Wilson Center

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (WWICS) commonly known as the Wilson Center is a Washington, D.C.–based think tank dedicated to research and policy discussions on global issues. Established by an act of the United States Congress in 1968, it serves as both the official presidential memorial to Woodrow Wilson and operates as a part of the Smithsonian Institution.

The Wilson Center describes itself as a nonpartisan think tank and provides a forum for scholars and policymakers to address critical international and domestic challenges. The Wilson Center has been recognized as a leading global think tank. In 2020, the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program ranked it as the 10th most influential think tank worldwide. It conducts research on international relations, security, economics, and governance, producing reports and hosting discussions that shape policy debates. As of 2025, the Center is chaired by Joe Asher, appointed in 2023, and led by Natasha Jacome, who became President and Chief Executive Officer in 2025, succeeding Mark Andrew Green.

On March 15, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for the elimination of several federally chartered entities, including the Wilson Center. The order directed the reduction of functions and personnel across affected institutions to the minimum required by law. According to Reuters, citing The Times, about 130 employees at the Center were blocked from email access and placed on leave shortly after Elon Musk's government efficiency task force (DOGE) began focusing on the institution. President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Andrew Green resigned on April 1, 2025, and later that year Natasha Jacome was appointed as Green's successor.

The Kennan Institute, the largest and oldest part of the Wilson Center, declared itself an independent non-profit in November 2025, with the transfer of its remaining endowment and collection of books and papers out of the control of the Wilson Center.