works.

Backgrounder by Diana Roy February 18, 2025

China

China’s Environmental Crisis
China’s mounting environmental crisis is endangering the pace of its economic growth and threatening the legitimacy of the ruling party.

Backgrounder by Eleanor Albert and Beina Xu February 12, 2025

Trade

What Are Tariffs?
President Donald Trump has begun his second term with a raft of tariff threats to bolster his immigration priorities, support local industries, and compete with China. Here’s how these taxes work and how they’ve been used historically.  

Backgrounder by Anshu Siripurapu and Noah Berman February 3, 2025 Renewing America

Top Stories on CFR

China Strategy Initiative

India, the United States and the Future of the International Trade Order
India has enjoyed bipartisan support in the U.S. as a critical economic counterbalance to China, but the United States still has a tenuous grasp on its interests. In this series, three experts examine India’s position on digital trade, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and industrial policy.

Article by Manjari Chatterjee Miller February 10, 2025 China Strategy Initiative

Space

Securing Space: A Plan for U.S. Action
As outer space becomes more congested with debris and international tensions escalate, the threat to U.S. national security grows. The United States must act now to reassert its leadership and create pathways for management in this critical strategic domain.

Task Force Report by Nina M. Armagno, Jane Harman, Esther Brimmer and Anya Schmemann February 11, 2025

Japan

The Ishiba-Trump Era
On Friday, Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and President Donald Trump sat down for the first time to discuss the U.S.-Japan alliance.

Post by Sheila A. Smith February 10, 2025 Asia Unbound