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Since returning to office in 2025, President Donald Trump has steadily expanded his use of military force abroad.
Here's a look at the second Trump administration’s military interventions so far—from actions in Iran and Venezuela to Iraq, Nigeria, and Somalia.
"The longer this war goes on, the greater the incentive for Iran to apply all forms of asymmetric warfare in hopes of coercing Trump to abandon his war aims," writes expert Bruce Hoffman.
"Operation Epic Fury and Iran’s response to ongoing U.S. and Israeli attacks represent clear evidence that we are now in the era of precise mass in war, the high-volume use of low-cost, increasingly autonomous systems with high-accuracy guidance," writes expert Michael C. Horowitz.
Who calls the shots in Iran on economic policy, security, and domestic calls for reform?
A look at the government’s organization chart indicates how complicated the answer is. https://on.cfr.org/4divX2G
This week marks the 61st anniversary of the first U.S. combat troops arriving in South Vietnam.
What began as a small deployment of U.S. Marines to protect an airbase at Da Nang in Vietnam on March 8, 1965 escalated into one of the most divisive wars in U.S. history, argues expert James M. Lindsay.
At 35 years old, rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah is set to become the youngest prime minister in Nepal's history.
His success at the ballot signifies a triumph for Gen Z demonstrators across the country, argues expert Joshua Kurlantzick.
On this day in 1916, a surprise attack on a southwestern border town by a Mexican rebel leader provoked a U.S. military intervention that nearly led to war.
"Columbus, New Mexico had a back story," writes expert James M. Lindsay.
Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei both ruled Iran for 37 years.
"Two very different Persian rulers tried to bend history to their will, and in the end, both succumbed to forces they helped to unleash but ultimately could not control," argues expert Ray Takeyh.
"Congress had the opportunity to demand that President Donald Trump get its authorization for what he has called 'major combat operations' against Iran," writes expert James M. Lindsay. "Both the House and Senate effectively gave the president a green light to proceed."
Oil disruption benefits Russia, as does less U.S. aid for Ukraine. And Iran distracts from China, argues CFR expert Max Boot for The Washington Post.
"It’s too soon to tell who will win the war between the United States and Iran. But, at this point, my money would be on Russia and China."
Tensions between nuclear-armed Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban regime sharply escalated in late February, further heightening regional instability and raising concerns about the risk of a prolonged conflict.
Here’s what to know:
Track which countries are running the world's biggest deficits and surpluses as a percentage of GDP, and how those balances have shifted over time, with CFR's Global Imbalances Tracker:
Even if Democrats retake the House and divided government returns to Washington after the midterms, U.S. foreign policy is unlikely to change significantly, expert James M. Lindsay argues.
Leaders of Iran’s sizable Kurd population are reported to be mobilizing in the aftermath of joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on the regime, but their ability to mount a successful armed resistance remains highly doubtful, argues expert Henri Barkey.
Leaders of Iran’s sizable Kurd population are reported to be mobilizing in the aftermath of joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on the regime, but their ability to mount a successful armed resistance remains highly doubtful, argues expert Henri Barkey.
"Should oil and gas trade via the Strait of Hormuz remain substantially lower for an extended period, the negative effects of disruption will be felt globally. But, most immediately—and perhaps most acutely—they will be felt in Asia," energy expert Clara Gillispie said.
"The terms under which American AI tools are deployed in warfare are being set by some men in a room, with no democratic input and no durability beyond the next change in political winds. Where is Congress? And where is the tech sector?" writes expert Kat Duffy for World Politics Review.
"The longer this war goes on, the greater the incentive for Iran to apply all forms of asymmetric warfare in hopes of coercing Trump to abandon his war aims," writes expert Bruce Hoffman.
Jessica Brandt’s career has come full circle: her first job after college was at CFR, and today she's back as a senior fellow for technology and national security.
She sat down with CFR to discuss her path into foreign policy and the advice she has for those starting out today.
Even if Democrats retake the House and divided government returns to Washington after the midterms, U.S. foreign policy is unlikely to change significantly, expert James Lindsay argues.
Track which countries are running the world's biggest deficits and surpluses as a percentage of GDP, and how those balances have shifted over time, with CFR's Global Imbalances Tracker:
The U.S. and Israel's large-scale offensive against Iran was launched with a stated aim of destroying Iran's nuclear and missile capabilities.
Although there has reportedly been some damage to one nuclear site, there is no confirmed evidence of major damage to Iran's nuclear facilities overall.
Since returning to office in 2025, President Donald Trump has steadily expanded his use of military force abroad.
Here's a look at the second Trump administration’s military interventions so far—from actions in Iran and Venezuela to Iraq, Nigeria, and Somalia.
"The sight of a North American country working with three of the Indo-Pacific’s largest economies to negotiate trade deals and speed diversification away from the United States—unthinkable just a year ago—underscores the new salience of middle powers," writes expert Manjari Chatterjee Miller.
TODAY: Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby will join CFR President Michael Froman to discuss the U.S. National Defense Strategy under the Trump administration at 12:30 p.m. ET.
Watch the livestream:
President Trump has taken some significant actions on trade in his second term.
Stay up to date with this calendar by CFR, which highlights major moves—and what to watch for in the coming months:
The disastrous aftermath of U.S.-led regime change in Iraq more than two decades ago could be repeated in Iran with an even wider threat of regional upheaval unless a rational plan for ending the conflict diplomatically is put in place, argues expert Linda Robinson.
"The great unknown variable is whether [Iran's] security services will crack when confronted by a future mass uprising," write Reuel Marc Gerecht and CFR expert Ray Takeyh for Wall Street Journal Opinion.
The U.S. government estimates that roughly 20% of the world’s crude oil and liquified natural gas is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S.-Israeli joint attack on Iran on February 28 has ignited a regional conflict, leaving one of the world’s most important waterways in the crosshairs.
