On the Record

In this episode, panelists discuss European responses to the war in Iran, efforts in conflict resolution, and the implications for the transatlantic relationship, EU cohesion, and Europe’s long-term strategic direction. Host: Serge Schmemann, Editorial Writer, New York Times; CFR Member Guests: Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, Chief Executive Officer and President, German Marshall Fund of the United States Douglas E. Lute, Chair, International and Defense Practices, BGR Group; Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO (2013-17); CFR Member Ellie Geranmayeh, Deputy Director, Middle East and North Africa Programme and Senior Policy Fellow, European 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: Europe’s Response to the Iran War

In this episode, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael M. Grossi discusses his candidacy for UN secretary-general, his plans and priorities for the future of the United Nations, and the challenges facing nuclear security, nuclear energy, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty regime. Host: Esther Brimmer, James H. Binger Senior Fellow in Global Governance, Council on Foreign Relations Guests: Rafael M. Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency; Nominee, Position of UN Secretary-General 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 UN Secretary-General Candidates Series: A Conversation With Rafael M. Grossi

In this episode, former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo discusses her view that European industry is being hollowed out by China and that the only path forward is a unified global trading bloc excluding China—an idea she said is being thwarted by the Trump administration. The episode also covers the legacy of the CHIPS Act and Raimondo’s fears that artificial intelligence could create mass unemployment and destabilize democracy.Host: Joe Weisenthal, Odd Lots Co-host, Bloomberg Host: Tracy Alloway, Odd Lots Co-host, Bloomberg Guest: Gina M. Raimondo, Distinguished Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations; Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce 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 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, 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, 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

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?

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

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

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, 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, 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.