On the Record

In this episode, panelists discuss the implications of U.S.-China relations on the international economy, including how tariff negotiations, supply chain restructuring, and technological competition effect global business.    Host: Michael Froman, President, Council on Foreign Relations   Guests: Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Office, Pfizer, Inc; CFR Member    Gina M. Raimondo, Distinguished Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations   Geoff Martha, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Medtronic, Inc.    John E. Waldron, President and Chief Operating Officer, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.; CFR Member   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: U.S.-China Relations and the Global Economy

In this episode, Dr. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to the president of the United Arab Emirates, discusses the rapidly evolving conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States and its implications for the Middle East, including the diplomatic and security challenges facing Gulf states.   Host: Ethan Bronner, Israel Bureau Chief and Senior Editor, Bloomberg; CFR Member   Guests: Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the President, United Arab Emirates   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: A Conversation with Anwar Gargash

In this episode, panelists discuss the ongoing geoeconomic consequences of the conflict in Iran, including global energy flows and oil prices, economic development and AI buildout in the Gulf region, and sanctions on Russia. They also explore inflation and interest rates as markets respond to the crises.   Background Reading: In this article, CFR president Michael Froman discusses the unfolding global energy crisis with CFR senior fellow Daniel B. Poneman and the Center on Global Energy Policy’s Jason Bordoff, all of whom worked together on the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve 2011 release.   Host: Edward Fishman, Senior Fellow and Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, Council on Foreign Relations   Guests: Edward Morse, Senior Advisor and Commodities Analyst, Hartree Partners, LP; CFR Member   Meghan L. O’Sullivan, Director and Professor, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School; Member, Board of Directors, Council on Foreign Relations   Brad W. Setser, Whitney Shepardson Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations   Karen E. Young, Senior Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs; CFR Member   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: The Geoeconomic Ripple Effects of the War in Iran

In this episode, panelists discuss Iran’s current political climate, concerns for civilians on the ground, and how the country’s rapidly evolving internal dynamics are shaping U.S. objectives as well as broader regional and international considerations.   Background Reading: In this article, International Affairs Fellow Sam Vigersky discusses the global economic disruption caused by the Iran war and its effects on existing humanitarian crises.    Host: Deborah Amos, Ferris Professor of Journalism in Residence, Princeton University; CFR Member   Guests: Elliott Abrams, Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies, Council on Foreign Relations   Mahmood Reza Amiry-Moghaddam, Professor, University of Oslo; Founder and Director, Iran Human Rights NGO   Mara Karlin, Professor of Practice, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies; Visiting Fellow, Brookings Institution; CFR Member   Ray Takeyh, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies, Council on Foreign Relations   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: Iran’s Internal Dynamics and U.S. Objectives

In this episode, Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby discusses the U.S. National Defense Strategy under the Donald Trump administration.   Background Reading: In this article, seven CFR experts consider the implications of the National Security Strategy document released on December 5, 2025, by the Trump administration.  Host: Michael Froman, President, Council on Foreign Relations   Guests: Elbridge A. Colby, Under Secretary of War for Policy, U.S. Department of War; CFR Member   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter. To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: A Conversation with Elbridge Colby

In this episode, panelists explore three critical issues for securing Ukraine’s future: achieving a just and durable peace, ensuring long-term security, and helping the country rebuild and recover from the ravages of war.   Background Reading: This article offers concrete recommendations by five CFR experts for securing the future of Ukraine and Europe.   Host: Jonathan Karl, ABC News chief Washington correspondent and co-anchor of This Week with George Stephanopoulos   Guests: Jeanne Shaheen, U.S. Senator from New Hampshire (D); Ranking Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Member, Senate Armed Services Committee   Thom Tillis, U.S. Senator from North Carolina (R); Chair, Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property; Member, Senate Finance Committee   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: The U.S. Vision for Ukraine

In this episode, John C. Williams, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, discusses monetary policy and the economic outlook for the year ahead.   Background Reading: This article highlights the trade policies four CFR experts will be monitoring this year.   Host: Abby Joseph Cohen, Professor of Business, Columbia Business School    Guests: John C. Williams, President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of New York   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter. To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: International Economics With John C. Williams

