US Foreign Policy
Rigorous, nonpartisan analysis of American diplomacy, defense, sanctions and trade, and congressional oversight — sourced, cited, and refreshed daily.
Latest Briefing
U.S. UN Dues Strategy in 2026
Peacekeeping arrears, congressional caps, and burden-sharing math are no longer accounting details. They are now shaping U.S. leverage at the United Nations.
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Foreign Aid Reset Meets Budget Reality
Washington's aid overhaul is now a congressional appropriations test, as State seeks to absorb USAID functions while lawmakers rewrite FY2026 and FY2027 funding lines.
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U.S.-Iran Sanctions Reset Hits Limits
Washington is signaling sanctions relief to secure Iran diplomacy while expanding OFAC designations, exposing legal, congressional, and enforcement limits.
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U.S.-Japan-Philippines Deterrence Test
Washington's trilateral with Tokyo and Manila moved from summit optics to alliance architecture. The next test is funding, posture, and legal durability.
Live Wire — latest foreign-policy news
Aggregated daily from public news and government RSS feeds, with attribution and links back to each source.
Last updated July 20, 2026
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Trump: New Air Force One to be 'maxed out' with upgrades amid questions about security features
President Trump said late Sunday the Qatari-gifted jet serving as Air Force One will undergo upgrades, weeks after the Secret Service reportedly advised him not to use it for a trip back to the U.S. from Turkey. “It has a lot of…
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Andy Burnham becomes the UK's seventh prime minister in a decade after Starmer resigns
LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Andy Burnham said politicians “need to be better” as he delivered his first speech Monday as Britain’s new leader. Burnham spoke for several minutes outside 10 Downing St., where he promised to end street…
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3 U.S. personnel killed in Iran conflict. And, Hunter Biden opens up to NPR
Three U.S. service members have been killed since Friday amid rising tension between the U.S. and Iran. And, Hunter Biden talks to NPR's Newsmakers about addiction and public scrutiny.
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US expands attacks on Iran after death of another American service member
U.S. forces wrapped up a ninth consecutive day of strikes against Iran late Sunday, after an American service member died in Iraq one day earlier. U.S. Central Command (Centcom) wrote Sunday on social platform X it completed strikes…
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At least 930 people have died in Congo's Ebola outbreak
Congo's health ministry said the deaths were recorded out of the 2,344 cases confirmed as of Saturday. Thirty-seven new deaths were recorded in the previous 24 hours in one of the highest totals.
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U.S. and Iran launch new strikes after 3 U.S. service members are killed
The U.S. attacks were the ninth consecutive day of bombing since peace talks between the two countries collapsed in dispute over a memorandum of understanding focused on the Strait of Hormuz.
Global economic indicators
Foreign-policy-relevant economic series, refreshed daily.
Last updated July 20, 2026
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Nominal Broad U.S. Dollar Index
120.5046 Index Jan 2006=100
▼ -0.25
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Trade Balance: Goods and Services, Balance of Payments Basis
-77585 Millions of Dollars
▼ -23015.00
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Crude Oil Prices: West Texas Intermediate (WTI) - Cushing, Oklahoma
79.2 Dollars per Barrel
▲ +6.75
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Imports of Goods and Services
4328.659 Billions of Dollars
▲ +193.08
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Exports of Goods and Services
3508.703 Billions of Dollars
▲ +158.10
Recent Analysis
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U.S. UN Dues Strategy in 2026
U.S. strategy at the UN now hinges on peacekeeping dues, congressional caps, and burden sharing. The diplomatic cost of arrears is rising in 2026.
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Foreign Aid Reset Meets Budget Reality
Washington's aid overhaul is now a congressional appropriations test, as State seeks to absorb USAID functions while lawmakers rewrite FY2026 and FY2027 funding lines.
-
U.S.-Iran Sanctions Reset Hits Limits
Washington is signaling sanctions relief to secure Iran diplomacy while expanding OFAC designations, exposing legal, congressional, and enforcement limits.
-
U.S.-Japan-Philippines Deterrence Test
Washington's trilateral with Tokyo and Manila moved from summit optics to alliance architecture. The next test is funding, posture, and legal durability.
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Intelligence Community Revises China-Taiwan Timeline, Warns of Escalating Homeland Threats
The 2026 IC report no longer projects a 2027 Taiwan invasion, but warns China, Russia, and North Korea are developing missiles that can reach U.S. soil.
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Pentagon's AUKUS Review Raises Doubts About Virginia-Class Submarine Deliveries
A Pentagon review and CRS report raise questions about whether Australia will receive Virginia-class submarines under the $240 billion AUKUS pact.
About US Foreign Policy
US Foreign Policy provides rigorous, nonpartisan analysis of American diplomacy and global strategy — State Department initiatives, defense and security policy, sanctions and trade regimes, and congressional oversight of foreign affairs. Independent site — not a government website. Displays public data with attribution to its sources.