Council on Foreign Relations

President Donald Trump has a “transactional view about the U.S. role in the world and U.S. actions,” says Jim Steinberg, dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS, in conversation with The Spillover host Rebecca Patterson. Steinberg and Patterson examine Trump’s approach to foreign policy through the lens of the current U.S.-Russia relationship.

"Control of Congress is up for grabs. Democrats need to pick up three seats in the House or four in the Senate to return Washington to divided government," writes expert @JamesMLindsay. "If Democrats do win control of the House, or both the House and Senate, they will gain greater say over domestic and foreign policy." Heading to the polls next week, voters are more worried about how President Trump’s foreign policy choices are driving up the cost of living than about the policies themselves, Lindsay argues. Read his analysis: cfr.org/articles/for-midterm…

On November 3, voters in the United States head to the polls to cast their ballots in the midterm elections. Economic worries typically dominate midterm elections, and 2026 is no different. The affordability question, which directly ties to the economy and direction of the country, appears to be the core issue driving voter sentiment. What is notable this year is how 4 foreign policy issues have affected those economic issues. CFR experts break down how the Iran war, U.S. trade policy, AI, and immigration could be shaping voters’ perceptions of the economy and the United States’ role in the world.

With historic shifts unfolding around the world and closer to home, the United States’ approach to its own region is “ripe for re-imagining,” writes expert @RebeccaLissner: cfr.org/articles/what-is-the… CFR’s Future of American Strategy Initiative asked 6 leading experts one question: what comes next for U.S. strategy in the Western Hemisphere?

President Trump’s trade war with Canada assumed economic size would translate into bargaining power. Ottawa’s refusal to back down, and the strain the tariffs are putting on U.S. border states ahead of the midterms, are opening cracks in the administration’s approach, argues expert @edwardalden. "With Republicans facing tough midterm election races in northern border states that are heavily dependent on trade with Canada, it is the United States that now appears to be backing down by lifting tariffs that are causing too much economic harm. Other countries that will face at least another two years of Trump’s trade bullying, regardless of the midterm outcomes, have much to learn from Canada’s response," he writes. "Most of the major economies, from Europe to Japan and South Korea, have cut deals with the United States to accept higher tariffs in exchange for some trade peace. Canada stands alone in resisting U.S. demands. But so far, it seems to be standing tall."

Massive protests have swept across France since mid-September, with more planned this weekend, as students have rallied against the country’s education system and rising living costs. French authorities have responded with security crackdowns, curfews, and mass arrests when clashes grew particularly heated. The scenes of chaos appear to be helping the far right, says expert @m2matthijs.