Why It Matters

Global trade tensions are boiling over and questions about the United States’ economic future are at the center of the debate. As trade experts question what comes n...

The United States has had a trade deficit, meaning we import more than we export, for the past fifty years. But recently the trade deficit has become a front-burner ...

With allies and adversaries alike impacted by new economic barriers and tariffs, the global map of U.S. trade relationships hangs in question. As the U.S. rethinks i...

Tariffs have sparked intense debate in Washington, but their consequences land far from Capitol Hill. Tariffs can shape paychecks, shift prices for consumers, and af...

Tariffs are often discussed in big, abstract terms—trade wars, economic strategy, global power struggles. But for ginseng farmers in Wisconsin, their effects are pai...

Is a trade consensus in Washington even possible? Well, it used to be. In 1989, the Washington Consensus introduced ten economic principles that championed global tr...

There was once a broad consensus in Washington that trade was a force for good—a way to connect, grow, and prosper. But today, trade has evolved into something much ...

Why It Matters is back and this time we are dedicating an entire season to talking about trade. Alongside CFR’s leading experts, we are bringing you stories from Ame...

What powers artificial intelligence (AI)? As global electricity use is surging, with unprecedented demand coming from an increase in data centers, AI’s dependence on...

Why It Matters sits down with the hosts of The World Next Week to talk about what the United States–and a closely watching world–should expect in the weeks and month...

For most of our history, the realm of international relations was dominated by nation-states. They waged wars and signed treaties through the framework of governance...

With the rise of social media, influencers around the world have increasingly taken on the role of newscaster without a traditional media organization behind them. S...

The United States national debt is rising to levels not seen since World War II. Many economists say Washington is on an unsustainable track, but no one knows when i...

The world is watching the U.S. presidential contest between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris with intense interest. Few countries are t...

West Africa is losing many of its best and brightest. Across the region, doctors, lawyers, and engineers are leaving, depriving some of the world’s youngest countrie...