Contentious South Africa Meeting in Oval Office

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa came to Washington seeking what he called a reset in relations with the U.S. But his meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday devolved into a tense exchange over perceived threats to white farmers in South Africa, as the WSJ reports.

Iranian Officials Warn Nuclear Talks in Peril

Iranian officials are urging the United States to agree to a deal over Iran’s nuclear program but warned this week that negotiations could be in jeopardy because of the Trump administration’s insistence that Tehran accept zero enrichment of uranium, as The Washington Post reports.

Pakistan Military Warns India is ‘Playing with Fire’ in Kashmir Conflict

Pakistan’s military has called on the international community to restrain India from renewed hostilities, warning that further attacks would prompt Islamabad to “hit even harder” after they exchanged fire this month, as the FT reports.

Executive Education

A confrontation with China could reshape the global order. Analyze China’s military rise and test U.S. response strategies in Meeting China’s Military Challenge. Join CSIS experts from June 3 to 4, 2025, for expert briefings and an interactive wargame. Register by May 28.

Audio Briefs

CSIS now offers audio versions of our latest analysis. Listen to the latest Commentary by CSIS's Peppi DeBiaso, "Building a Golden Dome: Lessons from the 1950s."

In That Number

$500 million

China has pledged to give $500 million to the World Health Organization as the country is set to replace the United States as the group’s top state donor, expanding Beijing’s global influence in the wake of Washington’s retreat from international cooperation.
Source: The Washington Post

Critical Quote

“You’re taking people’s land away and in many cases those people are being executed.”

—President Donald Trump

iDeas Lab

Recent satellite imagery reveals there has been dramatic increases in Sino-North Korean trade at the Wonjong-ni-Quanhe border crossing that connects the North Hamgyong province and the Korean expatriate community in the Yanbian autonomous prefecture. View 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: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images.) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa meets U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 21, 2025.

This Town Upcoming

Tomorrow, at 9:30 a.m., the CSIS Korea Chair discusses expectations of the three major candidates running in the 2025 South Korea presidential election.

Next week, on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m., the CSIS Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department hosts the 5th meeting of the Transatlantic Dialogue on Indo-Pacific.

Then, on Wednesday, at 9:00 a.m., the CSIS Wadhwani AI Center explores the evolution of modern warfare in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Video

In a new video, CSIS explores U.S. investment in the Philippines' growing chip industry that is driven by a skilled workforce, strategic government initiatives, and support from recent U.S. policy. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

CSIS's Tom Karako, Director of the CSIS Missile Defense Project joins the podcast to discuss the development of the Golden Dome and how missile defense has evolved over the last decade.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

Great music from Jazz Fest continues to be unearthed. Here are the founding Meters' George Porter Jr. and Leo Nocentelli with Ivan Neville and Galactic drummer Stanton Moore performing the Meters’ classic “Just Kissed My Baby.”

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.