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Southeastern Europe presents many opportunities to the transatlantic community, yet the region still poses numerous challenges. Adversaries have taken advantage of local divisions to cause security problems that could quickly escalate to strategic threats. The region also suffers from poor energy security, and many Southeastern European nations have stalled in their progress toward Euro-Atlantic integration. Concurrent with the World Bank–International Monetary Fund annual meetings in Washington, DC, Hudson will host a high-level discussion on Southeastern Europe. The first panel will explore the geoeconomic opportunities and challenges, while the second will examine the geopolitical and security dimensions of the region.

Hudson Institute’s Nadia Schadlow will host a conference on the future of America’s industrial base. The event will bring together representatives from new firms at the forefront of reindustrialization—companies working to address supply chain vulnerabilities, strengthen national security, and overcome institutional barriers. Company representatives will discuss their experiences, how their firms have navigated obstacles, and what changes the United States needs to make to fortify its manufacturing base. Additionally, investors and manufacturing sector experts will outline the most effective frameworks for attracting private capital and building sustainable public-private partnerships.

The China threat has become increasingly acute during President Donald Trump’s second term. While the White House and Congress navigate economic, security, and political relations with Beijing, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to undermine the security and sovereignty of the United States and other nations. By funding Russia’s war in Ukraine, bolstering Iran’s military capabilities, and deepening engagement with North Korea, the CCP seeks to increase its global influence and weaken the US and its allies. Congressman John Moolenaar (R-MI), chairman of the House Select Committee on the CCP, will join Hudson Senior Fellow David Feith to discuss how Washington should approach the US-China relationship in an era of rising geopolitical competition.

The “no limits” partnership between China and Russia appears to be deepening. China’s provision of weapons components has served as a lifeline for the Kremlin in its war of aggression against Ukraine. Meanwhile, the two nations’ information warfare is increasingly aligned in its anti-American and anti-Western messaging. Yet there is an asymmetry between Beijing and Moscow. Join Hudson Institute for a panel discussion on how the United States and its allies can combat the rise of this authoritarian alliance.

Both Washington and Bucharest underwent leadership changes in 2025. Less than four months after President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, Romanians elected a new president, who soon formed a new government. Hudson will welcome a key member of this new Romanian administration, Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Oana-Silvia Țoiu. Foreign Minister Țoiu entered office amid heightened tensions between Moscow and the West. Russia has repeatedly violated North Atlantic Treaty Organization airspace, including a drone incursion into Romanian skies on September 14. And in late August, a Russian naval drone struck a Ukrainian vessel in the Danube River on the Romanian border. With Peter Rough, Foreign Minister Țoiu will discuss Black Sea security, the war in Ukraine, Russia’s hybrid attacks, and Romania-US relations.

After the Cold War, Western leaders embraced the illusion that globalization and the spread of democracy would lead to the outbreak of peace around the world. But just decades later, great powers are once again competing for territory, resources, and prestige. In his new book Great Power Diplomacy: The Skill of Statecraft from Attila the Hun to Kissinger, one of America’s foremost strategists, Wess Mitchell, argues that the United States needs to relearn how to build winning alliances, splinter enemy coalitions, and, when necessary, make peace with former adversaries. By looking to the great empires of the past, Mitchell argues, Washington can better prepare itself for a dangerous new era of great power competition. Join Hudson’s Peter Rough for a discussion with Wess Mitchell on the book’s findings, how they apply to the present moment, and the future of great power diplomacy.

To face the China challenge, the United States needs a better understanding of the Chinese Communist Party’s origins. How has the CCP maintained legitimacy and control while pursuing market reforms and private sector development? How has the party overcome geographic and historical challenges to maintain its centralized control over ideology? In Institutional Genes: The Origins of China’s Institutions and Totalitarianism, Professor Chenggang Xu argues that, unlike the Soviet Union, China has developed a system of regionally administered totalitarianism. Like other totalitarian regimes, the CCP’s system is inherently expansionist and positions China as not only a domestic oppressor but a global security threat. Join Dr. Miles Yu, senior fellow and director of Hudson’s China Center, for a conversation with Professor Xu on why misunderstanding China’s political order may create critical strategic risks for the US amid intensifying geopolitical rivalry.

