Everything’s shifting in Washington

Looking around my neighborhood in Washington, D.C., it’s clear that something significant is unfolding.

Fired federal workers are quietly leaving town. Condo prices have plummeted more than 40% compared to last year. Nail and hair salons are closing their doors. But this summer hasn’t been quiet. On the contrary, it’s been intense and consequential.

Inside the Trump administration, decision-making is concentrated in a small circle. Relationships matter, and access is everything. Personality-driven politics reign.

This dynamic creates a revolving door of visitors. Different faces, different agendas. Trade is top of mind, and the international system is in flux. Alliances are shifting, border crossings are tightening, and supply chains are being rerouted. The global order is being reshaped in real time.

It’s no wonder business leaders are flocking to D.C. The city remains the epicenter of power, perhaps more than ever before. As the way business is done has shifted, now driven more by deals and favors than by process and structure, strategies must adapt, too.

Amid this urgency, attention is turning to the U.S. economy. Is it starting to show signs of weakness? If so, a political shift could be on the horizon, with midterm elections just 15 months away.

Smart companies are responding. They’re recalibrating, seeking insight, and coming to Washington to stay ahead of the curve.

As I prepare for our annual programs – Washington Update (October 8–11) and the Leadership and Innovation Study Tour (November 9–12) – our goal is to provide the context, connections, and clarity today’s decision-makers need.

We’ll hear directly from the architects of the administration’s ultra-conservative agenda on where things stand more than six months into this presidency. We’ll meet a panel of leading journalists who cover the White House, the Pentagon, and the DOJ. And we’ll engage with experts on great power rivalry, foreign policy, and defense.

I’ll admit – I thought this year would be more predictable, falling between presidential and congressional elections. Not so. It’s become one of the most fascinating and fast-moving periods in recent memory.

If you’re a corporate or societal decision-maker, consider this your invitation to join us. These programs are more relevant than ever. Let’s connect the dots together and make sense of the most consequential developments of our time.