Good Evening,
It's Wednesday, April 2nd. |
Trump Unveils Reciprocal Tariffs
President Trump declared April 2 "Liberation Day" for U.S. trade policy and announced details of a sweeping tariff plan this afternoon, as the WSJ reports. |
Israel Expanding Gaza Offensive, Squeezing Hamas
The Israeli government on Wednesday laid out plans to expand its renewed military offensive in the Gaza Strip and seize large parts of the enclave, as the NYT reports. |
UK Floats Plan for Joint European Fund to “Stockpile” Weapons
The UK has circulated plans for European countries to establish a “supranational institution” that jointly purchases military equipment, stockpiles weapons and helps to finance large-scale rearmament across the continent, as the FT reports. |
Executive Education
Shape the future with strategic foresight. offers professionals the tools to analyze key global forces and develop future-ready strategies. Gain insights into emerging trends and learn how to navigate uncertainty with confidence. by tonight, April 2. |
Audio Briefs
CSIS experts give short, spoken-word summaries on the biggest takeaways from their latest reports, white papers, and commentaries—in their own words.
Listen here: "Global Terrorism Threat Assessment 2025" with CSIS's Daniel Byman. |
In That Number
10%
The U.S. will impose a 10%, across-the-board tariff on all imports, and even higher rates for other nations the White House considers bad actors on trade. For China, the U.S. is levying a 34% tariff, then for Europe 20% and Japan 24%.
Source: WSJ |
Critical Quote
“If America or Israel bomb Iran under the nuclear pretext, Iran will be compelled to move toward producing an atomic bomb.”
—Ali Larijani, senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader |
iDeas Lab
CSIS's Victor Cha testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee regarding shared threats between the U.S. and allies in the Indo-Pacific. Watch what he told Congress 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: VCG/Getty Images.) Members from a Chinese rescue team observe a minute of silence at a quake site on April 1, 2025, in Mandalay city, Myanmar. Myanmar held a minute's silence on April 1 in tribute to victims of a catastrophic earthquake that has killed more than 2,000 people. |
Recommended Reading
“The Uncertainty Tax: How Policy Volatility Will Harm the Economy" by CSIS's Philip Luck and Chris Borges. |
This Town Upcoming
On Monday at 11:00 a.m., CSIS's Korea Chair examines U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral cooperation and the Trump administration’s strategy for the Indo-Pacific.
On Thursday at 10:30 a.m., CSIS's Americas Program discusses avenues that will foster a competitive and resilient North American agricultural sector.
Then, on Friday at 1:00 p.m., CSIS's Defense and Security Department welcomes senior U.S. and Japanese officials and experts for a conversation about U.S.-Japan space security relationship. |
Video
Today, CSIS's Economic Security and Technology Department welcomed expert guests, including Lane Dilg, Head of Infrastructure Policy & Partnerships at OpenAI, for a discussion on CSIS's latest report, "Securing Full Stack U.S. Leadership in AI," examining the intersection of AI, energy, and industrial competitiveness. Watch the full video here. |
Podcasts
CSIS’s Kateryna Bondar joins the podcast to discuss the rapid evolution of Ukraine's military following Russia's invasion, now at the forefront of waging AI-enabled autonomous warfare.
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. |
Smiles
"I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
Asked the Lord above, 'Have mercy, now, save poor Bob if you please'"
Our friends at Playing For Change have outdone themselves with their most recent video. I hope that you enjoy this excellent rendition of Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads.” |
| I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz |
