US Foreign Policy
US Foreign Policy is an independent, nonpartisan publication that analyzes American diplomacy, defense policy, sanctions and trade, and congressional oversight of foreign affairs. Every briefing is sourced and cited, and the live data pool refreshes daily.
Latest Briefing
U.S. UN Dues Strategy in 2026
Peacekeeping arrears, congressional caps, and burden-sharing math are no longer accounting details. They are now shaping U.S. leverage at the United Nations.
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Foreign Aid Reset Meets Budget Reality
Washington's aid overhaul is now a congressional appropriations test, as State seeks to absorb USAID functions while lawmakers rewrite FY2026 and FY2027 funding lines.
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U.S.-Iran Sanctions Reset Hits Limits
Washington is signaling sanctions relief to secure Iran diplomacy while expanding OFAC designations, exposing legal, congressional, and enforcement limits.
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U.S.-Japan-Philippines Deterrence Test
Washington's trilateral with Tokyo and Manila moved from summit optics to alliance architecture. The next test is funding, posture, and legal durability.
Live Wire — latest foreign-policy news
Aggregated daily from public news and government RSS feeds, with attribution and links back to each source.
Last updated October 29, 2026
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How AI drones are influencing the course of the Ukraine war
Artificial intelligence is making drones faster and more capable. Russia and Ukraine both use AI-powered drones, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that AI could lead decisions on the battlefield as soon as next year.
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State ballots let voters decide on abortion, taxes, transgender restrictions
Missouri voters could ban abortion - after they just removed a ban two years ago. California voters could tax billionaires 5% of their wealth.
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These are the House races to watch in the 2026 midterm election on Nov. 3
An NPR analysis finds 70 House districts where Democrats and Republicans are each investing more than six figures in advertising during the final few days of the election, including in deep red areas.
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Support for Trump among white evangelicals has plummeted, polls reveal
Three new polls suggest that President Trump is losing ground among white evangelicals. What explains this drop — and will it affect the midterm elections?
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A Tale of Two Markets: A Dickensian Take on the Coming Years in Defense Tech
It’s a strange time for the defense technology sector. Despite the headlines of record capital, valuations, and defense budgets, there is a growing unease among investors and leadership teams. Production contracts remain as elusive as…
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Sitting Ducks or Strategic Shields: What Does the Small Reactor Promise Mean for Future Conflicts?
Amid the rapid expansion of AI and data centers alongside growing climate commitments as the demand for clean energy rises, nuclear power is increasingly viewed as a reliable source to fill the gaps and complement the stochastic output of…
Global economic indicators
Foreign-policy-relevant economic series, refreshed daily.
Last updated October 29, 2026
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Nominal Broad U.S. Dollar Index
121.3202 Index Jan 2006=100
▼ -0.03
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Trade Balance: Goods and Services, Balance of Payments Basis
-105572 Millions of Dollars
▼ -12746.00
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Crude Oil Prices: West Texas Intermediate (WTI) - Cushing, Oklahoma
103.37 Dollars per Barrel
▼ -1.88
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Imports of Goods and Services
4674.908 Billions of Dollars
▲ +306.80
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Exports of Goods and Services
3794.645 Billions of Dollars
▲ +247.32
Recent Analysis
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U.S. UN Dues Strategy in 2026
U.S. strategy at the UN now hinges on peacekeeping dues, congressional caps, and burden sharing. The diplomatic cost of arrears is rising in 2026.
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Foreign Aid Reset Meets Budget Reality
Washington's aid overhaul is now a congressional appropriations test, as State seeks to absorb USAID functions while lawmakers rewrite FY2026 and FY2027 funding lines.
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U.S.-Iran Sanctions Reset Hits Limits
Washington is signaling sanctions relief to secure Iran diplomacy while expanding OFAC designations, exposing legal, congressional, and enforcement limits.
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U.S.-Japan-Philippines Deterrence Test
Washington's trilateral with Tokyo and Manila moved from summit optics to alliance architecture. The next test is funding, posture, and legal durability.
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Intelligence Community Revises China-Taiwan Timeline, Warns of Escalating Homeland Threats
The 2026 IC report no longer projects a 2027 Taiwan invasion, but warns China, Russia, and North Korea are developing missiles that can reach U.S. soil.
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Pentagon's AUKUS Review Raises Doubts About Virginia-Class Submarine Deliveries
A Pentagon review and CRS report raise questions about whether Australia will receive Virginia-class submarines under the $240 billion AUKUS pact.
About US Foreign Policy
US Foreign Policy provides rigorous, nonpartisan analysis of American diplomacy and global strategy — State Department initiatives, defense and security policy, sanctions and trade regimes, and congressional oversight of foreign affairs. Independent site — not a government website. Displays public data with attribution to its sources.
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