This February, the United States Institute of Peace Senior Study Group on Strategic Stability released its 2025 report, Sustaining the Nuclear Peace. The study concludes that Russia and China have developed new ways of war built on a belief in the utility of nuclear weapons for broad purposes that encompass not just deterrence but also coercion and defeat. Further, the report concludes that a new axis is emerging. The US no longer faces a China problem and a separate Russia problem. Any crisis or conflict involving one adversary will likely involve the other, either directly or indirectly. And, because the United States has been slow to come to terms with this reality, the risk of nuclear use in war is increasing. Finally, the study recommends that policymakers urgently prioritize deterrence and prepare to enhance the United States’ ability to defend its vital interests and those of its allies if deterrence does fail. At Hudson, cochairs Dr. Brad Roberts and Dr. Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, study group member Dr. Christopher Ford, and Scowcroft Group Principal Frank Miller will discuss the report and its recommendations.

Southeast Europe, where Russia and Communist China have long sought to strengthen their foothold and expand their malign influence on the Continent, is a test case for a Russia-free, resilient European energy future. The region is becoming the gateway for liquefied natural gas imports from the United States, which could fully replace Russian gas by 2027. The region is also a major hub for US investment in next-generation clean energy technologies. With expanding artificial intelligence–driven data centers and innovation partnerships, Southeast Europe is making important contributions to European resilience and transatlantic ties.

Join Hudson Senior Fellow Matt Boyse for an event with Bulgarian Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation President Dr. Robert D. Atkinson, and Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) Energy and Climate Program Analyst Marius Koeppen. They will discuss recent developments in the region and CSD’s latest risk assessments. Ruslan Stefanov, program director and chief economist at CSD, will provide opening remarks.

The Chinese Communist Party is an opaque authoritarian regime that many observers mistake as monolithic. But behind the image of strongman leadership lie precarious factions, power struggles, and a dangerous tension between reform and stability. Few figures in modern Chinese history embody these contradictions more vividly than Hu Yaobang, a former party official who was forced to resign due to his alleged tolerance of pro-liberalization protests. Join Senior Fellow Michael Sobolik for a conversation with Robert Suettinger and Piero Tozzi about Suettinger’s book The Conscience of the Party, which explores how Hu’s story illuminates the broader patterns of CCP factional struggle. They will discuss what Hu’s experiences and legacy can teach policymakers about contemporary CCP power struggles, purges, and the ongoing tension between reformist impulses and the pursuit of stability under Xi Jinping.

Over the past decade, the United States and Canada have emerged as the world’s leading producers of oil, natural gas, uranium, and other critical energy inputs. This strength has undercut authoritarians’ leverage in energy markets, providing allies with new options. Yet challenges remain in securing critical minerals, diversifying global supply chains, and advancing innovation. With the Group of Seven energy ministers set to meet in late October, Hudson Institute and the Center for North American Prosperity and Security (CNAPS) will host a forum on North America’s role in global energy security and economic resilience. This discussion will examine the policies and priorities driving transatlantic energy strategy, North America’s unmatched resource base and the opportunities this gives Washington, Ottawa, and Mexico City, and the geopolitical stakes of ensuring continued North American leadership.

The world’s two largest economies remain deeply interdependent even as they race toward greater self-sufficiency. Recently, the United States and China reached a fragile détente in their trade war, anchored by China’s agreement to resume rare earth magnet exports and America’s lifting of technology export controls. This captures the paradox of US-China competition: mutual reliance collides with mutual distrust as both sides build up their supply chains for critical minerals and advanced technology. Beijing’s integrated control over rare earths and other processing chokepoints reflects a deliberate, long-term strategy. Meanwhile, Washington’s shifting mix of tariffs and export controls suggests a more reactive, ad hoc approach. Is that contrast real or overstated? What lessons have emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, semiconductor shortages, and other disruptions? What more should the United States do—through reshoring, friend-shoring, and public–private partnerships—to forge a credible path to resilience? How might a US-China trade deal, potentially at a fall summit, alter this competition and the broader strategic rivalry? And finally, how can Washington leverage international relationships and tools like the Defense Production Act to secure its leadership in technology? Senior Fellow Nadia Schadlow will join leading experts on supply chains and US-China competition for a panel discussion of these questions, moderated by Asia-Pacific Security Chair Patrick Cronin.

