Tariffs Paused

President Trump and the leaders of Mexico and Canada struck last-minute deals on Monday to postpone the imposition of hefty tariffs on goods exported to the United States, averting at least temporarily a damaging trade war that would roil North America and the global economy, as the NYT reports.

USAID Review

Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled plans to restructure and potentially abolish the U.S. Agency for International Development on Monday, as The Washington Post reports.

U.S. Readies Arm Sale to Israel

The Trump administration has asked congressional leaders to approve new transfers of roughly $1 billion worth of bombs and other military hardware to Israel. The new arms requests, which would be paid for from the billions of dollars in annual U.S. military aid to Israel, come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting Washington and set to meet President Trump on Tuesday to discuss the cease-fire in Gaza, as the WSJ reports.

Executive Education

From production to procurement, explore the defense acquisition process with Mapping the U.S. DOD Acquisition Ecosystem. Join us at CSIS in-person or virtually on February 11 for a deep dive into the requirements process, funding stages, and how the government acquires and maintains capabilities. Registration closes tonight, February 3.

Audio Briefs

CSIS now offers audio versions of our latest analysis. Listen to the latest Commentary by CSIS's Navin Girishankar and Philip Luck, "Tariffs Using Emergency Economic Powers Risk Undermining U.S. Economic Security."

In That Number

10,000

President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico struck a deal with the Trump administration to delay stiff tariffs, which were set to take effect on Tuesday, for a month as the two countries reached a series of agreements on border security. Ms. Sheinbaum agreed to deploy 10,000 additional troops, who President Trump said would be designated to stop the flow of migrants and illegal drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Source: NYT

Critical Quote

“Sovereignty is not negotiable.”

—Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum

iDeas Lab

Claimants in the South China Sea have created thousands of acres of artificial land to support their competing claims, causing irreparable damage to the marine habitat and leading to calls for international legal action against environmentally destructive practices. See more analysis here.

The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.

Optics

(Photo credit: Mark Schiefelbein/AFP/Getty Images.) U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio talks to Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez during a tour at the Miraflores locks of the Panama Canal in Panama City on February 2, 2025.

This Town Tomorrow

Tomorrow, at 11:00 a.m., the CSIS Korea Chair discusses the DPRK and Russia's cooperation for the Ukraine war, North Korea's deployment of soldiers, and the new Trump administration's goals to weaken DPRK-Russia relations.

Earlier, at 9:00 a.m., the Carnegie Endowment hosts a discussion exploring the future of the Sino-Indian border standoff and the prospects for stability.

Then, at 10:00 a.m., the Atlantic Council holds a conversation on ways to enhance cooperation on North American energy security with a new administration.

Video

Today, the CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department discussed the Trump administration's tariffs against China, Canada, and Mexico to address drug and immigration concerns at the U.S. northern and southern borders. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

This week, the Trade Guys discuss the trade implications of President Trump's dispute with the president of Colombia, the potential for increased focus on trade remedies in the U.S., and a European shift towards deregulation.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

There have been amazing concert performances in the past week: Fire Aid LA, Musicares benefit and last night’s Grammy Awards.

The massive Fire Aid benefit that took place in two Inglewood venues was precisely what Los Angeles needs right now: healing.

The concerts featured a ton of great artists. Everyone from Billie Eilish to Lady Gaga to Dr. Dre to Jelly Roll showed up and performed at the top of their game. There was so much great music—even a Nirvana reunion. Stevie Nicks and Alanis Morissette absolutely rocked their respective stadiums, and Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Rod Stewart, and Stephen Stills provided powerful moments.

But if you have lived in LA or spent significant time there, you probably know that there are LA artists who have defined the sounds and the essence of the city. I’m talking about the Beach Boys, the Byrds, the Mamas & the Papas, the Doors, the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Linda Ronstadt, Dr. Dre, and Guns N’ Roses. Another band at this level is the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They ARE LA. And this cathartic performance at the benefit stood out to me.

I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz

The Evening is my daily guide to key insights CSIS brings to the events of the day. It is composed by Lauren Adler, Ava Rose, and the External Relations team.