Economic Sanctions
Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act: What Congress Intended It to Cover
Not during the Latin American debt crisis of the 1980s, not during the 1997 Asian financial crisis that spread across the region, not during the 2008…
Economic Statecraft
Economic statecraft is the use of trade, money, and commercial rules to pursue foreign policy and security goals. Governments can penalize or reward other countries, protect sensitive technology, and guard their own economies against foreign threats. The president, Congress, and agencies such as the Treasury, Commerce, and State departments carry out these tools, and the rules reach businesses and consumers.
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The Webby-recognized AI behind our articles »
Latest in Economic Statecraft
Economic Sanctions
IEEPA: Why the Emergency Law Cannot Authorize Tariffs
In 2025, President Donald Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) for tariffs of 10 percent or more on goods from nearly every U.S.…
Foreign Investment
How CFIUS Reviews Dual-Use Technology Mergers for National Security
A small federal committee called CFIUS has the power to reshape, delay, or kill Elon Musk's $1.25 trillion merger between SpaceX and xAI based on national…
Export Controls
Export Controls Meet Commercial Space: The Regulatory Gray Zone
On February 2, 2026, Elon Musk announced a $1.25 trillion merger between SpaceX and his artificial intelligence firm xAI. The deal combines satellites that orbit Earth—heavily…
Topics in Economic Statecraft
Penalties and limits
Governments pressure other countries through Economic Sanctions and control what may be sold abroad through Export Controls.
Protecting the economy
Safeguards against outside threats appear in Foreign Investment, Economic Espionage, and Strategic Trade and Supply Chains.
All Articles on Economic Statecraft
Before AI Chips Can Be Exported, This Interagency Committee Reviews the Deal
Four days before Donald Trump took office in January 2025, an Abu Dhabi royal signed a $500 million investment agreement in a Trump family…
The Sanctions Toolkit: What Authority the U.S. Has to Pressure Warring Parties
The fighting in South Sudan's Jonglei state is "rapidly expanding," according to UN officials who briefed the international community on January 29, 2026. Over…
Why Trump’s Tariff Threat Against Countries Supplying Oil to Cuba Ended
Why a threatened tariff on Cuba's oil suppliers ended after a Supreme Court ruling, what restrictions remain, and how importers can check current duties.
How State Department Coordinates Sanctions in Response to Protest Crackdowns
On January 15, 2026, the Treasury Department announced sanctions against 18 Iranian officials and entities for their role in one of the deadliest protest…
How Presidential Tariff Authority Has Expanded Over Time
On January 12, 2026, President Donald Trump announced via social media that any country doing business with Iran would face a 25 percent tariff…
Why U.S. Navy Ships Cost So Much and Take So Long to Build
The United States Navy, the preeminent maritime force of the modern era, is trapped in a logistical and economic paradox. Despite a shipbuilding budget…
Alternative Legal Paths for Tariffs If the Supreme Court Strikes Down IEEPA Use
Oral arguments in November suggested a majority would strike down the tariffs. Officials have already mapped out Plan B through F. Losing at the…
How the U.S. Secures the Internet’s Physical Backbone Under the Ocean
In the popular imagination, the internet is a "cloud"—an ethereal, wireless network that transmits data through the air. This metaphor masks the physical reality…
Venezuela Oil Embargo: How US Sanctions Work and What They Mean for Gas Prices
On January 6, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the United States would keep the oil embargo to force Venezuela to make…
Venezuela Regime Change: The Military and Political Risks
After the January 2026 raid that captured Nicolas Maduro, the U.S. relies on oil revenue controls, sanctions waivers, and talks with Delcy Rodriguez.