ACFR News

January 2026

The American Committees on Foreign Relations (ACFR) welcomes you to this first edition of ACFR News.  A monthly update on ACFR, this report will augment the work of our Committees around the United States to promote public discourse on foreign policy.  To view ACFR President Thomas E. Garrett’s substack, Democracy in Full, follow this link.  

ACFR in 2025

The American Committees on Foreign Relations across the nation’s heartland, from Boise to Dallas, Birmingham and Tampa, brought key programs to their local communities.  Topics presented in 2025 include Iran and the Middle East, The Future of American Soft Power, Jazz Diplomacy in the Cold War, Arctic Security and Energy, The Changing Landscape of Diplomacy, Syria after Assad, China’s Global Reach, U.S.-Europe Security Relations and Ukraine, among others. More than 100 programs on national security and foreign relations are presented across America by ACFR Committees annually.

The Young Leadership Initiative (YLI) continued its mission of building a future network of foreign relations professionals with the May 2025 mission, which brought 15 exceptional student delegates from across the United States on an immersive exploration of foreign affairs in Washington, D.C. 

The ACFR 28th National Conference, “Revolution in American Foreign Policy,” brought community and business leaders from across the United States to Washington, D.C. on October 23 and 24 for dialogue with leading minds of foreign policy.      

What’s Ahead for ACFR in 2026? 

In addition to the robust speakers’ program in America’s heartland, the ACFR national organization is working towards the following activities:

The Young Leadership Initiative announced its 2026 mission will take place in Washington, D.C. June 1 to 3.  Student delegates from across the United States will undertake an immersive exploration of foreign affairs in Washington, D.C.  For more information, please contact Executive Director Michele McManus at michele.mcmanus@acfr.org. 

The ACFR 29th National Conference, "Congress and American Foreign Policy," is set for Washington, D.C., on June 3 and 4, 2026.  The National Conference will be held in conjunction with the 2026 YLI mission, scheduled for June 1 to 3, 2026.  As a positive growth step in ACFR's YLI program, the Youth Leaders will join the National Conference as attendees and panelists.

The theme of the 29th National Conference is “Congress and American Foreign Policy.” As 2025 wound down, America saw the release of the Trump Administration’s National Security Strategy alongside the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act by Congress, both key documents with very different objectives for U.S. global leadership.  Other recent actions suggest Congress may assert its influence in foreign affairs ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. This may take the form of oversight roles, decisions on issues involving countries such as Russia, Venezuela, and China, and responsibilities granted under the War Powers Act and AUMF.  The 29th National Conference will seek to address, inform, and engage our Membership on this key constitutional issue of the implementation of America's foreign affairs. Contact president@acfr.org for information.

Planning is underway for an ACFR study mission to Poland in October 2026.  Alongside Ukraine and the Baltic nations, Poland is a frontline of Western defense against Vladimir Putin’s aggressive Russia.  The study mission will visit Gdansk and Warsaw, meeting with military, diplomatic, media, and civil society leaders to assess and analyze the defense preparations of the North Atlantic community of democracies.  If you have an interest in the study mission, please contact president@acfr.org