Russian occupying forces have long used highways like the M14 to drive to Crimea. Trucks flowed along the highway, beyond the reach of the drones that made movement near the […]
Europe · North America · Defense
In this episode, Colonel Mike Rosol joins MWI’s Charlie Faint in the West Point Class of 1974 Recording Studio to reflect on a career spanning armored warfare, multiple deployments to […]
Europe · West & Central Asia · North America · Defense
Republicans are in a dogfight to defend the Latino gains that had them dreaming of a lasting political realignment just two years ago. Why it matters: Nowhere is that reversal of fortune more visible than in South Texas, where President Trump ran up historic numbers in 2024 — and Republicans redrew the map in 2025, assuming those Latino gains would last. Trump won 55% of Texas Latino voters in 2024 exit polls, carried 14 of the 18 counties within 20 miles of the border and won all four Rio Grande Valley counties. Polling shows Trump's disapproval ratings have skyrocketed among Latinos in Texas since 2024. Democrats and allied groups are now pouring money into races across the Rio Grande Valley. Zoom in: The reversal is starkest in TX-15, where Rep. Monica De La Cruz was one of the GOP's most visible symbols of its South Texas breakthrough. Trump would have carried the newly-drawn district by 18 percentage points in 2024. De La Cruz won her 2024 race under the previous map by 14 points. Cook Political Report moved the race from Lean Republican to Toss Up on Sept. 25, saying public and private polling shows the race tied or even favoring Tejano singer and Democrat Bobby Pulido . By the numbers: Democratic campaigns and allied groups are outspending Republican campaigns and groups on Spanish-language ads in two of the three competitive House districts covering the Rio Grande Valley, according to AdImpact data reported by the Texas Tribune . In TX-34, held by Vicente Gonzalez (D), Democratic campaigns and groups have spent $2.7 million on Spanish-language ads, compared with $1.
North America · Global politics
Republicans have spent months griping privately to Fox News about coverage they argue is helping Abdul El-Sayed , Michigan's Democratic nominee for Senate, moderate his image. The frustration boiled into public view Tuesday when President Trump lashed out at his favorite network. Why it matters: Republicans worry that Fox is undercutting their efforts to brand the charismatic El-Sayed as a liberal who's far outside the mainstream. Polls show El-Sayed, a critic of Israel's government who'd be the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate, in a tight race against former Rep. Mike Rogers (R). Behind the scenes: White House officials reached out to Fox on Tuesday to complain about anchor Martha MacCallum's interview with El-Sayed, according to people familiar with the conversations. On Truth Social, Trump blasted the interview as "softball." "Fox is promoting the Dumocrats, not the Republicans and MAGA. They have totally lost their way!" he wrote. The White House's frustration over Fox's coverage of El-Sayed had been bubbling for weeks before Trump's post. Senior GOP operatives repeatedly contacted Fox producers and executives in early August, warning that El-Sayed could use favorable commentary from host Jesse Watters to cast himself as moderate. After El-Sayed's upset primary win over an establishment-backed candidate, Watters said: "You gotta respect Abdul because he beat the [Democratic] machine." Later that month, El-Sayed released a TV ad featuring Watters' remark. His campaign called Watters an "unlikely validator." Republicans were reassured when Watters pressed El-Sayed
North America · Global politics
Recent threats on U.S. bases show just how unprepared the military is for drone warfare.
West & Central Asia · North America · Defense
Neither U.S. nor Iranian leaders see a clear pathway for diplomacy to secure their core objectives, pushing both sides to posture and prepare for military escalation to levels not seen since the U.S.-Israeli campaign began. Tehran’s most pressing goal is to break what it acknowledges is a U.S. stranglehold on the Iranian economy, centered on […] The post U.S. and Iran Could Be Moving Toward Escalation appeared first on The Soufan Center .
West & Central Asia · North America · Defense · Oil & energy · Global politics
The Trump administration has scaled back efforts to limit foreign disinformation and misinformation in U.S. elections even as Russia, China, and Iran continue to push secret influence campaigns.
North America · Cybersecurity · Global politics
North America
Doing so would resurrect a subcommittee that Armed Services Democrats eliminated during President Donald Trump’s first term.
West & Central Asia · North America · Defense · Global politics
Self-regulation of the AI industry can be effective. But ensuring safety, security, and public trust will require collaboration with major stakeholders, including the U.S. government.
North America · Cybersecurity · Global politics
North America · Global politics
After the RAF Fairford incident, the UK should develop its homeland defence forces Expert comment thilton.drupal 7 October 2026 The threat of hybrid attacks from Iran and Russia means the UK should develop a force dedicated to protecting its bases and infrastructure at home. Finland and Poland offer lessons. The US’s withdrawal of its bombers from RAF Fairford, following a suspected terror plot against the base, has brought attention to how the UK defends its homeland military bases and other critical infrastructure. The UK government has insisted RAF Fairford is safe following the arrest of five men near the base on 27 September. President Donald Trump said the US withdrew its bombers from the base because of an unspecified ‘threat’ to the base. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that there are ‘strong indications that Iran played a part,’ which Iran’s embassy in London has rejected. In March, the UK approved a US request to use RAF Fairford for what it described as defensive strikes on Iran. Tehran responded that any base used for ‘aggression against Iranian territory’ would be a ‘legitimate target’ for its forces. Bases such as Fairford have their own protection forces that guard the perimeter. But incidents like this highlight the need for the UK to improve its wider homeland defence forces in the face of sustained pressure from hostile actors such as Iran and Russia. While the UK has specialist counter-terrorism units that can respond to incidents, and its armed forces and reserves can be deployed domestically to aid
Europe · West & Central Asia · North America · Defense
We Discuss: Mentioned on the Episode: “Executive Order 13848: Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Interference in a United States Election,” The White House “Two RT Employees Indicted for Covertly Funding and Directing U.S. Company That Published Thousands of Videos in Furtherance of Russian Interests,” U.S. Department of Justice
West & Central Asia · East Asia · North America · Cybersecurity · Global politics
As Americans worry about affordability, the midterm elections could be a referendum on the Trump administration’s tariffs and trade policy.
North America · Global politics
2026 Annual Report
North America · Global politics
The Council—through its experts, content, convenings, and outreach—continued to inform U.S. engagement with the world throughout the year, as illustrated below and across this annual report.
North America · Global politics
