What does the Declaration of Independence mean today, 250 years later? Join us on June 30 for a conversation with professors Danielle Allen and Michael Zuckert, as well as Brookings fellows Robert Kagan, Andre Perry, and Melanie Sisson.

Two grievances lodged against King George in the Declaration of Independence—taxation without consent and trade restrictions—continue to shape U.S. policy. Listen to this episode of Democracy in Question for a conversation that draws a direct line from 1776 to today's tariff and tax decisions.

Michael O'Hanlon calls Trump's request for a no-strings-attached $350 billion in extra defense spending "bad budgeting and bad democracy."

The Iran war has pushed Israel-Palestine off the diplomatic agenda — even as Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon worsen. The lesson: ignoring structural inequities in Israel-Palestine doesn’t contain conflict. It regionalizes it. www.brookings.edu/articles/the... @brookings.edu

Today at 2 pm ET, tune in to a discussion on how America's values and identities have evolved throughout history and why they matter in today’s polarized political climate. Watch online here: www.brookings.edu/events/what-...

Donald Kohn offers a personal remembrance of Alan Greenspan—reflecting on his intellectual curiosity, his instinct for economic data, and the friendship that defined one of the most consequential partnerships in modern monetary policy. www.brookings.edu/articles/rem...

For Foresight Africa, Landry Signé sits down with Rep. Gregory Meeks—ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee—on the congressional stakes in U.S.-Africa relations, AGOA reauthorization, and building human capital for Africa's next generation.

Tensions at key maritime chokepoints—from the Strait of Hormuz to the Black and Red seas—are straining U.S. naval capacity and exposing deeper structural shifts in global trade and geopolitics. Peter Dombrowski and Bruce Jones on the limits of American sea power.

Tensions at key maritime chokepoints—from the Strait of Hormuz to the Black and Red seas—are straining U.S. naval capacity and exposing deeper structural shifts in global trade and geopolitics. Peter Dombrowski and Bruce Jones on the limits of American sea power 👇

Federal downsizing is reshaping the D.C. housing market: rents fell 1%–4% across every DMV jurisdiction last year, at a pace comparable to the pandemic. Emilia Calma, Nicholas Finio, and Tracy Hadden Loh on what local governments should do while there's still a window to act.

New research from Jon Valant, Ariell Bertrand, Rachel M. Perera, and Nicolas Zerbino examines how COVID, culture-war conflicts, and political tensions have impacted America's school boards—and how board members themselves feel about serving during this pivotal moment.

More than 100 days into the U.S.- and Israel-led war with Iran, a new series examines the long-term implications—from Strait of Hormuz energy disruptions to shifts in U.S. alliances, China's global positioning, and the domestic political fallout.

Fewer than 1 in 6 Americans say the U.S. is winning the war in Iran—and a majority say it has impacted American interests more negatively than positively. Shibley Telhami breaks down new University of Maryland polling on public assessments of the war.

Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical claims AI is not "inherently evil," but it's also "never neutral." Nicol Turner Lee, Elham Tabassi, and Valerie Wirtschafter dig into what a 42,000-word Vatican document means for AI governance, digital equity, and the tech industry's moral accountability.

Where are AI-exposed workers concentrated, and how do they vote? New research from Mark Muro, Todd Jones, and Shriya Methkupally maps the political geography of AI exposure ahead of the midterms.

The BUILD America 250 Act marks a major step toward reauthorizing the federal surface transportation program. Adie Tomer and Ben Swedberg break down what it gets right, and where it falls short, on roads, rails, transit, and more.

New research from Marcela Escobari, Ian Seyal, and Paul Beach finds the 2025 ICE enforcement surge cost 668,000 jobs across U.S. cities—including an estimated 51,000–297,000 held by American-born workers.

For years, the cost of basic necessities has outpaced incomes for many Americans—leaving over 40% of households struggling to make ends meet. The first piece in a new series, States of Affordability, maps affordability challenges by state, county, and race—and what it would take to close the gap.

What does it take to improve American education? Rashawn Ray sits down with Reps. Mark Takano and Kevin Kiley—two former teachers now serving on the House Education and Workforce Committee—for a candid conversation on AI in schools, school choice, and the path to bipartisan reform.

Military assistance is one of the most frequently used—and least understood—tools of U.S. national security. Richard Bennet and Alexander Noyes join Mara Karlin tomorrow, June 2 to discuss their new book on how America can build more effective partners.

The crisis in Gaza and the war in Iran have split the U.S. and Europe more sharply than at any point since Iraq in 2003. Philip Gordon examines what's driving the divide and whether cooperation is still possible.

Trump-backed candidates defeated incumbents Bill Cassidy, Thomas Massie, and now John Cornyn in recent Republican primaries. Elaine Kamarck explains why these wins may carry hidden costs heading into November.

"Brainstorming is the work that's fundamental to writing." Rebecca Winthrop in The New York Times on why using AI to generate ideas—not just draft text—may be narrowing creative thinking for students.

When kids use AI to complete schoolwork, they're not offloading skills they already have—they're skipping the process of developing them. Rebecca Winthrop makes the case for treating this as "cognitive stunting" and what it means for policy.

