"American leaders have long treated Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea as separate challenges," the Council's @atabatabai.bsky.social and @egmontinstitute.bsky.social's John Drennan write in @time.com. "The US-Israel war with Iran exposed once again the folly of that approach." Read more ⤵️

How America’s Adversaries Have Stopped Fighting Alone

The war with Iran has made it clear that America’s adversaries are increasingly acting as a coordinated bloc.

time.com

"I think President Trump had overestimated how much he could achieve militarily," Council Vice President of Research @atabatabai.bsky.social tells @npr.org of the US war with Iran. "I think Iran might now be overestimating what it can achieve diplomatically based on the cycle that we're in."

Trump says the U.S. and Iran have agreed on a deal

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks to Ariane Tabatabai of the the Chicago Council on Global Affairs about potential offramps from the war available to the U.S. and Iran.

n.pr

This week, Lindsay Gorman (former White House senior advisor on emerging tech & national security), Asia Society Policy Institute's Alvin Wang Graylin, and Northwestern's V.S. Subrahmanian joined the Council for a discussion on the US-China AI race. bit.ly/3TLL3pM

Last week, Australian Ambassador Greg Moriarty AO joined the Council for a private roundtable on the US-Australia alliance, trade relations, and Indo-Pacific security, chaired by Raymond Kuo, Council Vice President of Research for Geostrategy & Diplomacy.

Post-Brexit Britain is at a crossroads. This week, @financialtimes.com's Gillian Tett and Council President & CEO Leslie Vinjamuri explore how PM Andy Burnham can tap Britain's intellect, tackle affordability, and reset its global stance. Listen now: bit.ly/4yNLKz5

Just 47 percent of Americans expect European allies would defend the United States if attacked, down from 62 percent last year, and European trust in the United States to come to its defense is also eroding. The Council's @roguepollster.bsky.social unpacks more takeaways from recent surveys ⤵️

Transatlantic Publics Lose Confidence That Allies Will Help in Event of Attack

But both Americans and Europeans are hopeful that relations will improve in the future.

globalaffairs.org

AI is reshaping cybersecurity, military strategy, and competition between the US and China. Former Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger and Council President & CEO Leslie Vinjamuri discuss why staying ahead means more than building the most advanced models. Out now: bit.ly/4b9Nfxr

Russia's war on Ukraine is now in its fifth year. @armida.bsky.social spoke to Libby Berry of @global-affairs.bsky.social about where things stand on the battlefield, the prospects for peace, and what Europe can learn from Ukraine.

How Russia's War on Ukraine is Reshaping Europe's Defense Strategy

The conflict offers lessons for how to bolster European security with less support from the United States.

buff.ly

The 2026 World Cup shattered attendance records, with more than 6.8 million fans filling stadiums across North America. But its success also came with scrutiny, putting a spotlight on FIFA’s deference to the host countries—particularly the United States. @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social weighs in ⤵️

The World Cup Amplified Old Tensions and Deferred to New Politics

FIFA is increasingly bending to host countries on domestic politics, raising questions about whether global sporting events can still function as unifying forces.

globalaffairs.org

Last week, the Council's Craig Kafura joined the Walder Foundation’s Juliana Kerr, Chicago Urban League’s Michele Kenfack, and the City of Chicago’s Beatriz Ponce de León to discuss findings of the Council’s recent Chicagoland survey on immigration. bit.ly/3QX9yiW

More than 400,000 undocumented immigrants are estimated to live in Chicago, suburban Cook County, and Lake County. A new Chicago Council survey finds majorities across the region believe they should be allowed to stay. Explore the data ➡️ #[bit.ly/3ReuMsG

Good to sit down with Libby Berry from @global-affairs.bsky.social to discuss where things stand with Russia's war on Ukraine, what the rest of Europe can learn from Ukraine's defence tech ecosystem, and where Ukraine goes from here. Read the interview here: globalaffairs.org/commentary/a...

How Russia's War on Ukraine is Reshaping Europe's Defense Strategy

The conflict offers lessons for how to bolster European security with less support from the United States.

globalaffairs.org

Immigrants are widely seen as benefit to the Chicago region, new Council polling finds. Across Chicago, suburban Cook County, and Lake County, roughly six in 10 residents say immigrants have been good for American culture, the economy, and their own communities. Learn more: bit.ly/3ReuMsG

America’s treatment of its allies is creating a gap that others will fill, Council President and CEO @leslievinjamuri.bsky.social writes in this week's edition of The Global Issue. Read the full analysis ⤵️

The Shortcomings of US Transactionalism

America’s treatment of its allies is creating a gap that others will fill.

globalaffairs.org

Summer in Chicago, great conversations, and a skyline that never disappoints. Thank you to all who joined the Young Professionals Happy Hour, and a special thank you to Jacques Philoctete for hosting! Interested in future events? Become a member of the Council's YP Network: bit.ly/4b0qj3r

New World screwworm's reappearance in the United States for the first time in decades is "emblematic on where we are more broadly on agricultural security," Council Distinguished Nonresident Fellow Deborah Rosenblum says. “We just have not seen the investments that are needed to keep us safe.”

