Council on Foreign Relations
@cfr.org
🌏 CFR is a resource for foreign policy news and analysis.
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CFR takes no institutional positions on policy. Follows, reposts, likes ≠ endorsements.
✉️ Subscribe to our newsletters: http://cfr.org/newsletters
Myanmar's election "is not free and fair," Josh Kurlantzick and Annabel Richter write.
"Under the direction of the military junta, which has controlled the country since seizing power in a coup five years ago, Myanmar nationals are voting in an election in which most opposition parties are banned."
"Under the direction of the military junta, which has controlled the country since seizing power in a coup five years ago, Myanmar nationals are voting in an election in which most opposition parties are banned."
Myanmar's Junta-Led Election Is Neither Free nor Fair
Despite banned opposition, mass displacement, and severe repression, the staged poll is already granting the military dangerous international legitimacy.
www.cfr.org
January 10, 2026 at 7:52 PM
Myanmar's election "is not free and fair," Josh Kurlantzick and Annabel Richter write.
"Under the direction of the military junta, which has controlled the country since seizing power in a coup five years ago, Myanmar nationals are voting in an election in which most opposition parties are banned."
"Under the direction of the military junta, which has controlled the country since seizing power in a coup five years ago, Myanmar nationals are voting in an election in which most opposition parties are banned."
"The U.S. raid in Venezuela on January 3 was not just a wake-up call for Nicolás Maduro and his wife; it was a wake-up call for the international system as a whole," writes CFR President Michael Froman.
Getting Might Right
CFR President Michael Froman analyzes the global implications of the U.S. military operation in Venezuela and how Greenland could be the next major test of the viability of the postwar order.
www.cfr.org
January 10, 2026 at 3:05 PM
"The U.S. raid in Venezuela on January 3 was not just a wake-up call for Nicolás Maduro and his wife; it was a wake-up call for the international system as a whole," writes CFR President Michael Froman.
"The Senate’s decision to invoke the provisions of the War Powers Resolution was noteworthy because senators knew that the vote would be seen rebuking Trump," writes expert James Lindsay.
The Senate Moves to Limit Trump on Venezuela
Five Republican senators joined with Democrats to rebuff the White House and move ahead with a resolution to require Congress to approve any further use of military force against Venezuela.
www.cfr.org
January 9, 2026 at 10:34 PM
"The Senate’s decision to invoke the provisions of the War Powers Resolution was noteworthy because senators knew that the vote would be seen rebuking Trump," writes expert James Lindsay.
Nicolás Maduro’s ouster raises big questions about the United States' intentions in Venezuela and what it could mean for Venezuelans, other territories that Washington has threatened to overtake, and the future of the country's oil sector.
Here's a rundown on what happened—and what might come next.
Here's a rundown on what happened—and what might come next.
A Guide to Maduro’s Capture and Venezuela’s Uncertain Future
The capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro has drawn a range of reactions from around the world. But experts say the country’s future is uncertain.
www.cfr.org
January 9, 2026 at 7:57 PM
Nicolás Maduro’s ouster raises big questions about the United States' intentions in Venezuela and what it could mean for Venezuelans, other territories that Washington has threatened to overtake, and the future of the country's oil sector.
Here's a rundown on what happened—and what might come next.
Here's a rundown on what happened—and what might come next.
🎧 On this episode of The President's Inbox podcast, Latin America expert Will Freemans sits down with James Lindsay to discuss the consequences of the U.S. seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Washington's Venezuela Strategy After Maduro, With Will Freeman | Council on Foreign Relations
<p>Will Freeman, fellow for Latin America studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the consequences of the U.S. seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.</p>
www.cfr.org
January 9, 2026 at 3:55 PM
🎧 On this episode of The President's Inbox podcast, Latin America expert Will Freemans sits down with James Lindsay to discuss the consequences of the U.S. seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
On this day in 1918, Woodrow Wilson’s speech changed the course of U.S. foreign policy and international diplomacy, writes James Lindsay.
Wilson's Fourteen Points Set a New Vision for World Peace
Woodrow Wilson's speech on January 8, 1918, changed the course of U.S. foreign policy and international diplomacy.
www.cfr.org
January 8, 2026 at 10:46 PM
On this day in 1918, Woodrow Wilson’s speech changed the course of U.S. foreign policy and international diplomacy, writes James Lindsay.
