Hudson Institute Events Podcast

Spain was once one of Latin America’s most consequential external partners. It served as a democratic model for the region’s transitions from authoritarianism, a major investor in its economies, and a self-styled bridge between the Americas and Europe. That era of influence has given way to strategic retreat and deepening contradictions.  Under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Spain has aligned itself with the region’s leftist governments. But the corruption investigation now engulfing former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, whose mediation in Venezuela is now under legal scrutiny, has cast a shadow over a decade of Spanish diplomacy in that country. Meanwhile, Europe’s engagement with Latin America has entered a new and more urgent phase. The European Union has concluded or overhauled trade agreements with Mercosur and Mexico. So while Latin America’s strategic significance has never been higher, Spain is increasingly out of step with its European allies and with the direction of history in the region. Join Hudson as Adjunct Fellow Daniel Batlle sits down with Julio Crespo MacLennan, a historian and one of the leading scholars on Spain’s democratic transition and on Europe’s relationship with the wider world. They will discuss Madrid’s influence in Latin America, as well as what Spain’s history can teach us about the prospects for change in Cuba and Venezuela. 

The regimes of Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua have proven to be more durable than expected. The Daniel Ortega–Rosario Murillo regime in Nicaragua has intensified repression and destroyed the institutions that might constrain it, and the Cuban regime is so far not making even modest concessions, even as its economy collapses. In Venezuela, the Maduro regime has reconstituted itself under Delcy Rodriguez. How have these regimes survived, even as socialism has manifestly failed and as their citizens have fled in historic numbers? What has been missing from United States strategy? Could the Trump administration’s transactional approach yield results where decades of democracy promotion have failed? Please join Adjunct Fellow Daniel Batlle for a conversation with Elliott Abrams, whose leadership on Latin America policy stretches from his service as assistant secretary of state for inter-American affairs under President Ronald Reagan to his role as special representative for Venezuela in the first Trump administration.

Latin America is experiencing a historic energy boom. Brazil, Guyana, and Argentina are collectively positioned to supply nearly half of global crude production growth through 2030, Venezuela is reentering world markets following the fall of the Maduro regime, and Argentina’s Vaca Muerta shale formation is on the verge of transforming the country into a major liquid natural gas exporter. The disruptions to Middle Eastern supply have focused new attention on Latin America’s potential as a stable, resource-rich alternative. At the same time, Latin America’s rise as an energy powerhouse is far from assured. National oil companies in the region are burdened by debt and political interference, and governments from Bogotá to Brasília are struggling to balance the fiscal imperative of oil revenues with their commitments to a green energy transition. Whether this boom translates into greater energy security and lasting prosperity for the hemisphere will depend on the choices being made by the current governments in the region. Join Hudson Institute as Adjunct Fellow Daniel Batlle interviews Francisco Monaldi, director of the Latin American Energy Program at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and one of the foremost authorities on energy and political economy in the region, for a wide-ranging conversation on Latin America's energy future and what it means for the hemisphere and for US interests.

Not too long ago, Georgia was one of the United States’ most dependable strategic partners in the Black Sea region. Its commitment to Euro-Atlantic integration, substantial contributions to US-led missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and cooperation on counterterrorism and energy transit made Georgia central to Washington’s regional strategy. Today, however, Georgia is moving in a different direction. Led by the Georgian Dream party, the government has become more authoritarian while aligning more closely with US adversaries, particularly the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the aftermath of Operation Epic Fury, growing ties between Tbilisi and Tehran should be of particular concern to US policymakers. This activity directly threatens US national security interests in the South Caucasus, undermines Western influence, and strengthens a regime committed to exporting the ideology of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

As US adversaries escalate their investment in information warfare, the global contest for ideas has become a primary theater of great-power competition. Countering this challenge demands a public diplomacy strategy built for the speed, scale, and sophistication of the modern information environment. Please join the Hudson Institute for a conversation with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B. Rogers and Hudson Research Fellow Zineb Riboua on how the United States is adapting its public diplomacy tools to advance its interests abroad, counter censorship, promote free speech, and leverage artificial intelligence to deliver more effective, targeted messaging. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, will give opening remarks and introduce Under Secretary Rogers.

The American media landscape is undergoing rapid change. New technologies, shifting audience habits, and growing political polarization are reshaping how information is delivered, consumed, debated, and trusted. Journalists and commentators continually face renewed pressure to adapt to an increasingly fragmented environment.   Join Hudson Institute Distinguished Fellow Mike Gallagher for a fireside chat with radio host and commentator Hugh Hewitt, whose career in media and politics has spanned more than four decades. The two will discuss Hewitt’s tenure in Washington and the evolution of the American media landscape.  