What the New World Screwworm Outbreak Reveals About US Agricultural Security

The parasite's reappearance for the first time in decades is emblematic of broader vulnerabilities in the agricultural sector.

globalaffairs.org

Immigration is among the most contested issues in American politics, but what does public opinion look like closer to home? Join @ckafura.bsky.social, Michele Kenfack, Beatriz Ponce de León, and Juliana Kerr today at 5:30 p.m. CDT as they discuss how Chicagoland views immigration. bit.ly/3QX9yiW

Local Voices, National Debate: How Chicagoland Views Immigration

Craig Kafura, Michele Kenfack, Beatriz Ponce de León, and Juliana Kerr discuss new Chicago Council survey data on immigration attitudes in the Chicago area and what local opinion tells us about one of America's most debated issues.

globalaffairs.org

Russia and Ukraine remain locked in a stalemate, but much has changed since the start of the war. Council Senior Nonresident Fellow @armida.bsky.social unpacks where things stand on the battlefield, the prospects for peace, and what Europe can learn from Ukraine ⤵️

How Russia's War on Ukraine is Reshaping Europe's Defense Strategy

The conflict offers lessons for how to bolster European security with less support from the United States.

bit.ly

Majorities across Chicago, suburban Cook County, and Lake County believe ICE enforcement actions have gone too far and make residents less safe, new Chicago Council polling finds. More takeaways: bit.ly/4pm2SHF

North American and European defense industry representatives gathered in Ankara last week for the Defence Industry Forum—the first such meeting to be held on the sidelines of a NATO summit. Council Distinguished Nonresident Fellow Deborah Rosenblum shares her takeaways ⤵️ bit.ly/44vYM6p

What the Defense Industry Discussed at the NATO Summit

North American and European industry representatives met in Ankara to discuss how to enhance the alliance’s capabilities through increased production, cooperation, and joint procurement.

globalaffairs.org

Following last week's high-level dialogue on the transatlantic relationship, participants joined us for a reception overlooking Millennium Park and Lake Michigan. Thank you to The Ditchley Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for their collaboration. bit.ly/4vnGlf6

Chicagoland is home to one of the nation's largest and most diverse immigrant populations. How has that influenced local views on US immigration policy? The Chicago Council on Global Affairs conducted an in-depth survey of Chicago, Cook County, and Lake County residents to find out ➡️ bit.ly/3ReuMsG

Observer Research Foundation President Dr. Samir Saran joined Council stakeholders for a high-level discussion on Tehran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the long-term implications, led by Council President & CEO Leslie Vinjamuri and hosted by the Consulate General of India Chicago.

"Something has clearly broken down," Council President & CEO @leslievinjamuri.bsky.social told @bloomberg.com about US strikes on Iran. "But I do believe that all sides still have an overwhelming incentive to try to manage the escalation."

"Humanity cannot simply air condition every setting," Council Senior Nonresident Fellow @busbyj2.bsky.social writes. "Without more intentional action to rein in pollution and a move to cleaner energy, today’s heat waves are simply a harbinger of worse times to come." bit.ly/3R0fXdc

Heat Waves in Europe and the US Reveal Climate Adaptation Limits

Humanity cannot simply air condition every setting.

globalaffairs.org

"A Le Pen presidency would likely be a negation of Macron’s approach to international affairs and a complete departure from the past decade of French foreign policy," Council Vice President of Research @atabatabai.bsky.social writes. bit.ly/4p7CjWB

What a Le Pen Presidency Could Mean for France, Europe, and NATO

Far-right National Rally party leader Marine Le Pen has joined the French presidential race. Her victory would spark a complete departure from French foreign policy under Macron.

globalaffairs.org

The Council's @atabatabai.bsky.social traveled to Ankara this week for the 2026 NATO Summit. In a new Q&A, she shares her reflections on Turkey’s role as host, US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and how NATO allies are thinking about the Iran war. ⤵️

Inside the NATO Summit in Ankara: Ukraine, Iran, and Turkey's F-35 Bid

From Turkey's F-35 ambitions to Zelensky's meeting with Trump, Council expert Ariane Tabatabai unpacks how burden sharing, Ukraine's evolving role, and unresolved tensions over Iran shaped this year's summit.

bit.ly

On July 16, join @ckafura.bsky.social, Beatriz Ponce de León, and Juliana Kerr as they discuss new Chicago Council survey data on immigration attitudes in the Chicago area and what local opinion tells us about one of America's most debated issues. Register to attend today: bit.ly/3QX9yiW

Ahead of the NATO Summit, Julianne Smith, former US Permanent Representative to NATO; Ivo Daalder, former US Ambassador to NATO; and Council VP Ariane Tabatabai led a high-level discussion on NATO’s future at the #250GlobalForum. Register for a July 13 program debriefing the summit: bit.ly/4gYF4HG

250 years in, America's global role is still being written. Through our America at 250 Global Forum, events, and wide-ranging analyses, podcasts, and polling, we've explored what comes next. As the US enters its 250th year, we're carrying the conversation forward. globalaffairs.org/america-250