China is undertaking an unprecedented strategic nuclear breakout and refuses to engage in productive discussions about its nuclear intentions. Meanwhile, Russia has announced it will no longer observe the Treaty Between the United States and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START). Moscow has since violated New START’s verification provisions and could have grown its stockpiles of nuclear warheads beyond the treaty’s limits. The National Institute for Public Policy (NIPP) recently published A New Strategic Review for a New Age, which concludes that the US has a legal right and strategic imperative to terminate the New START Treaty, which expires in February 2026. The study also recommends ways the US can adapt its nuclear forces to increase the credibility of its deterrent and maintain peace. Join Dr. Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, senior fellow at Hudson Institute, and Dr. Keith Payne, president and cofounder of NIPP, for discussion about the report’s analysis and recommendations.

The Trump administration has taken unprecedented measures to increase the pressure on Venezuela’s repressive Maduro regime, which illegitimately maintained power despite losing the July 2024 election. The United States has doubled the bounty on Nicolás Maduro’s capture to $50 million, designated two Venezuelan criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations, and deployed naval assets to the southern Caribbean to disrupt drug trafficking operations. Most recently, the US stationed 10 F-35 fighter jets and other assets in Puerto Rico. Washington’s escalation is a response to the continued threat the criminal regime poses. Maduro’s Venezuela has emerged as Latin America’s greatest destabilizing force, serving as a major sanctuary for transnational criminal organizations, a critical node in international drug trafficking networks, and a strategic foothold for Russian and Chinese influence projection. What does America’s show of force mean for its broader strategy toward Venezuela? Could sustained US pressure fundamentally alter the political dynamics within the regime? Can outside pressure sufficiently weaken Maduro’s grip on power? Join Adjunct Fellow Daniel Batlle and a panel of experts as they examine these questions.

After decades of growth, global electricity access has hit a downturn in recent years, especially in Africa. Roughly half the population of sub-Saharan Africa still lacks electricity, limiting access to water and modern medicine and preventing the expansion of industry. Yet international organizations like the International Energy Agency and the World Bank have prioritized reducing emissions over eliminating poverty. Many development agencies stopped granting loans or finance for projects that either produce fossil fuels or burn them to generate electricity. This has forced more sub-Saharan Africans to burn wood, dung, or biomass, sources that produce more emissions, pollution, and health risks than fossil fuels. The West’s refusal to fund fossil fuel energy in Africa has also created an opportunity for China to increase its influence on the continent. Hudson’s Zineb Riboua will host Professor Brenda Shaffer, faculty member of the US Naval Postgraduate School and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center, to discuss international energy policy shifts that can help address the challenge.

In February 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump announced the US-India COMPACT (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce, and Technology) for the Twenty-First Century. Though India is not an American security ally, changing geopolitics have drawn the two democracies closer together in the last two decades. Stronger defense and military partnership benefits both parties’ core strategic interests. The US and India have expanded their joint military exercises, defense trade, and cooperation in the defense tech arena. But the two countries can do more. Dr. Aparna Pande will host an expert panel to discuss how Washington and New Delhi can increase security collaboration to bolster security both bilaterally and multilaterally in the broader Indo-Pacific region. This event is part of the Motwani Jadeja US-India Dialogue Series funded by the Motwani Jadeja Family Foundation.

