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The United States is locked in a multi-front confrontation with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, marked by sanctions, military strikes, and diplomatic standoffs, while trade tensions with Canada escalate and domestic political and social strains surface.
Editorially curated conflicts and rivalries United States is party to. Open a panel to see the specific friction points inside it.
The Arctic is disputed as melting ice opens new waters, seabed and shipping routes. Russia claims sovereignty over its northern coast and the Northern Sea Route, while NATO states and the European Union build up patrols and defences. China seeks a commercial and scientific presence, and the United States pushes for control of Greenland.
The United States and Cuba have been in conflict for decades. Washington uses sanctions and military pressure to push for an end to one-party rule, while Havana defends its sovereignty and socialist system and seeks outside support. The dispute remains unresolved.
The United States and its European allies disagree over trade, defence spending and the terms of their security alliance. Washington presses Europe to pay more and accept tariffs; Europe pushes back and builds its own defence and digital rules. The dispute tests whether their long alliance still holds.
Outside powers compete for influence in Latin America. The United States, China and the European Union seek trade terms, resources and strategic ports, while Latin American governments weigh closer ties with each. What is at stake is who sets the terms of trade and controls key assets across the region.
Haiti's government has lost control of much of the capital to armed groups, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. State institutions and their international backers are trying to restore authority and hold elections, while the armed groups and their allies demand the acting prime minister's removal and an end to foreign involvement.
The Horn of Africa is shaped by disputes over Somaliland's claim to independence, the unresolved border and sea access quarrel between Ethiopia and its neighbours, and the rebuilding of the Somali state. Somalia and its allies oppose Somaliland's recognition, while Somaliland and its partners seek it. Al-Shabaab fights for an Islamic emirate.
Iran and the United States, with Israel, are in an armed confrontation over Iran's nuclear programme, its government and the Strait of Hormuz. Gulf Arab states are drawn in as they try to protect their coasts and shipping. The fighting has spread across the region.
Israel, Iran and allied armed groups are fighting over influence and security in the Middle East. Israel says it is defending itself against groups it considers existential threats. Iran and the groups aligned with it say they are resisting Israeli military power and occupation. Palestinians seek an end to occupation and a state of their own.
North Korea and South Korea remain divided, each claiming to be the legitimate government of all Korea. The United States backs the South, while China and Russia support the North. Talks over the North's nuclear weapons and a formal end to the conflict have stalled.
Russia and European states are in conflict over security in Europe. Russia wants NATO to stop expanding and to recognize its claims in Ukraine and its security interests. NATO and the European Union want to deter Russia, support Ukraine, and protect their own territory.
Russia and Ukraine are at war. Russia controls parts of Ukraine's territory and demands Ukraine stay out of NATO. Ukraine wants its territory back and security guarantees. The United States and European countries back Ukraine and pressure Russia. Talks continue while the fighting goes on.
The South Caucasus is contested ground. Armenia and Azerbaijan dispute Nagorno-Karabakh and their shared border, while Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia remain unresolved. Russia, Turkey, Iran and Western powers compete for influence over the region's states, their alliances and their trade routes.
Several states claim overlapping rights to islands and waters in the South China Sea. China claims most of the sea; the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan claim parts of it. Outside states, including the United States, take positions on the dispute.
Syria's government, installed after the Assad family's rule ended, is trying to extend its authority across the whole country while foreign powers pursue their own aims on Syrian soil. Israel, Turkey and the Kurdish-led administration in the northeast each press competing demands over territory, security and political rights.
Taiwan is governed separately from mainland China, and Beijing says the island is part of its territory and has not ruled out force to bring it under its control. Taipei rejects that claim and governs itself. The United States and Japan are involved in the security side without formal diplomatic ties to Taipei.
Turkey's place in its alliances is contested. It joined NATO in 1952, and since 2003 its government has acted on its own in the region, clashing with the United States and Israel over Syria and the Palestinians while the European Union seeks cooperation on migration and defence. What Turkey may do without its allies' consent is the dispute.
The dispute concerns the powers, staffing and rules of United States federal institutions, and how those institutions treat people inside the country. The executive branch, the courts and Congress, and the political opposition, states and civil society are the main sides.
The United States and Canada are in dispute over trade, borders and political influence. Washington is pressing for concessions on commerce and border rules, while Ottawa defends its sovereignty and seeks to reduce its dependence on its southern neighbour. The two countries are close allies and deeply linked economically.
The United States and China are in dispute over trade, technology, and economic influence. Washington seeks to limit China's access to advanced semiconductors and to protect its own industries and security. Beijing defends its measures as lawful and pursues technological self-reliance. Other governments and companies are drawn into the rivalry.
The United States and India disagree over trade and over India's purchases of Russian oil. Washington wants India to buy less Russian crude and to open its market, and uses tariffs as leverage. New Delhi insists on deciding its energy suppliers and foreign policy for itself.
The United States and Mexico are in dispute over drug trafficking, border control and trade. Mexico insists on handling its own security and rejects outside involvement in its internal affairs. The United States presses for action against the cartels and uses tariffs and border measures as leverage.
The United States and Russia disagree over Ukraine, sanctions and nuclear arms. Washington wants the war to end through negotiation and keeps economic pressure on Moscow. Russia wants its position recognised and the sanctions lifted. The two governments still talk, but the dispute remains unresolved.
Venezuela is in dispute over who governs the country and who controls its oil after a United States operation removed Nicolás Maduro. The interim government, the United States, and the Venezuelan opposition each press competing claims to authority and to the country's resources.
Fighting in Yemen pits the Houthi movement, which governs the north and the Red Sea coast, against Yemen's internationally recognized government and a Saudi-led coalition that intervenes on its side. The United States and Britain also strike Houthi targets at sea. The dispute concerns who rules Yemen and control of Red Sea shipping.
The US economy is under strain from escalating trade and sanctions actions. Washington launched 'Economic D-Day' and 'Operation Economic Outcast' sanctions against Iran, while talks with Canada collapsed, leading to 50% tariffs that were briefly paused after a last-minute deal. Consumer strain is emerging, and tech sector shifts include Google's stock drop and OpenAI executive moves.
Political focus is dominated by the Iran standoff, with President Trump seeking an exit from war while Tehran sets conditions for talks. Trump was cut out of a new deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and he threatened to claim it as US territory. Domestically, Byron Donalds won the Florida GOP primary for governor with Trump's backing, and CIA chief warned Russia against NATO attack during a Moscow visit.
US-Iran military tensions remain high, with strikes and counter-strikes around the Strait of Hormuz and Jordan. Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea, and a Secret Service plane switch in Turkey was linked to Israeli intelligence on an Iranian plot. A man was arrested near a Trump golf course with ammunition and monitoring equipment.
Public health is the dominant societal tension, with a cyclosporiasis outbreak expanding to six more states and the first US measles deaths of the year reported. Wildfires in Washington state destroyed hundreds of homes, and Hunter Biden's announcement about his father's cancer spread added a personal political dimension.
Editorial stance of the outlets covering United States most this month.
Folha de S.Paulo25 titlesSkeptical of US government actions, neutral on US as a whole
Handelsblatt25 titlescritical but factual
Hindustan Times25 titlescritical but not uniformly hostile
El Mundo25 titlescritical but not uniformly hostile
Associated Press25 titlescritical but factual