Counterterrorism in the COVID-19 Era, Trump's Vision of the Suburbs, and More

August 22, 2020

The pandemic offers new opportunities for terrorists and poses distinct challenges for the governments that seek to combat them. Daniel Byman and Andrew Amunson explain how strapped budgets, new national security priorities, and changing terrorist operations will affect counterterrorism efforts.

Trump is clinging to an outdated vision of America's suburbs

In a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, President Trump and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson vowed to protect America's suburbs. But the single-family residential neighborhoods they refer to have already excelled at protecting themselves through exclusionary zoning. Instead of focusing on dismantling fair housing regulations, Elizabeth Kneebone says the administration should turn their attention to the places and people that actually need help.

Emergency rulemaking in response to COVID-19

Emergency rulemaking is an important and highly publicized part of President Trump's response to COVID-19. Have the administration's emergency rules been used to address the crisis or have they been put in place to further unrelated policy goals? A new report from Connor Raso explores.

Must-listen podcasts

The 19th Amendment at 100. In a special edition of the Brookings Cafeteria podcast, women from across the institution share their thoughts on the 100 year anniversary of the 19th Amendment's ratification and the current state of gender equality in America.

The evolution of the U.S. vice president. Elections expert Elaine Kamarck discusses how the role of the vice president has changed over the years and weighs in on Joe Biden's selection of Kamala Harris as his running mate in the 2020 election.

The United Nations and Iran. The UN Security Council recently voted down a resolution, offered by the United States, to indefinitely extend a conventional arms embargo on Iran set to expire in October. On the Lawfare Podcast, Margaret Taylor, Scott Anderson, and Richard Gowan talk through the legal and political issues surrounding this decision and predict what may come next.

A note on the Brookings response to COVID-19:

The Brookings Institution campus in Washington, D.C. will be closed through at least January 4, 2021. For more information, read our full guidance here. As Brookings experts continue to assess the global impacts of COVID-19, read the latest analysis and policy recommendations at our coronavirus page or stay up to date with our coronavirus newsletter.

The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars.

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