In May, Nippon Steel finalized the terms of its historic $26 billion partnership with United States Steel. Nippon Steel agreed to make invaluable investments and introduce cutting-edge technology in U.S. Steel’s facilities. By doing so, the partnership will strengthen the American steel industry, help workers and communities, and promote American national and economic security. It is an integral part of the administration’s larger efforts to revitalize American industry. To celebrate this achievement, Hudson Institute’s Japan Chair will welcome the decision-makers and stakeholders who made the deal possible: Senator David McCormick (R-PA) and representatives from Nippon Steel, U.S. Steel, and the Pittsburgh community. First, Senator McCormick and Executive Vice President Joel Scanlon will discuss why the senator supported this partnership, the deal’s significance for Pennsylvanian and American industrial policy, and how it advances US national security and relations with Japan. Then, Japan Chair Deputy Director William Chou will sit down with representatives from both companies and the local community. They will talk about why this deal supports American workers and communities, the major capital and technological investment, and how Nippon Steel’s investment advances American industrial and economic strength.

China’s sophisticated hybrid warfare is a key aspect of its campaign to undermine Taiwan’s resilience and discourage American involvement in the island’s security. On top of conventional military threats, Beijing uses disinformation and economic leverage to coerce and diplomatically isolate Taiwan. In the event of a crisis, China will likely intensify its use of these tactics to harm the United States military’s readiness and undermine support for intervention among the American populace. To respond, the US needs to increase its awareness of Beijing’s unconventional playbook, enact measures to bolster Taiwan’s defenses, and strengthen US influence in the Indo-Pacific. Join Hudson Institute’s China Center and the Taiwan United Nations Alliance (TAIUNA) as Dr. Miles Yu hosts a panel of experts and policymakers on how the US and its partners can strengthen security cooperation to defend Taiwan.

Given the scope and scale of the political prisoner crisis across China, the United States needs to do more to secure political prisoners’ release. The Chinese Communist Party holds at least 1.8 million Uyghurs in political prison camps and nearly 1,000 political prisoners in Hong Kong. In addition, the CCP extrajudicially detains many Tibetans, Christians (including pastors), and political dissidents. This is largely because the CCP sees political prisoners as an essential method of quashing dissent and retaining its power.

With that in mind, the United States should have equally robust mechanisms for setting political prisoners free. Congress has a substantial apparatus for securing political prisoners’ release. But the executive branch pursues political prisoner release in a more ad hoc manner. A new office of political prisoner advocacy in the executive branch, with a special envoy of ambassador rank, could bolster existing US efforts to free political prisoners.

Taiwan sits at the intersection of geopolitics and global supply chains, and its democracy, technological prowess, and strategic location make it both a symbol and a target. As tensions with China grow, the island faces not only the threat of a potential economic blockade or military invasion, but also the danger of cyberattacks. Cyber resilience is a vital component of deterring Chinese aggression against Taiwan.

Join Hudson Senior Fellow Jason Hsu for a discussion with Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA), Rhombus Power Founder and CEO Dr. Anshu Roy, former Vice Minister for Policy of the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense and former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral (Ret.) Legislator Richard YK Chen, and RunSafe Security CEO Joseph Saunders as they explore the role of cyber resilience in the defense of Taiwan.

The two-year-old conflict in Sudan is disrupting one of Africa’s most important regions, threatening a major maritime shipping route, advancing American adversaries’ interests, and devastating the civilian population. Despite the Trump administration’s recent mediation effort, the war shows no sign of ending. Continued violence at the current level promises even more destructive ripple effects.

Hudson Institute, in collaboration with the Israel-Africa Institute, is conducting a series of webinars analyzing the East Africa region. In this episode, experts discuss:

• The history of the Sudan conflict and the status of the fighting
• The roles of Generals Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, Islamists factions, Iran, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States
• Sudan’s importance to Africa and the world
• Next steps toward ending the world’s costliest ongoing conflict

The Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East will host Dr. Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council, for a conversation with Dr. Michael Doran. They will discuss the evolving global terrorist threat, the future of United States counterterrorism strategy, and how counterterrorism shapes US policy in the Middle East.

President Donald Trump has invited Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to the White House for a landmark summit aimed at ending decades of hostility. The leaders are expected to sign key agreements to establish lasting peace between their long-divided nations. 