In this episode, experts discuss the new Council Special Report, America Revived: A Grand Strategy of Resolute Global Leadership, which defines U.S. vital national interests, summarizes the history of U.S. grand strategy, and proposes an alternative that combines military strength with international legitimacy.   Background Reading: This report outlines the conceptual pillars of five grand strategy schools and proposes a sixth based around resolute global leadership.    Host: Suzanne Nossel, Lester Crown Senior Fellow on U.S. Foreign Policy and International Order, Chicago Council on Global Affairs   Guests: Robert D. Blackwill, Henry A. Kissinger Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy, Council on Foreign Relations; Author, Council Special Report, America Revived: A Grand Strategy of Resolute Global Leadership   Thomas A. Shannon, Jr., Senior International Policy Advisor, Arnold & Porter; Former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (2016–18)   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: A Grand Strategy of Resolute Global Leadership

Since civil war erupted on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, Sudan has become the site of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than ten million people have been displaced, over half of the population needs humanitarian assistance, and over 750,000 people are facing catastrophic levels of hunger. In this episode, experts discuss ongoing humanitarian efforts, the challenges faced by aid workers, and potential solutions to mitigate the worsening crisis in Sudan.   Background Reading: This article discusses Sudan’s devastating humanitarian crisis and how it’s not getting the international attention it deserves.   Host: Michelle Gavin, Ralph Bunche Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies, Council on Foreign Relations   Guests: Kholood Khair, Political Analyst; Researcher; Founding Director, Confluence Advisory   Kate Almquist Knopf, Senior Advisor, WestExec Advisors; former Assistant Administrator for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development   Susan Stigant, Director of Africa Programs, U.S. Institute of Peace   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: The Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan 

In this episode, Senators Christopher Coons and Pete Ricketts—members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations—discuss the role of Congress in formulating, resourcing, and creating the institutional basis for China policy.   Background Reading: This article outlines CFR President Michael Froman’s take on artificial intelligence competition between the United States and China   Host: Rush Doshi, C.V. Starr Senior Fellow for Asia Studies and Director of the China Strategy Initiative, CFR; Cochair, Washington China Forum   Guests: Christopher A. Coons, U.S. Senator from Delaware (D)   Pete Ricketts, U.S. Senator from Nebraska (R)   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter. To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: China and Congress: Is There Still a Bipartisan Consensus?

CFR’s World Economic Update highlights the quarter’s most important and emerging trends. This episode covers changes in the global marketplace, with a special emphasis on current economic events and their implications for U.S. policy. Host: Sebastian Mallaby, Paul A. Volcker Senior Fellow for International Economics, CFR   Guests: Jan Hatzius, Chief Economist and Head of Global Investment Research, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.   Karen Karniol-Tambour, Co-Chief Investment Officer, Bridgewater Associates, LP   Natasha Sarin, Professor of Law, Yale Law School   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: 2026 World Economic Update

In this episode, experts discuss the United States’ renewed interest in Greenland—which the Trump administration argues is vital to U.S. national security—and what it means for Arctic security, the NATO alliance, and great power competition.   Background Reading: This article unpacks Trump’s increasingly assertive push to bring Greenland under U.S. control and what that means for the NATO alliance and the Arctic.    Host: David E. Sanger, White House and National Security Correspondent, New York Times; CFR Member   Guests: Heather A. Conley, Nonresident Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute, Foreign and Defense Policy; Former President of the German Marshall Fund of the United States; CFR Member   Rebecca Pincus, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute; Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Security, German Marshall Fund of the United States; Former Director, Polar Institute, Wilson Center   Geoffrey Pyatt, Senior Managing Director, McLarty Associates; Former Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources and U.S. Ambassador to Greece and Ukraine   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter. To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: Greenland in the Geopolitical Spotlig

For two-and-a-half centuries, the United States has faced a challenging world. Some of its responses have made Americans proud. Others have not. CFR asked members of the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations what they considered the best and worst U.S. foreign policy decisions. In this episode, panelists discuss the results of the project and the evolution of America’s role in the world.   Host: David M. Rubenstein, Cofounder and Cochairman, The Carlyle Group; Chairman, Board of Directors, CFR   Guests: Mary L. Dudziak, Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law, Emory University School of Law; CFR Member   James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, CFR   Christopher M. Nichols, Wayne Woodrow Hayes Chair in National Security Studies and Professor of History, The Ohio State University   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: America at 250 Series: The Best and Worst Decisions in U.S. Foreign Policy

In this episode, panelists discuss the latest unrest in Iran, the economic pressures that have sparked nationwide protests, and the implications for U.S. policy amid ongoing regional tensions.   Background Reading: This article discusses how the Iranian regime is facing one of its largest protest movements in years, leading Tehran to shut down internet and telephone communications.   Host: Missy Ryan, Staff Writer, The Atlantic   Guests: Vali R. Nasr, Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies   Ray Takeyh, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies, CFR   Sanam Vakil, Director, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: The Protests in Iran