"If mismanaged, nuclear proliferation by allies and partners could destabilize vital regions, spur new nuclear arms races, and exacerbate security challenges among an expanding number of nuclear states," argue Rebecca Lissner and Erin D. Dumbacher.
The Pillars of the Global Nuclear Order Are Cracking
U.S. allies and partners are taking steps toward a post-American nuclear order.
foreignpolicy.com
January 8, 2026 at 7:49 PM
"If mismanaged, nuclear proliferation by allies and partners could destabilize vital regions, spur new nuclear arms races, and exacerbate security challenges among an expanding number of nuclear states," argue Rebecca Lissner and Erin D. Dumbacher.
CFR’s Global Monetary Policy Tracker by Benn Steil compiles data from 54 countries around the world to highlight significant global trends in monetary policy.
Who is tightening policy? Who is loosening policy?
Find out more ⬇️
Who is tightening policy? Who is loosening policy?
Find out more ⬇️
Global Monetary Policy Tracker
CFR's Global Monetary Policy Tracker compiles data from 54 countries around the world to highlight significant global trends in monetary policy.
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January 8, 2026 at 3:52 PM
CFR’s Global Monetary Policy Tracker by Benn Steil compiles data from 54 countries around the world to highlight significant global trends in monetary policy.
Who is tightening policy? Who is loosening policy?
Find out more ⬇️
Who is tightening policy? Who is loosening policy?
Find out more ⬇️
President Trump returned to office on a seemingly isolationist promise, but the U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro shows "his policies are anything but," argues expert Charles Kupchan.
Venezuela and Beyond: Trump's ‘America First' Rhetoric Masks a Neo-Imperialist Streak
Trump returned to office propelled by a seemingly isolationist promise, but the U.S. capture of Maduro illustrates the White House's growing fondness for military intervention--revealing a striking st...
www.cfr.org
January 7, 2026 at 11:53 PM
President Trump returned to office on a seemingly isolationist promise, but the U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro shows "his policies are anything but," argues expert Charles Kupchan.
"Uganda’s upcoming January 15 election raises urgent questions about just what the whole process is intended to accomplish," writes Africa expert Michelle Gavin.
A Senseless Election
Museveni's efforts to ensure an electoral victory will almost certainly be successful, but will only exacerbate simmering resentment.
www.cfr.org
January 7, 2026 at 9:58 PM
"Uganda’s upcoming January 15 election raises urgent questions about just what the whole process is intended to accomplish," writes Africa expert Michelle Gavin.
"It is uncertain, however, whether Trump’s intervention in Venezuela will become a testament to American power or expose its limits, and eventually contribute to its erosion," writes Latin America expert Will Freeman for Foreign Affairs.
The Shock Waves of Venezuela
How Maduro's capture could throw Latin America into tumult.
www.foreignaffairs.com
January 7, 2026 at 3:53 PM
"It is uncertain, however, whether Trump’s intervention in Venezuela will become a testament to American power or expose its limits, and eventually contribute to its erosion," writes Latin America expert Will Freeman for Foreign Affairs.
"After the extraordinary US operation to capture and extract Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, it is worth recalling the circumstances of the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989 and its resulting extraction and arrest of General Manuel Noriega on federal drug trafficking charges," writes David Scheffer.
Maduro’s Capture and International Law: The Noriega Precedent
The capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has spurred comparisons to the U.S. operation to arrest and extract Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega. A look back at the 1989 case shines a light on em…
www.cfr.org
January 6, 2026 at 11:40 PM
"After the extraordinary US operation to capture and extract Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, it is worth recalling the circumstances of the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989 and its resulting extraction and arrest of General Manuel Noriega on federal drug trafficking charges," writes David Scheffer.
On this day in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s State of the Union address, or as it is better known today, the Four Freedoms speech, laid out a vision of the world that guided U.S. foreign policy for eight decades, writes James Lindsay.