Research Fellow Zineb Riboua will moderate a conversation on the potential implications of this historic accord with Senior Fellow Michael Doran and Damjan Krnjević Mišković, professor of practice at Azerbaijan’s ADA University and editor of the policy journal Baku Dialogues.

Peru is undergoing one of the most volatile political periods in its democratic history. President Dina Boluarte’s deeply unpopular administration faces compounding crises, from institutional paralysis to rising insecurity, that are testing the strength of Peru’s democratic foundations.

Despite this turmoil, Peru’s economy is outperforming the region. Aided by high commodity prices and the world’s second-largest copper reserves, the country remains a key player in global supply chains.

Now, Peru sits at the center of concerns over China’s growing presence in Latin America. The $3.5 billion Chancay megaport—Beijing’s most ambitious infrastructure project in the region—threatens to reshape South American trade flows and could give China new levers of political influence. 

Join Hudson Adjunct Fellow Daniel Batlle and a panel of leading analysts as they examine what lies ahead for Peru and whether the country can convert its economic potential into lasting security and sovereignty ahead of its 2026 elections.

For decades the United States Navy’s and Coast Guard’s fleets have been shrinking despite their increasing necessity. From the Gulf of America to the  Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and beyond, US maritime forces have had to defend America and its allies with older and fewer ships and aircraft. The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act will inject billions of dollars into the US shipbuilding and maritime industrial base, which can help to restore US Navy and Coast Guard capacity. But turning funding into capability will not be easy. The US maritime industry needs to address worker shortages, crumbling infrastructure, and inadequate commercial demand.

Join Hudson Senior Fellows Bryan Clark and Michael Roberts for a discussion with government and industry leaders about the challenges the US Navy and Coast Guard face amid modernization efforts and how new legislation and regulation can help restore America’s maritime superiority.

Join Hudson Institute Senior Fellow and Director for the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East Michael Doran for a conversation with Reverend Johnnie Moore, president of the Congress of Christian Leaders and founder of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. As the conflict in Gaza persists, humanitarian efforts are increasingly entangled with political narratives and media manipulation. Moore will discuss the foundation’s mission, the challenges of operating alongside Hamas and the United Nations, and the role of faith-based initiatives in delivering aid in a contested information space.

Iran has entered a new phase of strategic uncertainty after successful Israeli and American military operations dismantled the Islamic Republic’s nuclear infrastructure, fractured its proxy network, and significantly weakened its position in the region.

Senior Fellows Michael Doran, Bryan Clark, and Can Kasapoğlu will explore the implications of this shift for the United States, Israel, and their partners and discuss how Iran might respond.

The United States and Canada are at an impasse on trade. Amid rising trade tensions, former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney rode a wave of nationalism to the Canadian premiership, with promises of “standing up for Canada” and “ensuring a good deal” for the country. Meanwhile, many in Washington believe Canada needs the US more than the US needs Canada. But is that assumption accurate? Are policies that encourage Canadian nationalism the only viable response?

A new report from the Center for North American Prosperity and Security (CNAPS), The Grand Bargain: The Path to Prosperity, Security and Strength, proposes a broader framework. Rather than focusing narrowly on tariffs, the report recommends expanding talks to include critical minerals, metals, and energy. It also urges the two countries to resolve lingering issues, from military burden-sharing to border enforcement.

Join Hudson Senior Fellow Matt Boyse for a discussion with former Canadian Minister for Trade and Economic Development Ed Fast and CNAPS Executive Director Jamie Tronnes, as they explore a new path forward for US-Canada relations and what other allies can learn from the process.

Major conflicts and shifting geopolitical alignments are reshaping the global security landscape. In light of this, many of Taiwan’s partners are pressuring Taipei to rethink its defense posture, resilience mechanisms, and strategic deterrence. The war in Ukraine has offered invaluable lessons in asymmetric defense, civil-military coordination, and the integration of technology and innovation on the battlefield. Facing an existential threat from China, Taiwan urgently needs to incorporate these lessons into its security strategy.

General David H. Petraeus (US Army, ret.), coauthor of Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine and former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, will join Hudson’s Jason Hsu for a conversation about what the war in Ukraine has revealed about the future of warfare—and what these lessons mean for Taiwanese security.

