There are lives that follow history, and there are lives that help define it. Senator John McCain’s story is woven into the story of America. A life shaped by duty, by courage, by a deep and enduring commitment to something greater than self. He believed that disagreement didn’t have to mean division; that courage wasn’t just found on battlefields, but in standing up for what’s right even when it’s unpopular. As America celebrates 250 years, we’re reminded that being American has never been about ease. It’s about effort, it’s about responsibility, it’s about choosing again and again to believe in the promise of this country. Senator John McCain believed in that promise. He believed that we are strongest when we remain united in purpose - that democracy depends on participation, on character, on courage. As Senator John McCain reminded us, our shared values define us more than our differences. That spirit – resilient, hopeful, enduring – is what carries us forward from one generation to a next. From the founding of a nation to its 250th year.

45 years ago, Sandra Day O’Connor was sworn in as the first female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. A longtime Arizonan and friend of Senator McCain, O’Connor is the namesake of @ASUCollegeOfLaw and the @ASU Barrett & O'Connor Center in D.C., where the McCain Institute is proudly housed.

I thank all the experts and leaders of U.S. think tanks for the meeting: John Walters, Luke Coffey, Robert Doar, Frederick Kempe, Jenna Ben-Yehuda, Shelby Magid, Geoffrey Pyatt, Paula Dobriansky, Ambassador John Herbst, Andrew L. Peek, Evelyn Farkas, Cindy McCain, Kimberly Kagan, Frederick Kagan, Carrie Filipetti, James Jay Carafano, Michael Froman, Daniel Baer, Philip Luck, Alina Polyakova, Kurt Volker, Eileen Donahoe, and Joshua Rudolph. It was a very useful conversation. It is important that everyone is closely following what is happening in Ukraine, how the negotiations are progressing, and what prospects we have. I’m grateful for the questions, your engagement, and your desire to help Ukraine, support our people, find the right path to ending the war, and guarantee security. We had less time to talk than there were topics we all are interested in, but we could see from everyone’s words, actions, and views a genuine desire to work together on important things that strengthen the protection of people’s lives and freedom. The more we work together, the more reliable our solutions will be and the more opportunities we will have to achieve a just peace. Thank you all for your support!

Chairman Emeritus Amb. @cindymccain and McCain Institute Executive Director @EvelynNFarkas met with Ukrainian President @ZelenskyyUa this week at UNGA. Sen. McCain understood what remains true today: Ukraine’s sovereignty is about more than one nation—it is about defending freedom, democracy, and the right of nations to determine their own future. The McCain Institute remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine and its people.

30 years after Graça Machel’s 1996 report, The Impact of Armed Conflict on Children, was presented to the United Nations General Assembly, McCain Global Leaders alum Cecilia Polizzi examines the impact of terrorism and extremism on children today in relation to human rights, democracy, and global security. Read the full report: bit.ly/46CZGiz

The 2026 NSCT Australia and New Zealand Module has officially wrapped. In Sydney, the cohort met with the Joint Counter Terrorism Team, the @USSC, the NSW Premier’s Department, and @spenderallegra, Member for Wentworth, to discuss counterterrorism, policy, and local leadership. Thank you to @NSC_ANU for partnering to organize and host the 2026 visit of National Security and Counterterrorism Fellows to Canberra and Sydney. In Wellington, fellows heard from senior leaders across the Department of Internal Affairs, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, NZSIS, and GCSB on violent extremism, national security strategy, and New Zealand’s evolving security challenges. Thank you to @Rory_Medcalf, James Pitman, Catherine Bridges, and all of our hosts and partners for an outstanding module. #NationalSecurity #Counterterrorism #Australia #NewZealand

As world leaders convene at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, McCain Institute’s @EvelynNFarkas joined @ErinBurnett on @OutFrontCNN in the New York studio to discuss the conflict in Iran. Watch here: bit.ly/3VcrFmC

Two years ago today, journalist Reza Valizadeh was unjustly imprisoned in Iran. The McCain Institute stands with Reza, his family, and all victims of state-sponsored hostage-taking. Learn more about his case from FPPI Senior Fellow Roger Carstens: cbsn.ws/4AsljzM. #FreeRezaV

McCain Institute Executive Director @EvelynNFarkas joined @cspanwj to discuss ongoing wars in the Middle East and Russia, AI, and other topics expected at this year's UN General Assembly. Watch here: bit.ly/4rmkQLa

On the International Day of Peace, we recognize that lasting peace is built not only by ending conflict, but by advancing human rights, justice, and liberty. Senator John McCain believed that America’s leadership should help build ‘the foundations for a stable and enduring peace’—one rooted in our commitment to freedom, democratic values, and the dignity of every person.

In the latest installment of the McCain Institute’s Authors & Insights series, @USATODAY Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief @SusanPage discusses her book, The Queen and Her Presidents, with McCain Institute Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas. Watch here: mccaininstitute.org/resource…

WATCH TODAY: Authors & Insights with @USATODAY Washington Bureau Chief @SusanPage to discuss her latest book, “The Queen and Her Presidents.” Watch here at 11 a.m. ET: piped.video/live/ef1D2j4pVNU…

This #NationalPOWMIARecognitionDay, we honor prisoners of war and those missing in action. “I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else's ... I loved it for its decency, for its faith in the wisdom, justice, and goodness of its people,” said Sen. McCain, reflecting on his time as a POW in Vietnam.

McCain Institute Chairman Emeritus Amb. Cindy McCain today issued the following statement regarding the passing of U.S. Senator Jon Kyl. Read the full release: mccaininstitute.org/resource…

Today we celebrate #ConstitutionDay, marking the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, creating the foundation for our nation and the structures that ensure our freedom.

On #DemocracyDay, invest in the next generation of democracy defenders. Support the McCain Global Leaders program today: shorturl.at/HFVut

McCain Institute Executive Director @EvelynNFarkas spoke with @CarlNasman on @BBCNews about the recent Russian drone strike on a train near the Ukraine-Poland border. Watch the interview:

The McCain Institute NSCT 2026 Fellows concluded their time in Canberra with a visit to the Australian War Memorial and the deeply moving Last Post Ceremony, before continuing their journey to Sydney and Wellington, New Zealand. After a day exploring space security, intelligence, diplomacy and Australia’s defence, the ceremony provided a poignant moment to pause, reflect and honour those who have served and sacrificed. Next stops: Sydney and Wellington. #LastPostCeremony #AustralianWarMemorial #Canberra #Leadership #NationalSecurity

THIS WEEK: Join us on September 18 at 11 a.m. ET for a virtual #AuthorsAndInsights discussion with @USATODAY Washington Bureau Chief @SusanPage to discuss her latest book, The Queen and Her Presidents. Learn more and RSVP today: mccaininstitute.org/resource…

Senator John McCain shared this message on September 11, nine years ago, honoring the lives lost in the terror attack, commending the heroic actions of the passengers aboard United 93, and the service of our soldiers who work to fight terrorism. Through the darkness that followed, Sen. McCain said there was “a coming together” to make sure that kind of tragedy could never happen again.