"China is not an enemy". That was the title of an open letter published in the Washington Post in 2019. This article seeks to reinforce this idea in the new Trump administration, especially with its fearmongering and hawkishness towards China. It also provides more insight into the environment surrounding the discourse on China and how other actors, specifically think tanks, are amplifying this hawkishness and fearmongering that is unnecessary, unwarranted, and even dangerous.

Since World War 2, US leadership has shaped global cooperation through soft power, trade, and military alliances. Recent policy shifts, such as tariffs, reduced international engagement, and the closure of essential diplomatic institutions, have weakened that influence. Allies are reevaluating their reliance on US defense and economic relations, turning to regional alternatives. These developments reflect a possible transition to a multipolar world order and a diminishment of the US in global standing if these actions continue.

This brief examines how energy infrastructure has historically been targeted as a tool of asymmetric warfare and why Mexico’s fragile electrical system is now dangerously exposed to similar threats. With cartel violence escalating and the potential for a renewed war on drugs, the brief explores the structural vulnerabilities of Mexico’s energy infastructure, which remains underfunded and ill-equipped to withstand deliberate attacks. Given that Mexico imports roughly 60% of its natural gas from the United States, any disruption to its grid poses serious risks not only to domestic stability, but to the U.S. energy market and cross-border cooperation. Recognizing this interdependence, the brief outlines actionable solutions from physical fortification strategies modeled on Ukraine’s wartime grid defense, to financing mechanisms through the North American Development Bank (NADBank).

President Claudia Sheinbaum faces growing challenges balancing domestic security priorities with US relations under the renewed Trump administration. Inheriting AMLO's failed "hugs, not bullets" anti-cartel strategies, Sheinbaum has pursued Mexican intelligence centralization and cautious, limited cooperation with Washington. However, tensions have escalated over migration enforcement and economic policies, including new tariffs on Mexican goods and taxes on remittances. Despite reporting reduced fentanyl trafficking, Sheinbaum must continue to navigate these complex diplomatic pressures while maintaining Mexico's socioeconomic interests and as the US-Mexico relationship faces a new era.

Chinese government subsidies to the country’s industry have been among the most aggravating and contentious points in the US-China relationship over the past 15 years. To deal with the issue of China's unfair trade practices, the US has tried several approaches, including tariffing Chinese goods and creating legal hurdles to investment. By examining recent developments in the US-China trade relationship and China's internal political and economic pressures, this article attempts to explain why such US efforts are unlikely to see much success.

The Op-Ed compares Trump 2.0 to the Danish fairytale 'The Emperor's New Clothes' by examining the impact of President Trump's conduct concerning the war in Gaza and his meetings with heads of state so far.

While Ishiba's diplomatic outlook has been different than the views of his predecessors, this could be used to the advantage of the US. Ishiba has been more pro-Chinese than his predecessors and seems willing to work together with China on common issues. With US leadership in question throughout the world, and a possible Japan-US fallout looming over tariffs, now is the time to see what impact Ishiba's diplomatic strategy would have on the US' latticework strategy to unite the Indo-Pacific through a multitude of agreements between nations and whether it is possible to incorporate Ishiba's diplomacy into the US' strategy.

This article looks at the history of US interest in Greenland, focusing on the changing motives behind its strategic importance over time. Recent comments from the Trump Administration have brought a spotlight to the historic trends of involvement with Greenland, shifting as a result of geopolitical, economic, and military priorities. From resource-driven interest to strategic involvement, this paper looks at the fluctuation of interest through administrations and foreign policy doctrines. Greenland has remained an important point of interest in the region.

While protectionism has been prominent for the past couple of decades in the realm of international affairs, nations have different ways of applying it. In the instances of 7-Eleven and US Steel, these two companies have been subjected to protectionist policies from foreign companies that wish to take them over, but these processes have diverged greatly. The takeover of 7-Eleven has been a standard process which provides security and reassurance to both sides, while the takeover of US Steel has been fraught with tension and challenges that have brought strain to the Japan-US relationship.

The bromance between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi has been well documented through their compliments and the rallies they throw for each other. During Mr. Trump's first term, despite the clash over trade and tariffs, the two leaders signed security deals and Mr. Trump helped Mr. Modi out with consistent non-interference in Indian affairs. Now, President Trump returns to the White House with an unapologetically “America First” agenda. India’s role in the Quad has certainly caught his attention but so has its engagement with BRICS and its trade deficit with the US. Today, US-India relations are more uncertain than ever before.