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.

What does China's new Five-Year Plan tell us about where its economy is headed? For The Beijing Brief, Jon Czin, Kyle Chan, and Andrew Polk break down Beijing's bet on technology and innovation—and what the plan means for global trade, manufacturing, and competition. Listen to the episode 👇

"Everybody loses." That's how Elena Patel and Vanessa Williamson frame the stakes if the IRS and Postal Service can't be stabilized. From rural mail delivery to tax enforcement, both agencies provide services with no real substitute. Full conversation on The Current ⬇️

New analysis by Valerie Wirtschafter (@vwirtschafter.bsky.social): AI-generated content flagged on X has surged to record highs since the Iran conflict began. The data point to a coordinated effort to use AI as a tool of information warfare—eroding public support and sowing confusion at scale.

The World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings open today in Washington. Ahead of the week, Landry Signé spoke with IMF Executive Director Regis N'Sonde and World Bank Executive Director Harold Tavares on debt, trade fragmentation, and Africa's priorities for the meetings.

Public approval of immigration enforcement has fallen significantly over the past year—and E.J. Dionne (@ejdionne.bsky.social) argues that the political costs now facing both parties may be exactly what's needed to reopen the door to serious, comprehensive reform.

U.S. reading and math scores are near 30-year lows—but some states and cities are getting education right. Rahm Emanuel joins Jon Valant on The Current to discuss what's working in education reform and how to scale it.

The federal statistical system—the agencies producing U.S. inflation, employment, and income data—is chronically underfunded, losing staff, and facing increased political interference. New research from Brookings and partner organizations lays out the threats and what can be done.

AI may not just be disrupting jobs—it may be weakening the career pathways millions of non-degree workers use to advance economically. New research finds nearly 11M workers in key "Gateway" occupations are highly exposed, with almost half of pathways to higher-wage work at risk.

120 people die from gun violence every day in America. For The Current, Rashawn Ray, Ron Cottrell, and Taren Weaver-Smith discuss how the death of basketball star Darius Lee sparked a movement—and a practical toolkit for coaches to address gun safety and conflict de-escalation with their players.

What does Iran think it's gaining from the current conflict—and what are the implications for U.S. policy? Suzanne Maloney breaks it down on the Ezra Klein Show 🎙️

The global oil market is now facing a supply shortfall larger than the 1973 and 1979 oil crises combined—and the full impact hasn't been felt yet. Samantha Gross breaks down what the Iran conflict means for energy markets, inflation, and food prices.

From 1994 to 2023, immigrants to the U.S. generated a $14.5 trillion fiscal surplus. But with a projected shift to net-negative migration, Tara Watson looks at what a new era of declining migration could mean going forward.

What does the delayed Trump-Xi summit signal about the state of U.S.-China relations, and how does Chinese leadership read this moment? Brookings China experts unpack on the debut episode of The Beijing Brief—a new podcast going beyond the headlines on U.S.-China relations 🎧

Can investing in youth sports reduce community violence? Rashawn Ray, Hanna Love, Howard Levy, and Craig Robinson explore how basketball builds community and reduces violent conflict in neighborhoods where children are most vulnerable.

What does the recent dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon signal for the future of responsible AI? On a new episode of the TechTank podcast, Stephanie Pell and Valerie Wirtschafter unpack the implications for AI safety, government oversight, and public-sector adoption.

How will the One Big Beautiful Bill Act change Public Service Loan Forgiveness? Sarah Reber and Sarah Turner break down the program’s complex history—and what the latest policy changes mean for future borrowers and federal costs.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident"—but what did those words actually mean in 1776, and for whom? Kathryn Dunn Tenpas and Vanessa Williamson open Season 3 of Democracy in Question by tracing the radical promise of the Declaration.

As regions like Northern Virginia attract energy-intensive data centers, residents are increasingly feeling the impact through higher electricity bills. Charles Lane and Joseph W. Kane examine what policymakers and local leaders can do to protect ratepayers.

Introducing The Beijing Brief—a new podcast that goes behind the scenes in Washington and Beijing to unpack U.S.-China relations and China's political, economic, and technological ambitions. New episodes coming soon 🎙️ Learn more and subscribe: https://brook.gs/4bvsnRH

Glencora Haskins and Joseph Parilla find that from 2014–2024, U.S. economic growth was strongest where immigrant workforce shares rose—benefiting both foreign- and native-born workers. The new Metro Monitor tracks 15 indicators across 196 metro areas, focusing on immigration and regional prosperity.

20% of the world's oil supply moves through the Strait of Hormuz. With the Strait now effectively closed, Samantha Gross, Caitlin Talmadge, and Melanie W. Sisson break down the economic and security implications and what it would take to restore market confidence.

Black-owned employer businesses surpassed 200,000 for the first time in 2023—up 62% since 2017. But growth is slowing and unevenly distributed across cities and industries. New research from Andre Perry and Hannah Stephens examines what policy can do to sustain the momentum.

The Trump-Takaichi meet today has been taken over by a series of late-breaking shocks: www.brookings.edu/articles/lat...

Tomorrow at 1:30p EDT: Join us for a discussion on how changes to the federal student loan program under OBBBA will affect borrowers, their families, and institutions of higher education—featuring @repbonamici.bsky.social and Undersecretary of Education Nicholas Kent.

The IRS has lost 27% of its staff and gone through 7 commissioners in the past year. Vanessa Williamson and Ellis Chen break down what this means for taxpayers this filing season—and why the long-term risks go well beyond delayed refunds.

USPS has hit its $15B borrowing limit and holds about one month of cash. Elena Patel walks through the structural mismatch between the universal service mandate and how it's financed—and what Congress could do about it.

Two weeks into the war with Iran, the regime has taken hits—but it's holding. No major defections, a new supreme leader, and an uncertain endgame for the Trump administration. For The Current podcast, Suzanne Maloney, Mara Karlin, and Aslı Aydıntaşbaş assess the state of the conflict.

As federal gridlock persists, states are diverging into two distinct governance models. From abortion to elections, Elaine Kamarck argues that the "laboratories of democracy" are becoming a partisan patchwork, offering a national safety valve, but at a high cost to unified rights.

Introducing Uprooted: Rediscovering American History—a new series reclaiming the stories of marginalized communities being erased from our national narrative. The first cycle, focused on migration and immigration, launches end of March. Read the introduction and sign up for updates ⏬

How will AI reshape U.S. national security, workers, and infrastructure? Join us Wednesday at 11a ET for a fireside chat with Senator Mark Kelly, followed by an expert panel on AI in military and defense applications. Attend online or in person 👇

This International Women's Day, Brookings Echidna Global Scholars reflect on what it takes to move from policy commitments to lived equality—and why that requires redesigning systems, not just enduring them.

New research from Annelies Goger finds that, despite support for expanding apprenticeships in the U.S., core obstacles remain. "To scale participation, policymakers need to make structural changes—lowering the barriers without sacrificing rigor and quality," she writes.

“It is crucial for the United States to begin charting a course for the day after the fighting ends by seeking reasonable interlocutors,” writes @suzannemaloney.bsky.social. “So far, however, there is no evidence of any serious planning by the Trump administration for what comes next.”

Could Texas flip the Senate? After Talarico's primary win and Cornyn's near-upset, Bill Galston breaks down why the Lone Star State's May GOP runoff may help decide who controls the Senate in 2027.

What's next for the Iran war? For The Current, four Brookings experts discuss the evolving conflict and its implications for the country, the Middle East, and international security.