It's Debatable
Intervention or Restraint? A Washington debate on pressing issues for policymakers.
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President-elect Joe Biden departs after delivering a Thanksgiving address at the Queen Theatre on Nov. 25 in Wilmington, Delaware. Will Biden’s National Security Team Include Members of the Democratic Party’s Progressive Wing?
The president-elect’s picks have deep experience in the Washington establishment. It’s unclear whether the party’s left can make its voice heard in the new administration.
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U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to present the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Major Thomas P. Payne on September 11, 2020 in Washington, D.C. Will Trump Try to Bomb Iran Before He Leaves the White House?
This is a lame-duck presidency unlike any other and the potential for surprises—and conflict—are high.
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Counterprotesters debate a supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump Is an Undecided U.S. Presidential Election a National Security Threat?
As U.S. states count votes, are foreign states seeking to undermine American interests from East Asia to East Africa?
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U.S. President Donald Trump, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, and moderator, NBC News anchor Kristen Welker, participate in the final presidential debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, on Oct. 22. Trump and Biden Are Both Touting Foreign-Policy Failures as Achievements
With the world on fire from Thailand to Nigeria, there wasn’t much talk of international affairs in the final debate of the 2020 campaign—and when there was, both candidates defended flawed approaches to North Korea.
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Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence participate in the vice presidential debate moderated by Washington Bureau Chief for USA Today Susan Page at the University of Utah on Oct. 7 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Is a Vice President Who Doesn’t Know Much About Foreign Policy a National Security Risk?
Pence and Harris talked about international politics at the debate, but their performances will leave voters asking if they would be ready to act as commander in chief.
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The flag-draped casket of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose at the top of the front steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC on Sept. 24. Can the United States’ Democratic Institutions Survive the 2020 Election Campaign?
Trampled institutional norms, a battle over the Supreme Court, and the possibility of Democratic retaliation could threaten the bedrock of American democracy.
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Aircraft mechanics repair a harrier jet on deck the USS Bonhomme Richard after the formal opening of the annual Philippine-U.S. Amphibious Landing Exercises program on Oct. 8, 2012. How Far Should the U.S. Go to Counter China?
From Pacific bases to the Himalayas, Washington and Beijing are facing off.
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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses the virtual Republican convention in a pre-recorded video from Jerusalem, Israel, on Aug. 25. Is Trump Touting His Diplomatic Achievements to Get Reelected?
Both parties have featured speeches from key diplomats at their conventions, with Mike Pompeo making a controversial cameo at the RNC—but they aren’t proposing much that’s new.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Aleksandr Lukashenko plant a tree during a ceremony unveiling the Soviet Soldier Memorial near Rzhev, Russia on June 30, 2020. Is Belarus Putin’s Next Target?
As protests rock another post-Soviet state, the Kremlin could be in an annexationist mood.
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Policemen march in front of the U.S. consulate in Chengdu, China on July 26. The Chengdu mission was ordered shut in retaliation for the forced closure of Beijing's consulate in Houston, Texas. Is This the Beginning of a New Cold War With China?
The clash between Washington and Beijing could be the start of a new ideological confrontation—or the inevitable fallout from a power transition.
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Members of the Broadway cast of 'Hamilton,' perform music from the production for President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, and other guests in the East Room of the White House on March 14, 2016 in Washington. Does ‘Hamilton’ Have All the Answers for U.S. Foreign Policy?
The Broadway musical offers lessons on everything from regime change to balancing ideals and interests.
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Former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton speaks on stage during a public discussion at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina on February 17. Did John Bolton Transform U.S. Foreign Policy or Enable Trump’s Transgressions?
The controversial former national security advisor left his mark in Washington—especially on nuclear arms deals and Iran.
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U.S. Park Police stand watch inside Lafayette Square near the White House in Washington, DC on June 1 as demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd. Will U.S. Protests and Crackdowns Damage America’s Global Image?
Trump’s reaction to Black Lives Matter protests caused a civil-military crisis at home. Will it harm U.S. soft power abroad?
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Protesters attend a rally in a shopping mall on May 28 in Hong Kong. Should the United States Punish China for Aggression Toward India and Hong Kong?
As Beijing flexes its muscle from Hong Kong to Ladakh, the U.S. government must decide how to respond.
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President Nicolás Maduro talks during a press conference at Miraflores Government Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 12. Is the U.S. Government Back in the Business of Regime Change?
What does a botched coup in Venezuela mean for Trump, and is Putin’s coronavirus response a failure?