Immigrants significantly benefit the U.S. economy by growing the labor force, filling essential jobs in sectors like services, construction, and tech. In this episode, panelists discuss the effects of recent refugee and immigration policy developments on the U.S. economy.   Background Reading: This article outlines the critical role immigrants have long played in boosting the U.S. economy and GDP. This article highlights how the second Trump administration has ramped up immigration enforcement, putting pressure on federal, state, and local agencies to meet the president’s deportation goals.   Host: Nelson W. Cunningham, Former President, McLarty Associates; Former Senior Advisor for Economic Affairs, U.S. Department of State; Former Special Advisor on Western Hemisphere Affairs; CFR Member   Guests: Steven A. Camarota, Director of Research, Center for Immigration Studies   Andrea R. Flores, Founder, America’s Promise   Pia Orrenius, Vice President and Senior Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter. To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: Immigration Policy and the U.S. Economy

In this episode, David Miliband, president and chief executive officer of the International Rescue Committee, discusses the new IRC Emergency Watchlist report. The report highlights the countries at highest risk of humanitarian crisis in 2026, and evaluates the international community’s progress and shortcomings.   Background Reading: This article discusses Venezuela’s dire humanitarian landscape, as the White House reviews potential military operations in the region. This article examines Sudan’s humanitarian crisis, and a stubborn lack of international attention to its plight. Host: Andrea Mitchell, Chief Washington Correspondent and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, NBC News   Guest: David Miliband, President and Chief Executive Officer, International Rescue Committee; Former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, United Kingdom   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: Forecasting Humanitarian Risk in 2026: A Conversation with David Miliband.   

In this episode, panelists discuss examples of U.S. presidents leveraging executive power to confront political violence, human rights abuses, and other global challenges, highlighting the ways in which presidential leadership has shaped the United States’ legacy of responsibility.   Host: Jacob M. Weisberg, Executive Chair, Pushkin Industries; Chair, Committee to Protect Journalists   Guests: Meena Bose, Executive Dean, Public Policy and Public Service Programs and Director, Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs, Hofstra University; CFR Member   David J. Scheffer, Senior Fellow, CFR   Ruti G. Teitel, Ernst C. Stiefel Professor of Comparative Law and Codirector, Center for International Law, New York Law School   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter. To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: Reckoning with History: Presidential Leadership and Moral Responsibility.

In this episode, former U.S. President Bill Clinton looks back on critical issues in U.S. foreign policy during his presidency, and shares lessons for sustaining American diplomatic engagement abroad.   His remarks were delivered as part of the inaugural Martin S. Indyk Memorial Lecture, held in collaboration with the Clinton Global Initiative.   Host: Richard Haass, President Emeritus, Council on Foreign Relations; Senior Counselor, Centerview Partners   Guest: Bill Clinton, Founder and Board Chair, Clinton Foundation; 42nd President of the United States   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter. To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: A Conversation With President Bill Clinton.

In this episode, Director of the National Institutes of Health Jay Bhattacharya discusses the latest developments in biomedical innovation and how they will shape the future of public health research.   Background Reading: This CFR event discusses emerging threats to public health and how journalists are covering new outbreaks across the United States.   Host: Sylvia Mathews Burwell, Senior Professorial Lecturer and President Emerita, American University; Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services   Guests: Jay Bhattacharya, Director, National Institutes of Health   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter. To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: A Conversation With Jay Bhattacharya of the National Institutes of Health.

In this episode, experts discuss the geopolitical implications of transformative technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), including how decision-makers are navigating governance, balancing innovation with risk, and addressing questions of equity and accountability.   Background Reading: This article assesses whether AI investments have contributed meaningfully to U.S. economic growth. This article analyzes whether democracies can safeguard AI systems in a way that preserves both institutional and public trust.   Host: Maryam Mujica, Chief Public Policy Officer, General Catalyst   Guests: Laura DeNardis, Professor and Endowed Chair in Technology, Ethics, and Society; Director, Center for Digital Ethics, Georgetown University   Vinh Nguyen, Senior Fellow for AI, Council on Foreign Relations   Miriam Vogel, Author, Governing the Machine: How to Navigate the Risks of AI and Unlock Its True Potential; President and Chief Executive Officer, EqualAI   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR’s Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit our YouTube channel: The Rules of AI: Governing Technology in a Geopolitical Age.