This week, President Trump and President Xi agreed to a trade truce on the sidelines of APEC, the center-left D66 party won the most votes in the Dutch election, paramilitary forces in Sudan seized control of Darfur, and Category 5 Hurricane Melissa devastated parts of the Caribbean.

This week, President Trump terminated trade negotiations with Canada, the U.S. launched strikes on alleged drug boats in the Pacific expanding its campaign beyond the Caribbean, the Chinese Communist Party held its fourth plenum in Beijing, and President Trump imposed new sanctions on Russian oil companies.

This week, Hamas released all 20 living hostages and Israel released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of the first phase of the Gaza peace deal, President Trump spoke on the phone with President Putin and met with President Zelenskyy at the White House, protests spread across Madagascar resulting in a military coup, and President Trump authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.

This week, Israel and Hamas accepted the first phase of President Trump’s Gaza peace deal, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with President Trump at the White House, Japan's Komeito party withdrew from its 26-year alliance with the Liberal Democratic Party, and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.

This week, President Trump proposed a peace deal to end the war in Gaza, European leaders gathered in Copenhagen to discuss defense initiatives, President Trump and Secretary Hegseth assembled U.S. military leaders at Quantico, and the U.S. government shut down.

This week, the UN General Assembly met in New York; President Trump indicated a shift in his position on Ukraine by announcing he believes it can win back occupied territory; the UK, Canada, France, Australia, and others formally recognized a Palestinian state; President Trump announced new tariffs on pharmaceuticals, home goods, and heavy trucks; and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the U.S. is in talks to provide $20B in economic support to Argentina.

This week, President Trump and President Xi agreed to meet in South Korea in October, President Trump and Prime Minister Starmer signed a U.S.-UK tech deal including investments in AI and nuclear power, Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza City, and Nvidia announced a $5 billion investment in Intel.

This week, the U.S. commemorated the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Israel struck Hamas targets in Qatar, Brazil’s Supreme Court voted to convict former President Bolsonaro for orchestrating a coup d’état, and NATO countries enhanced defense measures near the Polish border after Russian drones crossed into the nation’s airspace.

This week, the U.S. military carried out a strike on a drug-carrying boat from Venezuela, President Xi Jinping hosted President Vladimir Putin and Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un in Beijing, the U.S. announced cuts to European security programs focused on Russia, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Mexico and Ecuador.

Last week, the 2025 Aspen Security Forum brought together top national security voices, experts, business leaders, and innovators from across the political spectrum and around the globe.