Geopolitics and International Security

CSIS experts utilize deep expertise and global relationships to help policymakers in navigate the evolving challenges to U.S. global leadership. Their work examines the key political, economic, security, and societal trends shaping the future of global governance and institutions.

Photo: J Studios/Getty Images

Photo: J Studios/Getty Images

The United States and China: Still Not Number One

In December 2020, the Trustee Chair published the first iteration of Not Number One, which provided global rankings of the United States and China covering a wide array of metrics. Nearly six years later, the Trustee Chair has updated the analysis to see if any of the tables have turned.

Blog Post by Nina Gohel — September 11, 2026

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Victor Cha

Victor Cha

President, Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department and Korea Chair
Jon Alterman

Jon B. Alterman

Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy
Seth G. Jones

Seth G. Jones

President, Defense and Security Department; Harold Brown Chair
Emily Harding

Emily Harding

Vice President, Defense and Security Department; Director, Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program
Jerry McGinn

Jerry McGinn

Director, Center for the Industrial Base and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Alek Jovovic

Alek Jovovic

Deputy Director, Center for the Industrial Base and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Clayton Swope

Clayton Swope

Deputy Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Max Bergmann

Max Bergmann

Director, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and Stuart Center
Oge Onubogu

Oge Onubogu

Director and Senior Fellow, Africa Program
Andy Lim

Andy Lim

Deputy Director and Fellow, Korea Chair
Alek Jovovic

Alek Jovovic

Deputy Director, Center for the Industrial Base and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Ilaria Mazzocco

Ilaria Mazzocco

Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics
Joseph Rodgers

Joseph Rodgers

Deputy Director and Fellow, Project on Nuclear Issues
Douglas Comstock

Douglas Comstock

Fellow for Satellite Imagery Analysis and Open-Source Intelligence, iDeas Lab
Aman Thakker

Aman Thakker

Fellow, Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics

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Is the War Rewriting the World Order? | The High Top

How is the U.S.-Iran war reshaping the world's view of America? Jon Alterman and Nancy Youssef examine the war's impact on everyday life in the UAE and India, how cheap drones are changing modern warfare, and why the conflict may not have a clear end.

Event — September 11, 2026

State of Play

Is the U.S.-Philippines Alliance Really at a Historic High?

On the sidelines of the Manila Strategy Forum, Amb. John Negroponte and Greg Poling join Will to assess the strength of the U.S.-Philippines alliance, the drivers of Filipinos' positive attitudes towards the U.S., and what might threaten bilateral ties going forward.

Podcast Episode by Will Todman and Gregory B. Poling — September 11, 2026

Photo: iLab/CSIS
Russian Roulette

Where Crises Converge: Russia's Role in the Middle East

Max Bergmann is joined by Hanna Notte and Natasha Hall to map the escalation risks, assess Russia's shifting military and diplomatic footprint in Syria under the new government of Ahmed al-Sharaa, and parse what a surprise CIA visit to Moscow reveals about where this global realignment is heading.

Podcast Episode by Max Bergmann — September 11, 2026

Russian Roulette podcast logo

How Do the Latest Black Sea Attacks Affect Global Food Security?

For the first time since 2022, attacks on agricultural infrastructure and cargo vessels are limiting grain exports from Russia and Ukraine at the same time. CSIS experts examine the latest attacks, their food-security impacts, and how the Iran war is worsening the crisis.

Critical Questions by Caitlin Welsh, Emma Curtis, and Joseph Glauber — September 11, 2026

The United States and China: Still Not Number One

In December 2020, the Trustee Chair published the first iteration of Not Number One, which provided global rankings of the United States and China covering a wide array of metrics. Nearly six years later, the Trustee Chair has updated the analysis to see if any of the tables have turned.

Blog Post by Nina Gohel — September 11, 2026

Imagining an Insurgency in Post-Revolutionary Iran

What if the United States invades Iran to restore regional stability? Iran’s post-regime military strategy would rely on insurgent warfare to draw the United States into a protracted conflict, impeding U.S. efforts to achieve long-term political goals.

Commentary by Andrew Faulhaber — September 10, 2026

35 West

Will Trump’s Pressure on Canada Break the USMCA?

Chris Hernandez-Roy and Diego Marroquin Bitar are joined by State of Play host, Will Todman, to discuss if Canada can withstand U.S. pressure, what lies ahead, and what U.S.-Canada tensions mean for the future of free trade in North America.

Podcast Episode by Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Diego Marroquín Bitar, and Will Todman — September 10, 2026

CSIS 35 West