Good Evening,
It's Wednesday, March 12th.
Note: The Evening will be “gone fishin’” until Monday, March 17. |
Inflation Cooled But Tariffs Threaten Price Hikes
Inflation cooled last month, but the latest data may offer less comfort to U.S. businesses, consumers, and Federal Reserve policymakers than it otherwise would because tariffs are threatening to raise some prices in the months ahead, as the WSJ reports. |
EU, Canada Retaliate
The European Union and Canada hit back Wednesday at President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs with their own levies, announcing tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. products, including bourbon and motorcycles, while warning of further retaliation, as The Washington Post reports. |
Waiting on Russia
U.S. arms deliveries to Ukraine resumed Wednesday, officials said, a day after the Trump administration lifted its suspension of military aid for Kyiv in its fight against Russia’s invasion, and officials awaited the Kremlin’s response to a proposed 30-day ceasefire endorsed by Ukraine, as the AP reports. |
FCC to Create Council to Counter China Technology Threats
The Federal Communications Commission is creating a national security council to bolster U.S. defenses against Chinese cyber-attacks and help it stay ahead of China in critical technologies, such as artificial intelligence, as FT reports. |
Executive Education
Washington thrives on relationships. Knowing who to work with—and when—can make all the difference in achieving your policy goals. Join Washington insiders from March 24-27, 2025, for Decoding D.C.: Policy, Power, and People to sharpen your strategy and learn how to build the right coalitions. Today is the last day to register. |
Audio Briefs
CSIS now offers audio versions of our latest analysis. Listen to the latest Critical Questions by CSIS's Victor Cha and Ellen Kim, "North Korea Announces Nuclear-Powered Submarine Development." |
In That Number
28 billion
The European Union hit back Wednesday at President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs with their own levies, announcing tariffs that would target roughly $28 billion in U.S. exports.
Source: The Washington Post |
Critical Quote
“I have the right to adjust.”
—President Donald Trump |
iDeas Lab
The erosion of U.S. and allied shipbuilding capabilities poses an urgent threat to military readiness, reduces economic opportunities, and contributes to China’s global power-projection ambitions. Addressing these disparities is essential not only for military deterrence but also for maintaining economic and strategic stability. Read the full 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: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images.) U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance meet with Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on March 12, 2025. |
Recommended Reading
“North Korea Announces Nuclear-Powered Submarine Development” by CSIS's Victor Cha and Ellen Kim. |
This Town Tomorrow
At 10:00 a.m., the CSIS Defense and Security Department explores ways the Ukraine-Russia war has demonstrated the importance of novel technologies and the need for innovation on defense industrial bases.
Later, at 1:15 p.m., the CSIS Wadhwani AI Center welcomes EU Commissioner Michael McGrath for a conversation exploring European perspectives on its digital landscape.
And, at 2:00 p.m., the CSIS Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group and CSIS Japan Chair host a panel of experts to discuss U.S.-Japan collaboration on military aircraft Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul to ensure technological superiority of defense fleets. |
Video
CSIS's Economic Security and Technology Department's new Betting on America series hosted Senator Todd Young (R-IN) who laid out a 'tech power playbook’ for the United States. Watch the full video here. |
Podcasts
CSIS expert Max Bergmann joins for a special crossover episode with CSIS's The Truth of the Matter to debrief his recent trip where he met with European diplomats as European leaders question the long-term reliability of U.S. commitments to NATO.
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. |
Smiles
The Grateful Dead are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year and announced today that they will be releasing a 60 CD collection that spans the course of the band’s 25 years of performances. If you are interested, this 60 CD set doesn’t come cheaply—$600 for 60 hours of music and there are only 6,000 boxed sets in existence. Today, the Dead announced that they are taking pre-orders for the release, which will ship in late May. The band also put out a sample track today, "Scarlet Begonias (Live at Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA, 7/13/84),” which sounds fantastic. I’m looking around for all the spare change I can get to put towards this purchase! |
| I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz |
