A World That’s Becoming More Dangerous and Less Stable

The global environment Americans face today is more volatile and less predictable than it has been in decades. Armed conflict, authoritarian expansion, fragile supply chains, cyber threats, and climate-driven disruptions increasingly shape daily life at home—raising prices, threatening jobs, and undermining security. Risks that once seemed distant now arrive quickly and with real consequences.

This instability reflects the erosion of international rules, the rise of authoritarian powers willing to use coercion and corruption, and growing stresses on global systems that were built for a more stable era. When conflicts spread, supply chains break, or norms collapse, Americans feel it through higher costs, increased insecurity, and reduced resilience.

Managing global risks does not mean trying to control the world. It means understanding where dangers originate, reducing vulnerability at home, and engaging internationally in ways that protect national interests and democratic values. Below are the major global risks shaping security, stability, and economic life—and why they matter here at home.