The Council on Foreign Relations

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is a nonpartisan and independent organization that serves as a membership group, think tank, and publisher. Its mission is to support a diverse range of individuals, including members, government officials, business leaders, journalists, educators, students, and community leaders, by providing valuable insights into global issues and foreign policy decisions affecting the United States and other nations. Established in 1921, CFR does not take official stances on policy matters. Our aim is to encourage discussions among Americans about the importance of understanding the world around them.

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The Talks in Oman: Round One Goes to Iran

1 week ago | cfr.org | Elliott Abrams

Negotiations between Iran and the United States began on March 12, and round one clearly went to Iran. Why? More on: Iran Iran Nuclear Agreement Donald Trump First, the United States demanded direct negotiations while Iran wanted indirect talks. The talks in Oman were indirect, with the Omani foreign minister as go-between. It seems that there was a hello chat and handshake between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Aragchi, but no more than that.
How Vaccines Changed the World

2 weeks ago | cfr.org | Mariel Ferragamo

Summary Vaccines have been effective in reducing the prevalence of an array of diseases. In spite of some major successes, deep challenges still exist in guaranteeing equitable distribution of vaccines around the world, including a North-South divide. A rise in vaccine hesitancy and a U.S. administration that is withdrawing from global health programs cast doubt on the future of vaccination.
Here’s Where Trump’s Deportations Are Sending Migrants

2 weeks ago | cfr.org | Diana Roy

In the first few months of his second term, President Donald Trump has taken steps to carry out what he has previously said will be “the largest domestic deportation operation” in U.S. history. The administration says its moves—which include hundreds of deportation flights and Trump’s invocation of the seldom-used 1798 Alien Enemies Act—are necessary to stem unauthorized immigration to the United States.
Otsuka Yumi: Writing My Own Story

2 weeks ago | cfr.org | Sheila Smith

This guest article from Otsuka Yumi is part of the Asia program’s Women’s Voices from the Indo-Pacific Project. John E. Merow Senior Fellow Sheila A. Smith features influential women in Japan’s political, economic, and social fields. I joined Toyota Motor in 1992 as part of the first wave of women entering the Japanese workforce after the passage of the Equal Employment Opportunity Law of 1986.
Women This Week: Cuts to Title X Family Planning and Women’s Health Clinics

2 weeks ago | cfr.org | Noel James |Diya Mehta

Trump Administration Cites “Possible Violations” of Executive Orders Last week, the Trump Administration moved to withhold federal funding from several Planned Parenthood clinics citing “possible violations” of federal civil rights laws and executive orders on immigration and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
What to Know About Trump’s Tariff Authority, Its Cost, and What Comes Next

2 weeks ago | cfr.org | Clara Fong |Diana Roy

On April 2, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the most sweeping new tariffs on all imports to the United States in decades. He ordered a baseline 10 percent tariff on all countries and even higher rates on dozens of trading partners, including China and Vietnam, and the European Union.
Five Things to Know About Trump’s Tariffs

2 weeks ago | cfr.org | James Lindsay

Donald Trump campaigned last year promising to impose tariffs at levels the United States had not seen in more than a century. So his rollout this week of a massive tariff package that repudiates eighty years of U.S economic policy falls under the heading “Promises Made, Promises Kept.” That, however, is not necessarily a good thing. Here are five things to know about the Trump tariffs. 1. Trump’s announcement is a major shock to the global economy.
The Palestinian Authority Continues to Teach Hate and to Reward Terror

3 weeks ago | cfr.org | Elliott Abrams

Since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, and Israel’s invasion of Gaza, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has frequently been mentioned as a good candidate to govern Gaza when the war ends. In a Washington Post editorial published November 18, 2023, President Biden wrote that a “revitalized Palestinian Authority” should govern both the West Bank and Gaza. The term “RPA,” standing for “revitalized Palestinian Authority” or “reformed Palestinian Authority” became common.
U.S. Forces in the Middle East: Mapping the Military Presence

3 weeks ago | cfr.org | Jonathan Masters |Will Merrow

The United States maintains a considerable military presence in the Middle East, with forces in more than a dozen countries and on ships throughout the region’s waters. That presence expanded in 2024 as the United States focused on deterring and defeating threats from Iran and its network of armed affiliates in the region, including Hamas (Gaza Strip), Hezbollah (Lebanon), the Houthis (Yemen), and several Iraq- and Syria-based militant groups.
Here’s How Countries Are Retaliating Against Trump’s Tariffs | Council on Foreign Relations

1 month ago | cfr.org | Christopher Shim

Trade retaliation looms from Canada, China, Mexico, and the European Union in response to U.S. tariffs. Four timelines lay out their responses, and the experience of American soybean farmers in 2018 shows how damaging this could be.