Many formal climate change organizations operating in Western countries spend significant resources and policy time promoting broader anti-West narratives. While proclaiming themselves as champions of the environment, many function in practice as tools for America’s adversaries — above all the Chinese Communist Party. By coopting the climate agenda, Beijing works to weaken energy security in the West and raise productions costs, while their own country moves full steam ahead with cheaper and more reliable energy. Furthermore, climate organizations promoting anti-Western ideas and policies erode domestic cohesion, undermine energy independence, and weaken the United States diplomatically and economically. Some of the most radical have even called for eradication of the State of Israel. To examine this emerging challenge, Senior Fellow Dr. Michael Doran will convene a conversation with Research Fellow Zineb Riboua, Professor Brenda Shaffer—Research Faculty Member at the US Naval Postgraduate School and Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council—and Sam Cooper, an award-winning investigative journalist focusing on China-Canada relations. Together, they will explore how climate-linked institutions intersect with geopolitical competition with China and what this means for North American strategy moving forward.

Taiwan stands at the center of intensifying strategic competition between the United States and China—a flashpoint where uneasy peace could give way to global crisis. Xi Jinping has made “reunification” a defining goal, while longstanding deterrence strategies are being tested by rapid shifts in military, economic, and technological capabilities. Beijing is increasingly pursuing methods of coercion designed to isolate and pressure Taiwan without triggering open conflict, raising urgent questions about how to preserve stability in the region. In Defending Taiwan, Eyck Freymann offers a comprehensive strategy to deter war and sustain peace. Drawing on Chinese-language sources, military analysis, and historical insight, Freymann argues that deterrence must extend beyond traditional military power. It requires a coordinated approach that integrates economic leverage, technological leadership, and diplomatic alliances. With Jason Hsu, Freymann will discuss how the United States and its partners can adapt to China’s evolving strategy and develop a coherent plan to prevent conflict while safeguarding Taiwan’s future.

China is waging genocide against the Uyghur and other Turkic Muslims. It subjugates Falun Gong practitioners and Tibetan Buddhists and continues its decades-long campaign to suppress and control Christians, turning their churches into state propaganda organs under the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department. The CCP views religion as the last and greatest impediment to its total domination of Chinese cultural and civic life. To address these concerns, former senator Sam Brownback, who served as ambassador at large for international religious freedom in the first Trump administration, will join Senior Fellow Nina Shea to propose new policies for the US government and actions for the American public. He will draw from his book, China’s War on Faith, which is scheduled for release on May 12. Brownback and Shea will interview several survivors of CCP religious oppression, each of whom are profiled in the book, including a Buddhist high lama who was forced to flee Tibet and a Uyghur mother whose newborn son was killed by the CCP.  Former congressman Frank Wolf, who introduced the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, will also present. The legislation was key to institutionalizing religious freedom as a pillar of US foreign policy. 

Six decades after the Cuban revolution, despite a generational leadership transition, Cuba remains one of the most enduring challenges for US foreign policy. In a country where one of the few things that work is the state’s repressive machinery, the regime is keeping the Cuban people impoverished and deprived of basic freedoms. The Trump administration has been turning up the pressure on Cuba, predicting the regime's imminent collapse and imposing a sweeping blockade on oil shipments. Earlier this month, Washington sent a senior delegation to Havana for talks, warning that the regime has limited time to comply with US demands for political and economic reform. Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel has been defiant, insisting Cuba will not negotiate over its political system and urging Cubans to prepare to defend the country. Join Hudson Institute for a conversation with Frank Calzon, a veteran human rights advocate and one of the foremost authorities on Cuban civil society, as we examine the state of the island, lessons from democratic transitions elsewhere, and prospects for the Trump administration’s Cuba strategy.

After a landslide electoral victory in February and a successful trip to Washington in March, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is poised to introduce an energetic economic and security policy agenda. Recent developments, such as the conflict with Iran, have created new energy and security challenges, yet the strong US-Japan relationship remains constant. On May 6, Hudson Japan Chair Kenneth R. Weinstein will welcome Yasutoshi Nishimura, former head of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to Hudson. Minister Nishimura will give remarks concerning the prime minister's successful March visit to Washington, her economic and diplomatic policies, and how Japan is responding to energy security challenges stemming from the Middle East. After a fireside chat between Minister Nishimura and Dr. Weinstein, the event will conclude with an audience Q&A.

