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 October 7, 2026
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Scientists win chemistry Nobel for discoveries about mirrored molecules that led to many drugs
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Scientists Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for untangling mysterious mirror images in molecules, a discovery that has been used to develop countless drugs and transformed modern…
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10- and 30-year bond yields trading at 24-year highs
The 10- and 30-year U.S. Treasury bond yields hit 24-year highs during Wednesday morning trading, as the market sell-off persists. The 10-year note topped 5.36 percent earlier in the day, the highest mark since April 2002. That month, the…
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She got Trump's $500 check for health insurance. To her, it's a 'political stunt'
As checks from President Trump for health costs hit millions of mailboxes, a poll shows Americans don't trust Republicans on healthcare. Experts doubt it will move the needle and say it is likely illegal.
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The Atlantic Brief: U.S. and European Perspectives on Nuclear Deterrence
For this edition of The Atlantic Brief, the Royal United Services Institute and War on the Rocks present a dialogue on U.S. and European Perspectives on Nuclear Deterrence. Participating experts from the United Kingdom, continental Europe,…
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US formally requests more information on death at Russia plague lab
The U.S. has sent a formal diplomatic complaint to the Russian government demanding more information regarding the death of a woman working at an antiplague research facility in Siberia and following reports of quarantine procedures, a…
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GOP Michigan Senate candidate Rogers calls for trade war with Canada to end 'now'
Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers (R) on Wednesday called for an end to the U.S.-Canada trade war fostered by the Trump administration, a sign of how the battle may be hurting his campaign against Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed.…
Global economic indicators
Foreign-policy-relevant economic series, refreshed daily.
Last updated October 7, 2026
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Nominal Broad U.S. Dollar Index
121.3848 Index Jan 2006=100
▼ -0.40
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Trade Balance: Goods and Services, Balance of Payments Basis
-105572 Millions of Dollars
▼ -12746.00
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Crude Oil Prices: West Texas Intermediate (WTI) - Cushing, Oklahoma
96.24 Dollars per Barrel
▲ +0.11
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Imports of Goods and Services
4674.908 Billions of Dollars
▲ +306.80
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Exports of Goods and Services
3794.645 Billions of Dollars
▲ +247.32
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.
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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.
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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.
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