CFR examines what’s in store for foreign policy.
Council on Foreign Relations

The Year Ahead

The world changed dramatically in 2025—and the new year is shaping up to be even more pivotal.

 

The new Trump administration initiated major changes in U.S. foreign policy, from worldwide tariffs to peace negotiations to shifts in military priorities.

 

Read on for expert analysis from the Council on Foreign Relations about the challenges and opportunities that 2026 could have in store.

Five Foreign Policy Trends to Watch

In charts, graphics, and maps, five CFR experts consider the major trends that will shape world events in 2026.

Chart: U.S. Consumers Are Projected to Bear the Largest Burden of President Trump's Tariffs

What U.S. Foreign Policy Experts Are Concerned About in 2026

Each year, CFR’s Center for Preventive Action (CPA) asks foreign policy experts to identify and evaluate ongoing or potential conflicts based on how likely they are to escalate or occur in the next year, and their possible impact on U.S. interests. Explore the results of the 2026 Preventive Priorities Survey and watch CPA Director Paul B. Stares on MS Now’s Morning Joe.

Conflicts to watch in 2026 on a map.

The Risk Report for 2026

In the latest episode of the Why It Matters podcast, expert Paul B. Stares joins host Gabrielle Sierra to unpack this year’s Preventive Priorities Survey.

 

Listen
Podcast: Why It Matters

Watch These Ten Elections in the New Year

Last year’s elections delivered a mix of the expected and unexpected. James M. Lindsay highlights ten elections in 2026 to see if that unpredictability will carry into the future.

A woman casts her vote at a polling station in Seoul, South Korea, May 29, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

The C-Suite’s Expectations for 2026

At CFR’s latest CEO Summit, several attendees expressed optimism about the year ahead, though they also noted some concerns about U.S. economic security and technological support. Rebecca Patterson notes the major themes of their conversation.

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on December 16, 2025. Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images

Last Year, the White House Transformed Asia. Expect Much More This Year.

In 2025, the Trump administration dramatically changed the direction of U.S. engagement with Asia through its tariff heavy approach. Joshua Kurlantzick explores a trend that could continue in the year ahead.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hold up trade deal documents during a bilateral meeting at the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 26, 2025. Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Global Summits to Watch: Bracing for a New Global (Dis)order?

Major global forums are scheduled in 2026. CFR experts anticipate the Trump administration unsettling such gatherings as it continues to overhaul U.S. foreign policy. Explore a list of summits to watch.

Staff members prepare the plenary room ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 18, 2025. Yves Herman/Reuters

Ten World Events That Will Continue to Make News

James M. Lindsay offers ten notable developments of the last year that will be in 2026’s headlines, including the grueling civil war in Sudan, China’s weaponization of rare-earth minerals, and more.
Displaced Sudanese flee Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, Sudan, after attacks by the Rapid Support Forces, April 15, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

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