Romania is intimately connected to the major infrastructure corridors shaping Southeast Europe and the Black Sea region, including the Three Seas Initiative, Vertical Gas Corridor, Middle Corridor, and Neptun Deep. These initiatives are indicative of the scale of investment underway as countries in this critical region build their future in the shadow of Russia’s war against Ukraine.  Join Senior Fellow Matt Boyse and Minister of European Investments Dragoș Nicolae Pîslaru for a fireside conversation about how infrastructure investments are enhancing security and economic resilience in Romania and Southeast Europe.

The conflict between the United States, Israel, and the Islamic Republic of Iran is not over, but it is already shaping a new future for the Middle East. From commercial flows and energy exports to shifting diplomacy, the region is adjusting to Operation Epic Fury in ways that will open up new diplomatic and economic relations, enable alternative trade routes, and shuffle political relationships. What might these changes look like, and how lasting will they be? Join Hudson Institute Distinguished Fellow Mike Gallagher for a fireside chat with Jared Cohen, president of global affairs at Goldman Sachs and co-head of the Goldman Sachs Global Institute, for a discussion on the future of the Persian Gulf.

In 2020, then Secretary of State Mike Pompeo officially determined that China was committing genocide against the Uyghur and other Turkic Muslim communities. A new book, The Xinjiang Procedure, reports that, in addition to torture, gang rape, and involuntary sterilization and abortion, forced organ harvesting on an industrial scale is a heinous feature of this genocide.  For these reports about forced organ harvesting, its author Ethan Gutmann drove under cover to the Central Asian border region with China where he secretly interviewed former detainees of Xinjiang’s notorious concentration camps, where over a million, mostly Uyghurs, were detained.  China’s organ transplant sector surged over the past twenty-five years, with the critical support of Western medical transplant training, joint research, technology, grants, and fellowships. Hundreds of Chinese transplant surgeons have been trained in American medical schools despite mounting reports of China’s forced organ harvesting and a failure to verify Beijing’s claims of a solely voluntary organ donor supply. To curb this, last year the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed HR 1503, the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act, which is now awaiting Senate consideration. Join Nina Shea in a discussion with Ethan Gutmannand Congressman Chris Smith, the author of the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting bill. 

Foreign-controlled telecommunications infrastructure and vulnerable global supply chains pose growing risks to the integrity and security of US communications networks. The Federal Communications Commission has taken steps to address these challenges over the past year. Efforts have focused on rooting out non-compliant overseas “bad labs” from the FCC’s equipment authorization program, accelerating the buildout of submarine cable systems, and mitigating risk from high-risk foreign components. Marking the one-year anniversary of this initiative, this event will highlight the FCC’s progress and examine next steps to secure communications supply chains and mitigate emerging risks. Experts and policymakers will discuss how to close regulatory gaps, improve compliance, and build more resilient and trusted infrastructure.

Policymakers and business leaders are looking for signals about where the broader economy is headed as the US economy navigates rapid technological change, geopolitical risks, and a monetary outlook shaped by tensions between inflation and a cooling labor market. From the Trump administration’s efforts to reindustrialize key sectors of the American economy and reshape trade relationships to persistent pressures in housing and stubborn mortgage rates, the current outlook is also underscored by an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment. Please join Acting Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers Pierre Yared for a conversation with Senior Fellow Tom Duesterberg on the first year of the Trump administration’s economic agenda and the key factors shaping the US economy’s outlook.

“The year 2025 will be remembered as the year of the tariff,” wrote Ambassador Jamieson Greer, the United States trade representative, in a Financial Times op-ed at the end of last year. In its first year back in office, the Trump administration wielded tariffs to strike new trade deals at negotiating tables around the world. Representatives from the White House made stops in Geneva, Madrid, London, Kuala Lumpur, and Busan—and that was just for talks with the People’s Republic of China. The US also sought new terms with numerous friendly nations, culminating in the Turnberry Agreement between the United States and the European Union and including framework deals with key allies Japan, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Korea. In the new year, trade remains at or near the top of the White House’s international agenda, from ongoing regulatory disputes with Europe to the impending review of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) and negotiations between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. The Supreme Court’s ruling on the use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act has injected yet another complicating dynamic into trade discussions. If 2025 was the year of the tariff, what will 2026 be known as? The National Security Strategy argues that rebalancing global trade relationships also means “consolidating our alliance system into an economic group.” How does the administration intend to pursue this objective? Please join Ambassador Greer for a fireside chat with Senior Fellow Peter Rough on what’s next for US trade policy.