TWE Remembers: FDR's “Four Freedoms” State of the Union Address
Roosevelt broke with the isolationist tradition to argue that wars abroad threatened U.S. national security and universal freedoms.
www.cfr.org
January 6, 2026 at 10:13 PM
On this day in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s State of the Union address, or as it is better known today, the Four Freedoms speech, laid out a vision of the world that guided U.S. foreign policy for eight decades, writes James Lindsay.
"The United States needs a more levelheaded brand of statecraft that occupies the middle ground between strategic overreach and indifference toward, if not detachment from, the outside world," argue Charles Kupchan and Peter Trubowitz.
A Middle Way for American Foreign Policy
Neither overreach nor retreat can win domestic support.
www.foreignaffairs.com
January 6, 2026 at 5:52 PM
"The United States needs a more levelheaded brand of statecraft that occupies the middle ground between strategic overreach and indifference toward, if not detachment from, the outside world," argue Charles Kupchan and Peter Trubowitz.
"China is neither more nor less likely to use force against Taiwan than it was prior to the U.S. strikes against Venezuela," argues China expert David Sacks.
Trump's Strikes on Venezuela Will Not Embolden China to Invade Taiwan
There are reasons to criticize President Trump's decision to strike Venezuela; however, giving China a green light to attack Taiwan is not one of them.
www.cfr.org
January 6, 2026 at 2:12 PM
"China is neither more nor less likely to use force against Taiwan than it was prior to the U.S. strikes against Venezuela," argues China expert David Sacks.
On January 3, the United States launched large-scale military strikes on Venezuela. U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and corruption charges in U.S. court.
Trace developments with CFR's Global Conflict Tracker:
Trace developments with CFR's Global Conflict Tracker:
U.S. Confrontation With Venezuela | Global Conflict Tracker
Learn about Instability in Venezuela and keep up with recent developments on the Center for Preventive Action's Global Conflict Tracker.
www.cfr.org
January 5, 2026 at 9:55 PM
On January 3, the United States launched large-scale military strikes on Venezuela. U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and corruption charges in U.S. court.
Trace developments with CFR's Global Conflict Tracker:
Trace developments with CFR's Global Conflict Tracker:
The January/February 2026 issue of Foreign Affairs is now available.
The latest issue includes examinations of the global rise of authoritarianism, analysis of China's economic future, and evaluations of the strength of the United States' alliances.
Start reading: https://on.cfr.org/3YB5HYM
The latest issue includes examinations of the global rise of authoritarianism, analysis of China's economic future, and evaluations of the strength of the United States' alliances.
Start reading: https://on.cfr.org/3YB5HYM
January 5, 2026 at 4:47 PM
The January/February 2026 issue of Foreign Affairs is now available.
The latest issue includes examinations of the global rise of authoritarianism, analysis of China's economic future, and evaluations of the strength of the United States' alliances.
Start reading: https://on.cfr.org/3YB5HYM
The latest issue includes examinations of the global rise of authoritarianism, analysis of China's economic future, and evaluations of the strength of the United States' alliances.
Start reading: https://on.cfr.org/3YB5HYM
Reversing the United States’ slide into authoritarianism will require democracy’s defenders to recognize the twin dangers of complacency and fatalism, write Steven Levitsky, Lucan A. Way, and Daniel Ziblatt.
www.foreignaffairs.com
January 4, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Reversing the United States’ slide into authoritarianism will require democracy’s defenders to recognize the twin dangers of complacency and fatalism, write Steven Levitsky, Lucan A. Way, and Daniel Ziblatt.
After the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, 4 CFR experts break down the challenges and uncertainty that could lie ahead—for the United States, Venezuela, and the region overall.
Assessing Venezuela’s Future After Nicolás Maduro’s Bold Capture
Four CFR experts review the capture of the Venezuelan leader and examine the challenges and uncertainty that the United States, Venezuela, and the region could face.
www.cfr.org
January 3, 2026 at 10:30 PM
After the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, 4 CFR experts break down the challenges and uncertainty that could lie ahead—for the United States, Venezuela, and the region overall.
At a recent summit, several corporate CEOs expressed optimism about the year ahead, though they noted some concerns about U.S. economic security and technological support.