Senior Fellow and Director of Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East Michael Doran, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs President Dan Diker, and Center for Security Policy Senior Analyst David Wurmser will discuss the shifting dynamics in the Middle East following the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in an event moderated by Research Fellow Zineb Riboua. They will examine how Israel’s decision to act independently has impacted its relationship with the United States, what the war’s outcome signals for Iran’s regional ambitions, and how key players like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Syria are recalibrating in its aftermath.

 

As reports emerge of widespread starvation in Gaza and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steven Witkoff works to negotiate the creation of a humanitarian corridor, Nina Shea will interview Reverend Johnnie Moore, the executive chairman of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The foundation, backed by both Israel and the United States, has been distributing food aid to Gazans since May. Notably, GHF staff have denied the media narrative that Israeli Defense Forces personnel have killed Gazans seeking aid at its distribution points.

The interview will examine GHF’s accomplishments and the immense challenges it faces in providing aid to two million people in an active war zone. Reverend Moore will also discuss how the GHF can help distribute UN food aid that is currently sequestered in trucks inside the Gaza Strip—a request that the secretary general and his deputy at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have thus far ignored.

Despite more than a decade of reforms to the United States Department of Defense’s acquisition processes, the Pentagon still struggles to field systems that take advantage of new technologies at the pace and scale routinely seen in commercial products and services. Procurement officials have sought to improve results within the current framework. But the DoD budgeting process often hinders their ability to reallocate funding from failing programs to those that address real operational problems.

Fielding capabilities via services contracts is not a comprehensive solution to systemic acquisition practices. But it would circumvent bureaucratic roadblocks and deliver innovative technologies to warfighters more quickly. Buying capabilities as a service can enable the co-evolution of technology and tactics, helping commanders develop adequate solutions to their operational problems and make continued improvements to fielded capabilities.

Join Hudson Senior Fellow Bryan Clark, Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA), General Mike Minihan (US Air Force, Ret.), and experts from the defense industry for a series of discussions examining the challenges and opportunities the Pentagon may face when adopting a services model to meet urgent capability needs.

The Pentagon, defense companies, and think tanks all conclude that the United States’ weapons inventories are woefully inadequate for a war with China. But manufacturers cannot surge production of today’s exquisite munitions because these weapons depend on specialized components and techniques. Yet contrary to this popular wisdom, Ukrainian forces have found that weapons stockpiled in large numbers are often rendered obsolete by enemy countermeasures before the stockpile is depleted.

A recent Hudson report suggested that the US Department of Defense should address this contradiction by adopting a new family of modular weapons that emphasize adaptability and scale. In this approach, most components—including radios, computers, servomotors, and sensors—would come from commercial sources. Weapons-specific components like structures, warheads, and propulsion would be manufacturable at scale and on demand.

At Hudson, Senior Fellows Bryan Clark and Nadia Schadlow will host military and industry experts to discuss this new approach to weapon development and the DoD’s progress in fielding adaptable, scalable weapons systems.

As a global trade and technology leader, Tokyo is a hub for international investment, innovative startups, and forward-thinking social and mobility infrastructure while Japan adapts to shifting demographic, immigration, and tourism trends.

Hudson’s Japan Chair will welcome Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike to give a keynote speech on the city’s role in Japanese engagement with the United States and the wider world. Following her address, the governor will sit down for a fireside chat with Japan Chair Kenneth R. Weinstein.

Hudson’s Center for the Economics of the Internet will welcome Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to speak about pressing digital safety issues facing Congress. With Senior Fellow Harold Furchtgott-Roth, she will discuss artificial intelligence and protecting creators, the Kids Online Safety Act, the Open App Markets Act, and comprehensive data privacy.

 

Journalist and author Salena Zito will join Hudson Senior Fellow Paul Sracic to discuss her new book Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America’s Heartland. Zito’s work offers insight into the communities and cultural forces driving American politics during President Donald Trump’s campaign for reelection and in the wake of the assassination attempt at his Butler, Pennsylvania, rally. Drawing on years of on-the-ground reporting, she explores the values, frustrations, and loyalties shaping the nation’s political realignment.