Nearly three months after Nicolás Maduro's capture, Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodríguez is consolidating her grip on power. In a sweeping shakeup, she replaced nearly half of her cabinet and all senior military commanders, including replacing defense minister Vladimir Padrino López with Gustavo González López, who has been sanctioned by the US for his past role in repression. Of Maduro's original inner circle, only three remain in the regime. Over 500 political prisoners are still behind bars, and a new amnesty law has proven to be very selective. Yet Rodríguez faces a potential new source of internal pressure, with labor groups protesting frozen wages and pensions. In the meantime, as the Trump administration pursues its phased transition strategy, it is deepening its partnership with the Rodríguez government. In recent weeks, the US formally recognized Rodríguez as Venezuela's sole leader, expanded sanctions relief beyond oil and gas to include the mining sector, and downgraded the State Department's travel advisory. Join Hudson Institute for a discussion with former US Ambassador to Venezuela James Story to examine developments in Venezuela and prospects for Washington’s strategy.  

After years of subsidized, debt-driven growth and centrally directed economic policy, China is now mired in a slowing economy relying on massive exports to sustain stability. The nation faces growing debt problems, a faltering social safety net, failing productivity growth, and increasing foreign resistance to its heavily subsidized mercantilist model. Will China lapse into a Japan-like spiral of stagnation and financial instability? Does the United States now have an opportunity to push back against Chinese efforts to win the global technology race and undermine its economic and political leadership? Join Hudson Institute for a panel that will discuss Dr. Duesterberg’s new report on the Chinese economic model and how policymakers should consider its vulnerabilities when formulating strategy to counter Beijing’s practices.

For decades, Europe developed along an east-west axis while the north-south spine of the continent remained underleveraged, its energy networks fragmented and its transit corridors incomplete. Russia's invasion of Ukraine changed the calculus. In the aftermath, Europe can no longer treat connectivity as a secondary concern. The Three Seas Initiative, linking twelve European Union member states from the Baltic to the Adriatic to the Black Sea, has emerged as one of the most serious efforts to close that gap through targeted investment in energy, transport, and digital infrastructure across Central and Eastern Europe. Whether the initiative can fulfill its promise depends on political will, sustained capital, and transatlantic coordination at a moment when American engagement with Europe is being questioned. Please join Ambassador Romana Vlahutin and Research Fellow Zineb Riboua for a conversation on the Three Seas Initiative and its role in shaping Europe's new geography of power.

Congressman Michael Baumgartner (R-WA) will join Michael Doran, Director of Hudson’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, for a timely discussion about the evolving situation in Iran. Congressman Baumgartner brings a distinctive perspective shaped by his professional experience in the Middle East, where he worked on economic development and governance initiatives in complex and often volatile environments. His firsthand insight into the region’s political and security dynamics will inform a grounded assessment of current U.S. strategy. Together, Congressman Baumgartner, member of the Republican Policy Committee, and Doran will examine the objectives and risks of Operation Epic Fury, the broader regional implications, and the policy choices facing Washington in the weeks ahead.

The United States and Israel’s campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran marks a pivotal moment for the Middle East, with consequences that will shape the region’s future security landscape. As Washington counters Iran’s asymmetric missile and drone capabilities, Senator Joni Ernst (R‑IA)—Chairwoman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities and Co‑Chair of the Abraham Accords Caucus—has advanced key legislation, including the DEFEND and MARITIME Acts, to strengthen US and partner defenses against exactly these threats. Hudson Institute invites you to join Senator Ernst for a conversation with Senior Fellow Peter Rough, Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia, on Operation Epic Fury, the trajectory of US policy in the Middle East, and how today’s conflict is reshaping modern warfare and strategy. This event is co‑sponsored with The Bastion Institute, where Senator Ernst serves as honorary chair and Peter Rough serves on the board.

The United States–Zimbabwe relationship has been strained for decades, in part due to the government’s violent farm invasion campaign that began in earnest in 2000. Harare’s refusal to compensate most of the farmers whose land was taken is still a significant barrier to improving the bilateral relationship. Join Senior Fellow Joshua Meservey as he hosts a panel of experts to discuss the history of land expropriation in Zimbabwe, the status of the land compensation agenda, and how policymakers can rectify an issue that bedevils US-Zimbabwe relations.