CFR expert Rebecca Patterson highlights the summit's forward-looking conversations:
CFR expert Rebecca Patterson highlights the summit's forward-looking conversations:
The C-Suite's Expectations for 2026
At a recent summit, several corporate CEOs expressed optimism about the year ahead, though they noted some concerns about U.S. economic security and technological support.
www.cfr.org
January 3, 2026 at 5:48 PM
At a recent summit, several corporate CEOs expressed optimism about the year ahead, though they noted some concerns about U.S. economic security and technological support.
CFR expert Rebecca Patterson highlights the summit's forward-looking conversations:
CFR expert Rebecca Patterson highlights the summit's forward-looking conversations:
"The United States is not alone in facing 'the severe chronic-disease crisis' that the NIH directors reference. NCDs are increasing rapidly among working-age populations in poorer nations that are ill-equipped to handle shifting health-care demands."
Learn more from Think Global Health:
Learn more from Think Global Health:
Does Pandemic Preparedness Depend on Confronting the Chronic Disease Crisis? | Think Global Health
An analysis looks at whether strategies to reduce the global burden of noncommunicable disease could aid pandemic preparedness
www.thinkglobalhealth.org
January 2, 2026 at 8:46 PM
"The United States is not alone in facing 'the severe chronic-disease crisis' that the NIH directors reference. NCDs are increasing rapidly among working-age populations in poorer nations that are ill-equipped to handle shifting health-care demands."
Learn more from Think Global Health:
Learn more from Think Global Health:
"To handle the transatlantic relationship with Trump, deter Russian aggression, address economic pressure from China, and ease worries at home, Germany needs Merz’s centrism, not the AfD’s extremism," write Sudha David-Wilp and Liana Fix.
Can Germany Afford to Be Europe's Protector?
A stronger military requires a stronger economy.
www.foreignaffairs.com
January 1, 2026 at 4:06 PM
"To handle the transatlantic relationship with Trump, deter Russian aggression, address economic pressure from China, and ease worries at home, Germany needs Merz’s centrism, not the AfD’s extremism," write Sudha David-Wilp and Liana Fix.
The world faces unresolved conflicts, growing climate crises, attacks on aid workers, two famines, and diminishing political will—along with significant aid cuts. Altogether, 2025 has earned a grim new superlative: the worst humanitarian year on record, argues Sam Vigersky.
The Great Aid Recession: 2025's Humanitarian Crash in Nine Charts
The world faces unresolved conflicts, growing climate crises, attacks on aid workers, two famines, and diminishing political will--along with significant aid cuts. Altogether, 2025 has earned a grim n...
www.cfr.org
December 31, 2025 at 9:12 PM
The world faces unresolved conflicts, growing climate crises, attacks on aid workers, two famines, and diminishing political will—along with significant aid cuts. Altogether, 2025 has earned a grim new superlative: the worst humanitarian year on record, argues Sam Vigersky.
"Trump came into office promising to end the war in 24 hours. Nearly a year later, that ambitious objective is no closer to being achieved. How do I know? Because the fighting continues unabated," writes @maxboot.bsky.social.
Opinion | Putin was the missing man at Mar-a-Lago
Ukraine peace won't come until the Russian dictator realizes he can't win militarily.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 30, 2025 at 5:50 PM
"Trump came into office promising to end the war in 24 hours. Nearly a year later, that ambitious objective is no closer to being achieved. How do I know? Because the fighting continues unabated," writes @maxboot.bsky.social.
🎧 On this special episode of The President's Inbox podcast, Carla Anne Robbins and Matthias Matthijs sit down with James Lindsay to answer listener questions about the major developments, initiatives, and changes in U.S. foreign policy over the course of 2025.
PODCAST | The President's Inbox: Listener Mailbag: 2025 in Review, With Carla Anne Robbins and Matthias Matthijs
Carla Anne Robbins, senior fellow at the Council, and Matthias Matthijs, senior fellow for Europe at the Council, sit down with James M. Lindsay to answer listener questions about the major developments, initiatives, and changes in U.S. foreign policy o...
www.cfr.org
December 30, 2025 at 5:50 PM
🎧 On this special episode of The President's Inbox podcast, Carla Anne Robbins and Matthias Matthijs sit down with James Lindsay to answer listener questions about the major developments, initiatives, and changes in U.S. foreign policy over the course of 2025.