Artificial intelligence is widely recognized as this century’s critical technology. The nation that leads in AI computational power, innovation, and diffusion will determine the primary application of the technology—either in defense of freedom and individual liberty or in service of autocracy and tyranny. 

As the United States and the Chinese Communist Party compete to dominate AI, robotics is also emerging as a field of critical strategic value. From automated manufacturing to self-driving cars to humanoid robots, embodied AI could unlock economic growth and alleviate demographic shortages. But it could also be used for military applications and political repression. US policymakers should take steps to blunt China’s advances and boost America’s competitiveness to lead the world in developing next-generation robotics.

Senior Fellow Michael Sobolik will host an event to introduce his new Hudson policy memo featuring recommendations for the Trump administration and Capitol Hill to help secure America’s innovation advantage.

Operation Midnight Hammer, the United States’ recent strike against Iranian nuclear infrastructure, and Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, which dismantled Iran’s covert infrastructure and paved the way for the US attack, have forced the Islamic Republic into a new phase of strategic decision-making.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei now faces difficult choices. He needs to weigh Iran’s long-term ambitions for regional power against the risks of deeper military escalation and the threat of growing unrest inside the country. His regime is under pressure to project strength abroad while containing dissent at home.

What is Khamenei’s calculus after these strikes? And where does Iran go from here?

Join Zineb Riboua, research fellow and program manager at Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, for a conversation with Mariam Memarsadeghi, senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, and Dr. Ladan Boroumand, cofounder of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights. They will examine Iran’s internal power struggles, the future of its resistance movement, and the potential consequences Khamenei’s next moves will have for the region.

In Operation Spiderweb, Ukrainian forces smuggled drones deep into Russia and used them to attack grounded aircraft. This tested a fundamental assumption about warfare: that physical distance from the frontline can guarantee safety from enemy strikes. Asymmetric warfare, waged with capabilities such as long-range drones, can change the strategic fundamentals of a conflict at relatively low human and material cost. American military planners now face the urgent question of how to secure installations and bases, both in the United States homeland and abroad, against this new threat.

Join Senator John Boozman (R-AR), chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, for a conversation with Senior Fellow Timothy A. Walton and Center for a New American Security Senior Fellow Thomas Shugart on how to mitigate these risks and accelerate the fielding of forces and infrastructure that retain US advantage.

Senator Boozman will take audience questions. Breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m., and the event will start at 9:00 a.m.

As the Trump administration and 119th Congress recalibrate the United States’ foreign policy and national security approach, they need to maintain strategic clarity about the danger that an unchecked Chinese Communist Party would pose to US global leadership and the American homeland. From critical supply chains and artificial intelligence to nuclear deterrence, competition with China has developed into a new cold war. Amid this great power competition, policymakers in Washington have a heightened responsibility to ensure US grand strategy protects American interests against the CCP’s efforts to reshape the foundations of international relations to suit its authoritarian and autocratic vision. 

Join Hudson Senior Fellow Michael Sobolik for a panel discussion with key members of the House Republican Policy Committee. They will explore the full-spectrum competition between the US and China and identify how policymakers can sustain the strategic foundations necessary for American security and prosperity for this century and beyond.

Israel’s Minister of Economic Affairs Noach Hacker will join Hudson’s Michael Doran for a discussion on how Israel has fortified its economic foundations for moments of extreme crisis. Amid relentless conflict and regional instability, Israel’s economy has defied expectations, showing remarkable stability and adaptability.

As confidence in Israel’s strategic trajectory grows, the country is poised for a new phase of economic expansion. Doran and Hacker will explore how Israel has built an economy capable of withstanding war and positioned itself to shape regional economics in a post–October 7 Middle East.

Institute for Science and International Security Founder and President David Albright, one of the leading experts on the Iranian nuclear program, will join Hudson’s Michael Doran for a fireside chat. They will discuss the state of Iran’s nuclear ambitions following Operations Rising Lion and Midnight Hammer and how the United States, Israel, and their regional partners can capitalize on Iran’s weakened state to promote long-term peace and stability.