Since the onset of Operation Epic Fury, Europe’s response has been cautious and divided, revealing real strain within the transatlantic alliance. While leaders in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Southern Europe have ruled out direct military participation—insisting this is “not our war”—others, including Spain and Greece, have declined to support U.S. operations altogether. The result is a Europe aligned with Washington’s concerns about Iran, but hesitant to fully commit. Is this a temporary divergence, or the beginning of a deeper realignment? To explore this question, former Czech Ambassador to Israel and national security advisor, now a nonresident senior fellow with Hudson Institute's Center on Europe and Eurasia Tomáš Pojar joins Michael Doran, Director of Hudson’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, for a timely conversation on Europe’s strategic posture, alliance cohesion, and the future of Western coordination in the region.

For over a year, the Republic of Moldova has advanced economic reforms to improve the country’s business environment and attract investment. The government prioritized deregulation and digitalized public services, while also helping businesses access finance. Key sectors, such as electrical equipment manufacturing and agriculture, received government support, and service exports, particularly in information technology, expanded rapidly. Meanwhile, Moldova is cooperating with international partners to diversify supply chains and position itself as a reliable hub for logistics, energy, and digital infrastructure. These efforts will allow the country to support regional stability and assist with Ukraine’s future reconstruction.  Join Hudson as Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Eugen Osmochescu speaks on these and other issues.

As President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping prepare to meet in April, striking a favorable trade deal is top of mind. But trade shouldn’t be the only priority. China currently imprisons several political prisoners who are important to the United States government—including Chinese Christian Pastor Ezra Jin, Uyghur doctor Gulshan Abbas, Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, and many others. Several of these prisoners have family members who are American citizens and want to be reunited. Ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting, Washington needs to call for the unequivocal release and safe return of political prisoners. Join us at Hudson Institute to discuss how advocates, lawmakers, and the US government can prioritize the release of political prisoners across China.

Starting 20 years ago, the religious group Falun Gong began exposing how China harvests organs from persecuted groups. Today evidence shows that the Chinese Communist Party has harvested organs from living prisoners of conscience through a state-run system that includes the security services, military hospitals, and civilian transplant centers. Join Nina Shea for a discussion with Jan Jekielek, author of the new book Killed to Order, about this modern atrocity. They will focus on how and why China has allowed the horror of forced organ harvesting to flourish, and what decades of rigorous research have uncovered. The conversation will also address how global supply chains and medical institutions have been complicit. Shea and Jekielek will then offer policy recommendations.

As the United States and Israel continue to strike Iran, the strategic landscape in the Middle East is shifting rapidly. In this conversation, Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East Senior Fellows Michael Doran and Can Kasapoğlu will discuss the evolving military situation in Iran and the wider region. Kasapoğlu will assess how Iranian forces are responding to the strikes, the role of the IRGC in a potential post-Khamenei order, and what indicators analysts should watch in the coming weeks. The discussion will also explore the sustainability of Iran’s missile and drone campaigns, the limits of air-defense systems, and the strategic choices facing the United States and its allies as the conflict unfolds. Join us for a timely military briefing on one of the most consequential crises shaping the future of the Middle East

The American industrial base once underwrote the nation's victory. Builders and workers rallied to win World War II. For most of the twentieth century, great American companies from General Mills to Chrysler had defense businesses that sent mankind into space and won the Cold War. But the forges fell silent, and the furnaces went dark. China took the lead in manufacturing. And the relationship between America’s innovators and its warfighters deteriorated—until now. Hudson Trustee and Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar’s new book, Mobilize, spotlights this undeclared state of emergency and the bold reformers in government and industry who are taking action to respond. With Walter Russell Mead, Sankar will discuss his strategy to resurrect the American industrial base, win the twenty-first-century defense technology race, and prevent World War III.

Naval and commercial shipbuilding, maintenance, and shipping are crucial to the national security and economic prosperity of the United States and Japan. Both countries have rich naval and commercial maritime traditions, but such legacies have faced challenges in recent years. In response, Washington and Tokyo have established initiatives to strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation. On March 10, Hudson Japan Chair will host a public discussion bringing together experts and practitioners to address US-Japan cooperation on these maritime issues. Experts will focus on how the two countries can strengthen their naval maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) activities; scale shipbuilding capacity; and address the needs of shipping companies and end-users. Join Hudson for a discussion highlighting each nation's approach to these common challenges, as well as how US-Japan collaboration should best proceed.

