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How the US Public Sees the State of the Union Amid Worsening Global Tensions

Analysis
by Dina Smeltz

Recent surveys show a rise in American skepticism of the Trump administration’s approach to domestic and foreign policy. The Council explores where they stand on the economy, immigration, alliances, and more.

The chamber of the House of Representatives is seen at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Feb. 3, 2020, as it is prepared for President Donald Trump to give his State of the Union address Tuesday night
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
Public Opinion

The Ukraine War, Already One of Modern Europe’s Longest, Has No End in Sight

Analysis
by Paul Poast

Four years into the conflict, the battle lines have barely moved and peace remains elusive.

Smoke rises from the Cabinet of Ministers building after a Russian strike in Kyiv
Evgeniy Maloletka / AP
Defense and Security

From Munich to the Board of Peace, the Trump Administration Struggles to Reassure its Transatlantic Partners; The Supreme Court Pushes Back  

Analysis
by Leslie Vinjamuri

The United States and Europe are scrambling to reform their partnership. It is an open question as to whether the transatlantic partnership can continue to be an anchor for international order as the rest of the world presses rapidly ahead.

President Donald Trumpl listens during a Board of Peace meeting at the U.S. Institute of Peace
Mark Schiefelbein / AP
US Foreign Policy

A Healthier Alternative to Trump's Tariff Obsession

Analysis
by Jim O'Neill

The US Supreme Court struck down US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs. History offers a potential path forward for the economy.

President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden
Mark Schiefelbein / AP
Global Economy

A New and Dangerous Era for US-China Ties

Analysis
by Evan Medeiros

With Washington prioritizing deal-making over competition, Beijing’s confidence is growing—and the risk of miscalculation is rising. Could China use America’s time-out from strategic competition to surpass it economically, technologically, and geopolitically?

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping walk in front of people waving American and Chinese flags
Andrew Harnik / AP
US Foreign Policy

The West Under Pressure: Inside Munich 2026

Podcast
Deep Dish on Global Affairs Podcast

The Observer's Giles Whittell and ECFR's Dr. Jana Puglierin unpack what this year's Munich Security Conference revealed.

Marco Rubio at MSC
Alex Brandon / Pool AP
Defense and Security

The Age of Kleptocracy

In the News
Foreign Affairs
Alexander Cooley

"US foreign policy is now largely subordinate to the private interests of the president and his retainers," Council Senior Nonresident Fellow Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon write.

A gold presidential seal in the Oval Office
Alex Brandon / AP
US Foreign Policy

No Easy Solutions to Europe’s Geopolitical Trilemma

In the News
The National Interest
Joshua Busby

Europe must diversify its partnerships and hedge against Russia, China, and an increasingly unpredictable United States, Council Senior Nonresident Fellow Joshua Busby and Greg Pollock write.

 A gas tank is seen at a chemical plant in Oberhausen, Germany
Martin Meissner / AP
Global Politics

Olympic Officials Want the Games to Be Politically Neutral—Can They Be?

Analysis
by Alexander Cooley

By barring Russian athletes from competing under the Russian flag, the International Olympic Committee demonstrated its power as a global norm-maker. Now, sporting federation leaders are seeking to distance their games from geopolitics.

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych holds up his crash helmet during a press conference following a skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.
Steve Moore / AP
Global Politics

Could a BRICS Currency Work?

In the News
Project Syndicate
Jim O'Neill

Distinguished Nonresident Fellow Lord Jim O'Neill (coiner of the "BRICS" acronym) weighs the possibility of a shared currency among the BRICS club.

A man walks past a money exchange shop decorated with different banknotes in Hong Kong.
Kin Cheung / AP
Global Politics