Has the U.S. lost the Iran war? Robert Kagan, Michael O'Hanlon, and Melanie Sisson assess the state of the conflict, Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz, and the options still available to Washington on the latest Current podcast episode.

Beijing and Washington walked away from the Trump-Xi summit reading very different scorecards. Ryan Hass, Patricia Kim, Kyle Chan, and Jon Czin break down what China's leadership actually heard—and what it means for the relationship going forward.

Up to 237,000 housing units could be built on underutilized postal sites—including ~117,000 in areas with the most acute supply shortages. Aaron Shroyer, Ben McAdams, and Glen Nuckolls on how USPS could turn real estate into a revenue asset while helping solve the housing crisis.

Trump's second-term tariffs are historic in scale—but their U.S. economic impact has been more muted than expected. For the BPEA podcast, Pablo Fajgelbaum and Amit Khandelwal dig into what they've accomplished, where costs have fallen, and what's ahead.

President Trump's March order targets mail-in and absentee voting—raising legal questions about who actually has authority over federal elections. Samara Angel and Jonathan Katz break down the risks of executive overreach, implementation hurdles, and potential voter disenfranchisement.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is one of the biggest energy disruptions in decades—and its full economic ripple effects are still unfolding. Adie Tomer and Samantha Gross break down what it means for American consumers and U.S. energy security 🎙️

New research reveals that more than 145,000 U.S. citizen children have been separated from their parents under the administration's immigration crackdown. Tara Watson and co-authors break down what the data show—and what policymakers must address.

Kevin Warsh is about to inherit a Federal Reserve that earns a B+ on communications—but where 75% of Fed watchers rate the threat to independence as a 4 or 5 out of 5. Sarah Ahmad and David Wessel survey what markets and academics think heading into the leadership transition.

The U.S. and China share a national security interest in preventing AI-enabled attacks from nonstate actors—even as they compete for AI dominance. @kyleichan.bsky.social and Ryan Hass make the case for practical cooperation as the Trump-Xi summit gets underway.

Congressional primaries in both parties are functioning as early referendums on intraparty power in 2026. Elaine Kamarck breaks down what's happened so far—and which May races will tell us the most.

What does Beijing really want from the war in Iran, and what does Washington want from China? Jon Czin, Ryan Hass, Suzanne Maloney, and Mara Karlin break down the U.S.-China-Iran triangle on the latest Beijing Brief.

What's at stake when Trump meets Xi in Beijing on May 14-15? Nine experts from across Brookings weigh in on AI governance, Taiwan, fentanyl, energy, and more.

What steps can the U.S. take to sharpen its strategic advantages over China? Join us next Monday, May 11 at 4:00 PM for a conversation with Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Senator Thom Tillis on Congressional policy priorities in the US-China competition.

About 1 in 5 college students receives state financial aid, but do "free college" programs actually improve outcomes? Katharine Meyer and Isabel McMullen examine which design and support features make state promise programs work.

As billions flow into border enforcement, thousands of "colonia" communities along the U.S.-Mexico border still lack safe drinking water, paved roads, and drainage. Andrik Gonzalez and Tonantzin Carmona examine why—and what it would take to change it.

A new oil shock is driving up gas prices, putting disproportionate pressure on lower-income households and car-dependent communities. Adie Tomer and Ben Swedberg examine regional impacts and what this means for transportation and energy policy.

The law governing how companies like Google, Meta, and Verizon hand over your data to law enforcement was written in 1986—before smartphones, cloud storage, or chatbots existed. Stephanie K. Pell and Richard Salgado make the case for updating it.

"This Supreme Court decision may still end up being a political victory for Republicans, but it isn’t as straightforward as it looks." Bill Galston, Elaine Kamarck, and Jordan Muchnick analyze this week's SCOTUS decision on redistricting and its ultimate electoral impacts.

For Second Chance Month, Keesha Middlemass examines how clean slate laws—passed in 13 states and D.C.—are reducing barriers to employment, housing, and economic opportunity for the 1 in 3 U.S. adults with a criminal record.

The wave of recent redistricting battles may be nearing its end, but the consequences could reshape congressional maps for years. Elaine Kamarck breaks down where things stand, from Virginia to Florida.

What happens when rural communities have the right tools and resources? A new episode of Reimagine Rural takes the conversation to the Mississippi Delta, where local leadership is driving real change in healthcare, housing, and education.

What did "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" really mean in 1776, and how has its meaning evolved since? Katie Dunn Tenpas talks with Lindsay Chervinsky, recorded at the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon.

All 56 of the nation's major metro areas saw immigration decline—and nearly all of them felt it in their population numbers. William Frey breaks down what the data mean for cities' demographic and economic futures.

The core flaw of the JCPOA wasn't the details, it was the expiration dates. Michael O'Hanlon makes the case for a permanent Iran nuclear agreement, and explains where the U.S. can afford to be flexible.

"The Iranians believe that time is on their side." Suzanne Maloney on NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday, assessing where U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations stand—and why a durable agreement remains elusive.

Small and midsized city downtowns hold real promise—but vacant parcels, idle public land, and excess parking are holding many back. Tracy Hadden Loh, Hanna Love, and Bethany Krupicka identify key challenges and offer four recommendations for downtown recovery that can apply to cities of all sizes.