Content

Dispatches

Feb 5, 2026

When economic warfare meets gunboat diplomacy: What to know about the US seizures of shadow fleet tankers

By Stephanie Connor

The Trump administration’s seizures of “shadow fleet” vessels evading US sanctions raises several crucial legal and logistical questions.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Econographics

Feb 4, 2026

Understanding the vibe shift on the dollar

By Daniel McDowell, Bart Piasecki, Jessie Yin

Gold prices surged to record highs last week, driven by trade tensions, tariffs, and dollar uncertainty. For some, the rally signals rising skepticism about the greenback’s stability—even as policymakers insist the US remains committed to a strong dollar.

Dollar Dominance Economy & Business

In the News

Jan 30, 2026

Kroenig quoted in Wall Street Journal on adversary nuclear capabilities

By Atlantic Council

On January 30, Atlantic Council vice president and Scowcroft Center senior director Matthew Kroenig was quoted in The Wall Street Journal on Russian and Chinese nuclear capabilities amid discussions on renewing New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

China Nuclear Deterrence

In the News

Jan 30, 2026

Amato in RealClearDefense on the 2025 National Security Strategy

By Atlantic Council

On January 29, Forward Defense Nonresident Senior Fellow Paul Amato published an article in RealClearDefense on the Trump administration’s ambiguity on nuclear deterrence in the Korean peninsula. In the article, Amato argues that silence on the regime ending policy risks emboldening North Korea and unsettling South Korea and Japan.

Japan Korea

Inflection Points

Jan 30, 2026

Markets and allies aren’t ‘selling’ America. They’re ‘hedging’ it.

By Frederick Kempe

The US dollar’s recent slide is not due to global investors abandoning the United States, but the trend does reveal an erosion of trust.

Dollar Dominance Economy & Business

Fast Thinking

Jan 30, 2026

What Kevin Warsh means for the Federal Reserve and the US economy

By Atlantic Council

US President Donald Trump will nominate Warsh, a former member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, to chair the US Federal Reserve.

Economy & Business Macroeconomics

Dispatches

Jan 30, 2026

Trump finally got the Fed chair he always wanted (or so he thinks)

By Josh Lipsky

The president announced Kevin Warsh as his nominee for Federal Reserve chair Friday morning.

Economy & Business Macroeconomics

UkraineAlert

Jan 29, 2026

Ukraine changes tone on Belarus and engages exiled opposition

By Hanna Liubakova

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held his first official meeting with exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya last weekend in the latest indication of a significant Ukrainian policy shift toward the country’s northern neighbor, writes Hanna Liubakova.

Belarus Conflict
The US Capitol is seen through security fencing as Republican lawmakers struggle to pass US President Donald Trump’s sweeping spending and tax bill, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, July 2, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Report

Jan 29, 2026

The US needs a cybersecurity roadmap

By Franklin D. Kramer, Robert J. Butler, and Melanie J. Teplinsky

A national cybersecurity strategy will require an operational road map.

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

Scorecard

Jan 29, 2026

Scowcroft Strategy Scorecard: Grading Trump’s second National Defense Strategy

By Atlantic Council

Last week the Trump Administration released its new National Defense Strategy, which defines the threats facing the United States and how it plans to counter them. Our experts break down the strategy to see if it makes the mark.

National Security Politics & Diplomacy

Experts

Events