America and the Gulf Still Need Each Other
Last May, U.S. President Donald Trump paid a triumphant visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Over the course of...
Why China Waits | Foreign Affairs
A Chinese military takeover of Taiwan is often portrayed as inevitable and imminent. For many observers, including those writing in Foreign Affairs, U.S....
The Winners and Losers of the Iran Energy Shock
For the Middle East, the war in Iran has been another tough lesson in how divisions and competition can yield brutal conflict. But...
The Stakes of Trump vs. Xi
Single combat, the practice of ritualized one-on-one fighting for enormous stakes, dates back to antiquity. In The Iliad, Achilles and Hector engage in...
How America Can Coerce the Cartels
President Donald Trump’s approach to the drug war has been characteristically brazen. Since September, spectacular boat bombings by American forces in the Caribbean...
China Is Squandering a Golden Opportunity
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump has bullied, scolded, and coerced countries the world over—alienating friends,...
Can Trump Get a New Nuclear Deal With Iran?
Ever since the United States, alongside Israel, went to war against Iran in late February, U.S. President Donald Trump has struggled to define...
The Promise and Peril of U.S.-China Summitry
What Xi wants from Trump—and Trump might get from Xi.
How Trump and Xi Could Cement Beijing’s Advantage for Years to Come
The past year of U.S.-Chinese relations has been extraordinary and head-spinning. In the spring of 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a de...
Why Violence Persists in Nigeria
Nigeria’s security challenges are immense. According to one estimate, the country recorded nearly 12,000 conflict-related deaths in 2025—a toll exceeding the peak fatalities...