Supply chains have been central to the second Trump administration’s foreign and national security policy platforms. As global security deteriorates, policymakers need to act quickly to ensure American manufacturers can access materials that are vital for national defense and economic resilience. At the heart of this effort is the United States government’s drive, in collaboration with private industry, to develop domestic critical mineral supply chains. China’s near monopoly on critical mineral processing gives Beijing the ability to influence trade negotiations and exercise economic coercion. Through these unfair trade practices, China seeks to further weaken America’s vital industries and security interests. Join Distinguished Fellow Mike Gallagher and Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA) for a discussion on the congressman’s recently introduced Securing Essential and Critical US Resources and Elements (SECURE Minerals) Actand Congress’s role in securing America’s economic security.

The end of Nicolás Maduro’s rule marked a historic turning point for Venezuela. But transitions do not secure themselves. Authoritarian systems often attempt to survive through controlled reform and partial concessions. Venezuela’s interim authorities have introduced initial measures, including an amnesty law and economic adjustments. Yet a genuine democratic transition requires structural guarantees: the full release of political prisoners, the dismantling of repression, the reopening of civic space, the safe return of political exiles, and the establishment of a new, independent electoral authority capable of organizing free and fair general elections. Please join Leopoldo López, who will outline the strategic roadmap for consolidating democratic change and explain why sustained clarity, leverage, and principled leadership from the United States remain essential to preventing backsliding and securing a stable, sovereign, and democratic Venezuela.

More than three years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has sought to offset Western sanctions and isolation by deepening ties with China and expanding relationships with partners such as North Korea and Iran. Beijing, meanwhile, views cooperation with Russia as a strategic asset in its competition with the United States and its allies across Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Though the Sino-Russian partnership is asymmetric, increasingly coordinated military, energy, economic, and information cooperation is reshaping the security environment. Hudson will host an event featuring representatives from the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) and the Alliance Futures Initiative (TAFI) to assess the scope and implications of Sino-Russian cooperation across military and nonmilitary domains, examine shared and diverging threat perceptions, and discuss how these trends should inform national and collective defense planning. The discussion will also identify practical policy options for allies in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, including closer coordination between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Indo-Pacific security frameworks.

Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East will host Sir Liam Fox for a conversation on the evolving geopolitical landscape in the Middle East. Drawing on his experience as the United Kingdom’s secretary of state for defense and international trade and his leadership in advancing regional normalization efforts, Sir Liam will offer insights into the future of regional security, the strategic implications of the Abraham Accords, and the expanding diplomatic and economic ties between Morocco and Israel. The discussion will also explore how trade, diplomacy, and strategic cooperation can shape a more stable and integrated Middle East.

Africa’s most populous country unexpectedly found itself in President Donald Trump’s sights this past autumn. The president designated Nigeria a country of particular concern for alleged religious freedom violations and warned of possible United States military intervention to protect Nigerian Christians. But what appeared to be a tense diplomatic standoff quickly led to discussions of a new security partnership that has so far seen a US airstrike on jihadists and now the deployment of US military trainers to Nigeria. Will this security cooperation be the new normal for US-Nigeria relations, or will Trump escalate his diplomatic and economic pressure? If cooperation continues, what risks will US and Nigerian policymakers need to navigate? And will this partnership help ordinary Nigerians? Join Hudson for a panel discussion on these questions and more.

The alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States remains the cornerstone of transatlantic security. But regulatory and trade frictions, differing approaches to China, and divergent views on migration have strained this vital relationship. In his “Iron Curtain” address 80 years ago, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill warned of the threat that Soviet domination of Eastern Europe posed to the rest of the world. Today, the world’s free nations once again face a profound danger, this time from a coalescing authoritarian axis. The United Kingdom and United States need to stand firmly together to meet this joint challenge. UK Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs the Rt. Hon. Priti Patel, MP, will join Hudson for a speech and conversation on the future of the special relationship and what the adoption of a Conservative foreign policy would mean for Britain and the transatlantic alliance.

On August 8, 2025, President Donald Trump hosted Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House for a historic peace summit, the first trilateral meeting of its kind since the end of the Cold War. The two leaders initialed a peace agreement, signed a joint declaration affirming their commitment to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity, and announced the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a United States–developed transit corridor that will connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia while anchoring American investment and presence in the region for decades to come. Vice President JD Vance’s recent visit to both countries underscores what the White House values in this new chapter: deepening its strategic partnership with Azerbaijan, advancing peaceful nuclear and semiconductor cooperation with Armenia, and ensuring that this hard-won peace endures. Join Hudson for a conversation with officials who have been at the center of these efforts, financial experts, and leading regional analysts on what the deal achieved, what comes next, and why sustained US engagement in the South Caucasus matters.

