AEI's weekly digest of top commentary and scholarship on the issues that matter most

AEI This Week

AEI's weekly digest of top commentary and scholarship on the issues that matter most

CEASEFIRE AND NEGOTIATIONS

Iran at the Crossroads

April 11, 2026

The war in Iran has reached a pivotal moment as negotiations get underway in Pakistan while US and Israeli strikes remain paused. Throughout the conflict, AEI’s Critical Threats Project has provided authoritative analysis of the military and diplomatic developments. Read their latest update from last night. ([link removed] )

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Across the United States, schools are looking for ways to combat the elevated chronic absenteeism that has persisted since the pandemic. In a new AEI report using data from more than 200,000 Indiana students, AEI Education Policy Studies Deputy Director Nat Malkus and Sam Hollon demonstrate ([link removed] ) that participation in high school sports is one important factor that sustains student attendance.

Last week, the Office of Management and Budget released its fiscal year 2027 budget request topline—most notably increasing the total national security budget to $1.5 trillion. In a new AEI Foreign and Defense Policy working paper, Elaine McCusker, John G. Ferrari, Mackenzie Eaglen, and others assess ([link removed] ) the details of this significant first step to properly resourcing America’s military.

The firing of Army Chief of Staff Randy George last week was just the latest in a string of more than 20 generals and flag officers the Trump administration has fired or forced to retire since taking office last year. Writing in AEIdeas, Foreign and Defense Policy Studies Director Kori Schake and Caleb Dixon analyze ([link removed] ) the significance of this turnover, drawing from AEI’s new digital tool ([link removed] ) tracking the firing and replacement of all these officers.

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision striking down tariffs enacted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Trump administration has reimposed many of them through Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows duties in response to balance-of-payment deficits. In a new amicus curiae brief to the US Court of International Trade, Stan Veuger, several of his fellow AEI economists, and other experts explain ([link removed] ) why the tariffs are still unlawful under this new statutory authority.

This week, AEI Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility Director Scott Winship and his coauthor's finding ([link removed] ) that America’s middle class is shrinking only because more families are moving into the upper-middle class attracted widespread media attention. Read coverage in The Wall Street Journal ([link removed] ) and CBS News ([link removed] ) of their research, which directly refutes false pessimism about the health of the American Dream.

Can a Depopulating America Still Flourish?

For the first time in generations, the prospect of long-term population decline looms for the United States—but almost no serious consideration has been devoted to how our country will navigate depopulation. In a new working paper, demographic expert Nicholas Eberstadt evaluates ([link removed] ) America’s ability to succeed economically in the face of this new challenge. Population decline will not necessarily restrict economic growth as long as we sustain the dynamic economic environment that fuels productivity growth. However, several trends, including flagging labor force participation, deteriorating public finances, and growing hostility to immigration, increase the risk that depopulation could erode our country’s competitive edge and generate financial crises. If policymakers address these challenges now—while we still have a demographic cushion—America will be well-placed to maintain its preeminence in this new era.

More from AEI

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

From Apollo to Artemis and Then Beyond ([link removed] )

James Pethokoukis | AEIdeas

This Land Is Your Land Review: The Nation, Warts and All ([link removed] )

Charles Lane | The Wall Street Journal

Graduate School Is Riskier Than You Think ([link removed] )

Preston Cooper | AEIdeas

The Department of Education Celebrates America, and the Left Hates It ([link removed] )

Daniel Buck | National Review

The Sudden Political Star of Trump's Second Term: Marco Rubio ([link removed] )

Michael Barone | Washington Examiner

PODCASTS AND VIDEOS

President Trump, SCOTUS, and Birthright Citizenship ([link removed] )

Matthew Continetti | WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

An Interview with Senator Phil Gramm ([link removed] )

Phil Gramm | Voices of Freedom

Special Edition: Presidential Tiers ([link removed] )

Jay Cost and Sean Trende | Stubborn Things

The State of Campaign Finance (with Allen Dickerson) ([link removed] )

John C. Fortier et al. | The Voting Booth

Has Trump Betrayed His Base? ([link removed] )

Jonah Goldberg and Ross Douthat | The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

With a high volume of annual claims in both Medicare and Medicaid, automated systems are crucial. Emerging AI technology offers the prospect of building anti-fraud and abuse protocols directly into its existing payment approval processes, which means the government might finally be equipped to stop wasteful spending in health care before it occurs.

—James C. Capretta ([link removed] )

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