Global Insights

Visit us at Network2020.org .  The U.S. military’s recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has fundamentally altered the geopolitical landscape of the Western Hemisphere. This unprecedented intervention has not only removed a long-standing head of state but has also challenged established international norms regarding sovereignty and the employment of military force. Beyond the immed...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  Since the end of World War II, the global order has been shaped largely by a Western liberal system led by the United States. Yet, recent developments, from the release of the U.S. National Security Strategy to the January capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces have underscored what many observers of international affairs argue is the end of th...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  The U.S. dollar has long anchored global trade, investment, and financial stability. Yet, in recent years, forces both within and outside of the United States are rethinking dollar dominance. President Trump’s proposed Mar-a-Lago Accord aims to devalue the dollar while retaining its global reserve status. Simultaneously, threats to Federal Reserve independence and Wa...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  The global economy has entered an age of confusion, roiled by trade wars and technology as it gained its post-pandemic footing. The global rise of populism and an AI-fueled market surge further complicate the story. The result? A world that feels less predictable, less secure, and far harder to govern. What explains the breakdown of the old order? Can the U.S. and Ch...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  On January 3rd, U.S. forces launched a military strike on Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and flying him to New York to face federal narco-terrorism charges. President Trump announced the U.S. would "run the country" until a transition of power could take place. This episode was recorded before those events—but the conversation helps explain h...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  Africa sits at the center of the global energy transition. From cobalt and copper in the Democratic Republic of Congo to major infrastructure initiatives like the Lobito Corridor, the continent’s mineral wealth—an estimated 30% of the world’s supply—is now indispensable to green-energy supply chains. As global powers compete for influence and investments, African gov...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  The Arctic is rapidly moving to the center of global politics. Melting ice is opening new shipping lanes and granting access to vast, untapped natural resources. Russia has expanded its military footprint along its Arctic coastline and deepened regional cooperation with Beijing, while the United States and its allies are bolstering their strategic presence through jo...

For the context of this conflict, see our earlier episode here: Revisiting Sudan’s Conflict: Context and Implications Sudan is in the midst of one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, a catastrophe that has become both a moral and political failure. More than 12 million people have been displaced and over 150,000 lives lost as violence, famine, and chaos engulf the country. Since 2010, using...

 Visit us at Network2020.org .  The architecture of international engagement is shifting, and subnational diplomacy is taking center stage. As federal governments scale back traditional foreign policy and funded diplomacy, cities and states are emerging as more prominent actors on the global stage, forging direct international ties to address global issues such as climate change, migration, trade,...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  Over the past decade, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras have experienced a resurgence of authoritarian practices. Leaders have expanded executive power, undermined judicial independence, curtailed press freedom, and increased the use of mass incarceration and militarized policing—all under the banner of security and stability. These developments echo past dictator...

Visit us at Network2020.org . U.S. higher education is more than just a domestic institution— it is a pillar of the country’s foreign policy and global engagement. By attracting students, scholars, and researchers from around the world, American universities have helped shape generations of leaders, built lasting international networks, and boosted the U.S. economy and labor market. Yet, recent im...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  The United States has long been recognized as the global leader in artificial intelligence (AI), a technology transforming trade, foreign policy, and military strategy. China, once seen as years behind, is rapidly closing the gap, most recently with the launch of DeepSeek. With competition heating up in both chip technology and AI innovation, Washington has sought to...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  In June, strikes by the U.S. and Israel against Iran’s nuclear facilities reignited one of the most dangerous questions in global security: how do you stop a country determined to keep its nuclear options open? What followed has tested not only Iran’s willingness to abide by international limits, but also the credibility of the entire nonproliferation system. In this...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  Sudan’s war—between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, sparked in April 2023—has entered a deadlier phase. Recent attacks on the Abu Shouk camp near El-Fasher, a widening cholera outbreak, and aid blockages that leave much of the country in need have pushed the crisis to a breaking point. We’re re-running this episode to explain how a promised transition to civil...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  The U.S. has slapped a 25% tariff on most Indian exports and threatened further measures over India’s continued oil and arms deals with Russia. India isn’t backing down—defending those ties as “time-tested” while rejecting an American offer of F‑35 fighter jets. To make sense of this standoff, we’re revisiting a 2023 conversation on India’s foreign policy dilemma: Ca...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  The EU’s Readiness 2030 plan marks a significant shift in European defense, with €800 billion in planned spending driven by the war in Ukraine and growing doubts about U.S. security guarantees. As the bloc moves to strengthen its military capabilities and reduce reliance on external powers, key questions emerge: Could shared threats finally unify national defense str...

Listen to part one on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or wherever you get your audio . In part two of our special series on the Israel-Iran conflict, we turn our attention to the Iranian perspective—one often lost amid headlines. Nearly two weeks have passed since Israel launched preemptive airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, pulling the two nations into open conflict and prompting U.S. invo...

This episode of Global Insights is part one of our special two-part series on the Israel-Iran conflict.  What began as a diplomatic attempt to manage Iran’s nuclear ambitions escalated sharply on June 12, when Israel launched targeted airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities and military leaders—triggering open war between the two countries and drawing in the United States. Though a ceasefire...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  The prospect of a U.S. sovereign wealth fund—most recently proposed by President Trump—has sparked renewed debate about America’s economic strategy at home and abroad. While sovereign wealth funds traditionally manage national surpluses for long-term strategic investment, the U.S. has never adopted one, despite the fact that the number of sovereign wealth funds globa...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  Recent comments from President Trump targeting Canada, Greenland, and Panama have drawn renewed attention to a deeper global trend: the scramble for control over critical infrastructure. From the Panama Canal to Arctic shipping routes and mineral-rich territories, nations are positioning themselves to command the arteries of commerce and security. Infrastructure—whet...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  In 2025, the United States and Vietnam will celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations—just two years after upgrading their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. But even as the relationship reaches new heights, it faces a sharp test. On April 2, 2025, the U.S. imposed a sweeping 46% tariff on all Vietnamese goods, among the world’s highest, as part of his g...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  As the Indo-Pacific grows more contested, U.S.-Japan relations face new tests and opportunities. Tokyo, seeking greater autonomy and strategic clarity, is recalibrating its foreign policy priorities to address growing threats from China and North Korea, deepen economic partnerships, and shape a rules-based regional order. At the same time, questions remain about Wash...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  Global communication infrastructure is at the center of a geopolitical battle as nations and corporations strategize for security and control over undersea cables, satellite networks, and internet access. With privately owned systems like Starlink and OneWeb revolutionizing connectivity, security risks, ownership disputes, and the potential for strategic manipulation...

Visit us at Network2020.org .  Once defined by unchallenged leadership and a focus on stable, alliance-driven relationships, U.S. foreign policy is now shifting toward unilateralism, emphasizing “America First” principles, reforming trade agreements, and reevaluating international commitments. The ascent of regional powers, the intensification of technological rivalries, and the rise of economic n...

Visit us at Network2020.org . The Trump administration’s recent foreign policy decisions—including the pause on foreign aid, the closure of USAID, and an assertive approach to negotiations—have raised questions about the trajectory of U.S. soft power. In a world where power is increasingly diffuse and economic and political relationships are fuzzy, what will be the role of soft power in shaping in...