On February 12, officials from the United States and Taiwan signed the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), a trade deal that “reflects both sides’ ambition to increase bilateral investment and commercial opportunities.” The deal removes significant tariff and non-tariff barriers, accelerates bilateral trade through an increase of sales of US goods to Taiwan, and expands on an investment deal announced a month ago in which Taipei committed to funding and financing up to $500 billion in new investment in the United States. Join Hudson for an expert panel on why these deals are so important for both nations, what they mean for the future of US supply chains, and what potential challenges remain for implementing these deals.

The Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East will host a fireside chat between Israeli Minister of Economic Affairs Noach Hacker and Dr. Michael Doran. They will examine the economic foundations of the United States–Israel partnership and its growing importance to American prosperity and competitiveness. Expanding on Hudson’s recent policy memo on US-Israel economic cooperation, the discussion will also explore Israel’s technical edge and how collaboration in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and other emerging technologies delivers tangible returns for the United States.

For decades the United States’ partnership with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) has been a crucial component of American policy in the Middle East. Today the Middle East holds unprecedented economic opportunities for the US and its regional allies. But the region is also wracked by potential conflicts—especially tensions between the United States and Iran and a fragile truce in eastern Syria. Against this uncertain backdrop, Iraqis are immersed in a complicated, high-stakes government formation process in both Baghdad and Erbil. How will these dynamics shape the future of the US-KRI partnership? What are the most significant opportunities for this partnership? And what do policymakers need to do to mitigate risks to US-KRI mutual interests?Join Hudson for a deep dive into these topics with Interior Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government His Excellency Rebar Ahmed, one of the region’s most experienced and respected statesmen. Senior Fellow Joel Rayburn will host Minister Ahmed for a fireside chat followed by audience Q&A.

On February 5, 2026, the United States’ last bilateral nuclear arms control agreement with Russia, the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), expired after 14 years. Russia had been violating the terms of the agreement since 2023.Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently reaffirmed President Donald Trump’s commitment that “future arms control must address not one, but both nuclear peer arsenals.” Rubio also said that even as the United States remains open to diplomacy, it will maintain a “robust, credible, and modernized nuclear deterrent.”Join Senior Fellow Dr. Rebeccah Heinrichs and Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Dr. Christopher Yeaw for a discussion on the administration’s priorities for arms control, nonproliferation, and strategic deterrence in an era of complex nuclear threats.

Nuclear fusion has held the secret to nearly limitless clean energy since its discovery almost a century ago. Yet scientists around the world, particularly in the United States and China, are only now getting close to making this method of energy generation a reality. Rising US-China competition has further accelerated research and development in this now-critical economic and security technology.To examine the future of fusion and its geopolitical implications, Hudson will host a two-part event. The first expert panel will focus on fusion and its relationship to the US nuclear deterrent. The second panel will examine how supply chains and the US industrial base can best facilitate fusion deployment.

The first Trump administration warned Americans that depending on foreign manufacturing had eroded the United States’ industrial base over the previous 30 years. Both parties now recognize the danger of US supply chains relying on China—a dependence that includes common consumer goods and extends to critical inputs for US military systems. Fortunately, the second Trump administration is continuing to rebuild the US defense industrial base and restore American manufacturing. The Department of War is a primary driver of this effort.Join Hudson for a conversation with Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy Michael Cadenazzi, who leads the DoW’s efforts to develop and maintain the US defense industrial base to secure critical national security supply chains. Assistant Secretary Cadenazzi will give remarks on the department’s new initiatives and priorities, then sit down for a fireside chat with Senior Fellow Nadia Schadlow. The event will conclude with audience Q&A.

Hudson welcomes French Army Chief of Staff General Pierre Schill, one of Europe’s most senior military leaders, for a discussion on the evolving strategic environment and the French Army’s transformation in a rapidly changing world.General Schill will discuss:How new dynamics are shaping France’s evolving strategic concept and defense postureThe French Army’s role as a global military force, deployed in support of national interests, allied commitments, and international securityHow operational experience feeds directly into force adaptation and readinessThe ongoing transformation of land forces, including the integration of emerging technologies and artificial intelligenceThe human dimensions of military effectiveness—recruitment, training, leadership development, and cohesionAdditionally, drawing on his most recent book Command : Insight from the French Army, General Schill will reflect on the future of land warfare and commanding by intent, with an emphasis on the importance of trust, initiative, and decentralized decision-making in modern warfare.This event will conclude with a Q&A session, offering the audience an opportunity to engage with a European and French perspective on the strategic, operational, and human challenges shaping the future of land warfare.