 

The Trump administration has vowed to make commercial engagement the centerpiece of a new United States policy toward Africa. Prioritizing “trade, not aid” in the US-Africa relationship is not a new idea. But previous administrations have tried and failed to make the pivot.

Success will require a deeper commitment and understanding of the African investment landscape. Hudson’s Joshua Meservey will host a panel of investors with decades of collective experience in Africa. They will reflect on their experiences to offer lessons for future African investments, discuss what the US government can do to better support US investment into Africa, and examine how African governments can attract more external investment.

The Afrikaner community of South Africa has received significant news coverage in the United States since President Donald Trump announced he would grant members of the group refugee status. This and other issues related to the Afrikaners have been key stressors in the US–South Africa relationship and were major points of discussion between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during their recent meeting in the Oval Office.

Join Senior Fellow Joshua Meservey for a panel discussion with the delegation.

 

The recent assassination attempt against senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay and subsequent violence highlight Colombia’s deepening political polarization—a trend exacerbated by President Gustavo Petro’s divisive rhetoric and governing approach.

Petro’s confrontational approach has met significant legislative opposition, with Colombia’s Congress voting down several structural reforms. Recently, the Colombian Senate blocked Petro’s proposed national referendum on labor laws, though the president continues to pursue the measure. Meanwhile, Colombia faces mounting challenges: coca production has surged to record levels, criminal organizations have expanded their territorial control, and the country’s fiscal deficit is growing.

Enrique Peñalosa, who served two terms as mayor of Bogotá and is a pre-candidate for the country’s presidency, will join Hudson’s Daniel Batlle to examine Colombia’s political environment and discuss how to resolve the country’s legislative gridlock.

The Chinese Communist Party is using Hong Kong as a financial gateway to evade the United States’ sanctions and funnel global investment to mainland companies. Chinese firms increasingly list themselves on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, often to avoid the scrutiny required by US markets. This means that American investors may be unknowingly funding sanctioned entities or firms tied to human rights abuses. Americans could therefore face undue legal and reputational risks, especially as US-China tensions grow.

Join Hudson for an event examining new research about how Beijing exploits Hong Kong’s unique position and why economic and political developments on the island matter for US policymakers and the interests of Americans.

Americans rely on satellites for everyday needs like banking, communications, and weather assessments. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense uses space assets for command and control, navigation, and missile attack detection. The protection of space-based equipment is therefore imperative for the security of the United States and the American way of life. But Russia and China have been actively developing and deploying weapons to target US and allied assets in space.

Join Hudson Senior Fellow Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, the director of Hudson’s Keystone Defense Initiative, and Congressman Jeff Crank (R-CO), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, for a conversation about the threats to American satellites and the policies and programs necessary to defend US interests in space.

The United States will soon face two nuclear peer adversaries: the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation. But Washington designed its current nuclear modernization plan for a more benign threat environment with just one nuclear peer.

Join Senior Fellow Dr. Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, the director of Hudson’s Keystone Defense Initiative, for a discussion with Dr. Austin Long and Mr. Greg Weaver on ways the US can increase the credibility of its nuclear deterrent in a dangerous new era.

American universities have abandoned their foundational values. One visible result of this is the torrent of radical anti-American and antisemitic sentiment that has wracked campuses across the United States.

Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University, will join Hudson Senior Fellow Liel Leibovitz to discuss how faith-based education can show a better way forward for US higher learning institutions.

There has been an unprecedented surge of antisemitic incidents in the United States, including multiple terrorist attacks in the last several weeks: the murder of two Israeli embassy employees outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, and the firebombing of a peaceful anti-Hamas march in Boulder, Colorado.

This surge is a major threat to American national security. These attacks are the result of deliberate campaigns to target American citizens coordinated by America’s most dangerous adversaries.

Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East will hold a discussion to examine the current threat landscape and consider what steps Washington can take to protect America’s global security interests and ensure the safety of US citizens at home.