Emerging Issues
Emerging issues are areas where foreign policy and national security are shaped by technology, nature, and shifts in global power. They often lack long-settled rules, so governments work out responses as they go. The president, Congress, the military, and intelligence agencies work alongside allies and private companies to meet them.
An independent team explaining how government works
Referenced by Brookings, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, Pew Research, Snopes, The Hill and USA Today.
The Webby-recognized AI behind our articles »
All Articles on Emerging Issues
Critical Minerals: US Strategy to Break China’s Supply Chain Dominance
Critical minerals are the indispensable, non-fuel materials that form the bedrock of 21st-century US economic and military power. They're essential for national defense, powering…
How Government Supports the Commercial Space Industry
What was once the exclusive domain of national governments has transformed into a dynamic ecosystem of public-private partnership. Today, the roar of a rocket…
Military vs. Disinformation: How America Fights Foreign Propaganda Online
America faces a new kind of warfare. Foreign adversaries aren't just building missiles and tanks—they're weaponizing lies, exploiting the openness of democratic societies to…
The Pentagon’s Gamble: How JADC2 Aims to Revolutionize Modern Warfare
The U.S. military is betting everything on a radical transformation that could either save American dominance or create the world's most expensive vulnerability.
America’s Hypersonic Weapons Race
The United States is pouring billions into developing weapons that travel faster than anything in its current arsenal—hypersonic missiles that streak through the atmosphere…
The Pentagon’s Effort to Balance AI Power and Principles
The United States military is racing to harness artificial intelligence before its adversaries do. The Department of Defense has made AI its top technology…
The Pentagon’s Climate Strategy: How Priorities Have Changed Over Time
For years, the Pentagon has viewed climate change as a serious threat to national security. But recent leadership changes signal a potential shift in…