President Donald Trump has opened his second term with several major foreign policy moves: targeted strikes on Iran’s nuclear program, sweeping trade negotiations and tariff regimes, a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Busan, and a landmark North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in The Hague. All these underscore the president’s emphasis on proactive diplomacy, peace talks, and conflict resolution—exemplified by his achievement of an Israel-Hamas ceasefire framework.The National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy both outline the administration’s approach of “flexible realism” and prioritize the Western Hemisphere and Indo-Pacific.In January 2026 alone, the Trump administration has continued its rapid pace of foreign policy with the removal of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, a major trade and investment deal with Taiwan, and renewed focus on the emerging Arctic security competition.Join Senior Fellow Rebeccah Heinrichs and Congressman Pat Fallon (R-TX) for a discussion on the Trump administration’s first year of foreign policy and the risks and opportunities ahead.

Transatlantic relations are seemingly going through a period of recalibration following the World Economic Forum in Davos and amid ongoing talks about the future of Greenlandic security. Across North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) capitals, debates are swirling about the future of Europe’s relationship with the United States.Yet it remains as true today as it has for decades that a strong Europe is America’s best partner. Now, steadfast allies like Romania have a chance to chart Europe’s course toward a new economic, diplomatic, and military relationship with the US.To that end, Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu will visit Washington to participate in the first critical minerals ministerial, convened by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Please join her as she returns to Hudson for a fireside chat with Center on Europe and Eurasia Director Peter Rough to take stock of the past year and anticipate what might lie ahead.

The Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East will host a conversation with Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the United States special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism. With Senior Fellow Michael Doran, the ambassador will discuss the Trump administration’s record in confronting the rise of antisemitism, including key achievements, ongoing priorities, and remaining challenges. Additionally, they will explore the importance of combating antisemitism for American efforts to support democratic resilience and manage the US alliance system.

On December 12, 2025, Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg and representatives from Japan, the State of Israel, Australia, the Republic of Singapore, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland signed a declaration to mark the beginning of Pax Silica—a United States–led strategic initiative to build the secure, prosperous, and innovation-driven silicon supply chain essential for the future of artificial intelligence (AI). The State of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates joined the initiative as the eighth and ninth Pax Silica signatories, with others expected to follow. Their accession marks a significant milestone in the Trump administration’s economic statecraft strategy and signals a fast-expanding geopolitical consensus that economic security and national security are now inextricable.As AI continues to transform global economics, politics, and security at an unprecedented pace, Under Secretary Helberg inaugurated Pax Silica based on the fundamental premise that the world’s most prosperous and secure countries will be those that prioritize resilient supply chains, trusted technologies, and strategic infrastructure as indispensable aspects of national power and economic growth.Please join Under Secretary Helberg and Hudson Executive Vice President Joel Scanlon for a discussion on the Pax Silica initiative, America’s strategy to win the global AI race, and the new geopolitical imperatives of economic security and technology.

Hudson will host Federal Communications Commissioner Olivia Trusty for an address on the national security importance of America’s communications infrastructure. She will discuss how geopolitical competition and evolving physical and cyber threats are reshaping communications networks into critical strategic assets. She will also outline the FCC’s role in promoting network reliability, resilience, and continuity of service. Finally, she will emphasize cybersecurity as a shared responsibility and highlight priorities for strengthening the United States’ leadership through modernized, secure, and resilient communications systems.

In an increasingly dangerous geopolitical environment, a bipartisan consensus has emerged that the United States needs to reindustrialize. This is a welcome realization, but it raises a major question: What institutions and tools can Washington use to ensure that America can produce components, weapons, and equipment quickly and at scale? To incentivize growth in the defense industrial sector, the Department of War has created the Office of Strategic Capital and begun to identify useful authorities related to the Defense Production Act. It is also exploring other financial tools and modalities that could help restore US industrial independence. Join Senior Fellow Nadia Schadlow and an expert panel for a discussion on the DoW’s financial tools, the extent of the department’s authorities, and the role it will play in the broader American reindustrialization effort.