The new Secretary Of State Elizabeth McCord finds herself immediately faced with a maelstrom of difficult political challenges with an international hostage situation being her most important challenge.

Elizabeth has to deal with a crisis in Yemen and there's trouble on the home front for her as well after her oldest daughter Stevie manages to make the headlines for protesting a new policy at her university.

Elizabeth is confronted by a hostile reporter who is threatening to publish confidential documents. Elsewhere, Henry is stuck in an international negotiation when his wife uses his job as leverage to make a deal with Pakistan.

A Chinese student comes between a peace treaty between Japan and China. Stevie and Alison continue to clash.

Elizabeth negotiate's with Iran over their nuclear program. Jason works with his Dad on a school report.

Elizabeth faces unexpected consequences when she makes a plea to the President to help with a dire situation in Western Africa.

After Elizabeth takes Alison with her to India on her first state department trip abroad, she is soon in crisis mode after a huge earthquake hits that causes an explosion at an American-owned factory. She is also separated from Alison.

Henry ends up being reactivated by the president into the NSA and he decides to keep his continued involvement in the spy game a secret from Elizabeth.

Elizabeth, Henry and Isabelle investigate a plane crash that killed former Secretary of State Vincent Marsh. Nadine reenters the dating scene after she agrees to go on a date with a NASA scientist.

A deranged gunman manages to leave the State Department in lockdown. Matt has some information to tell Daisy's fiance.

Elizabeth, Henry and Isabelle work together to find former Secretary of State Vincent Marsh’s secret bank account, but soon uncover that one of Elizabeth’s staff members already has access to it.

When a Texas state trooper is killed by a Mexican cartel smuggler, Elizabeth arranges an extradition deal before going on vacation to celebrate her 25th wedding anniversary in New York City. However, when political issues arise around the case, she is forced to cut their trip short.

Elizabeth pushes for the prosecution of a Bahraini diplomat after he is caught holding a maid hostage in his home. Also, Henry's father comes to visit.

Elizabeth is humiliated at a public budget hearing when her staff fails to find the corruption that exists in her microloan program. Also, the investigation into Marsh's death continues.

Elizabeth heads to Turkey to mend political relations after the Turkish government releases a video that could be damaging to the CIA. Also, Jason is threatened with expulsion after punching a bully at school.

Elizabeth secretly travels to Iran in an attempt to prevent a coup that could impact President Dalton’s administration. Also, she brings her staff up to speed on the investigation into Marsh’s death.

As Elizabeth struggles to hold herself together emotionally following the attack in Iran, she works to prevent an ecological disaster in the Amazon, and prepares for a national television appearance on “Face the Nation.” Also, she and Henry disagree about the level of protection Jason should have at his new school.

While Elizabeth seeks a diplomatic solution to a doomsday cult in Bolivia, a congressman attempting to negotiate with its leader is taken hostage. Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Henry meet Stevie’s much older boyfriend.

Elizabeth and President Dalton work together to solve the Greek debt crisis, but not everyone at home is happy with the agreement. Meanwhile, Henry mulls over a new job offer, and Stevie reconnects with her childhood friend, the President’s son.

While Henry is in Russia giving a lecture on fundamentalism, Elizabeth must navigate tricky political waters when a Russian nuclear submarine vanishes in American waters. Also, Stevie breaks up with her older boyfriend.

As Elizabeth prepares for the arrival of Iranian President Shiraz to sign a nuclear treaty, she uncovers a top secret plot to assassinate him on United States soil. At the same time, she must deal with a massive protest by the Human Rights Campaign in response to Iran’s plans to stone a gay citizen to death. Also, Elizabeth sees a therapist (Marsha Mason) to deal with her PTSD.

When Elizabeth confronts her former friend Juliet, she flashes back to when then-CIA Director Dalton offered her a job that would have changed the course of her life. Also, Stevie and President Dalton’s son, Harrison (Jason Ralph), begin a relationship that will have consequences.

The President’s plane is declared missing and Elizabeth is thrust into a situation of power she never imagined possible. Also, Henry butts heads with his new Defense Intelligence Agency handler, Jane Fellows, when he’s asked to recruit one of his Russian students for the NSA.

Elizabeth takes advice from former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and ignores President Dalton's recommendation on how to negotiate the safe return of a Sate Department employee who was kidnapped in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Henry is having trouble persuading a student to spy for the U.S. government.

Elizabeth and President Dalton’s administration are met with hostility while trying to deal with the Russian government. Also, Dmitri is kidnapped and interrogated about being a Russian spy.

Elizabeth finds herself pushed out of the President's inner circle after she disagrees with his response to the growing tension with Russia. Also, when incriminating photos of Stevie and Harrison surface, Elizabeth and Henry must deal with the aftermath and try to protect their daughter from the media.

In the wake of President Ostrov’s death, Elizabeth and President Dalton fear a power grab within the Russian government. Also, the government’s Cybersecurity Coordinator Oliver Shaw (Kobi Libii) works to identify the hacker who interfered with the communication system on Air Force One, and Jay devises a plan to fight Russian propaganda.

After an American aid worker is killed in Syria by the first known American ISIS leader, Elizabeth recalls all aid workers stationed there, including her brother, and makes it her mission to get justice for the victim. Henry is conflicted when Dmitri asks for help saving Ivan, who has been called back to Moscow.

With the support of President Dalton, Elizabeth attempts to get the Senate's support for a history-making effort to lift the Cuban trade embargo. Also, Henry and Alison bond while touring Havana together.

As tensions rise with Russia, Elizabeth, Russell and Mike B. hatch a plan to oust National Security Advisor Craig Sterling without tarnishing President Dalton with a scandal. Director of National Intelligence Ephraim Ware identifies who hacked Air Force One.

Shortly before Elizabeth is to deliver a speech at the United Nations accusing Russia for the attack on Air Force One, Henry shares information that makes her reconsider her theory.

After they uncover a secret that could ruin Maria Ostrov’s reputation, Elizabeth and President Dalton head to Switzerland to meet with her and use the information as leverage to find a peaceful solution to the escalated conflict with Russia. Also, Dmitri requests to be released from his duties as a spy.

Elizabeth tries to salvage a peace deal with Russia after an unexpected turn of events threatens to dissolve the agreement. Also, Elizabeth gets dragged into dealing with an emergency situation aboard the International Space Station.

Elizabeth, to her surprise, is met resistance when she travels to Myanmar to sign a Pacific Rim trade agreement, which will modernize the country's power grid and benefit several of its trading partners. Meanwhile, Nadine attempts to mend her relationship with her estranged son.

After his father’s death, Henry’s family uncovers shocking secrets that open old wounds for them, including his grieving sister Maureen, who blames Henry for not spending enough time at home. Also, Russell keeps important information from Elizabeth’s team at the State department.

While Elizabeth oversees a mission to track down the culprits behind a uranium heist in Eastern Europe, she also contends with highly sensitive issues in Saudi Arabia, including the apprehension of two American teenage girls who intended to join a terrorist group, that threatens to dismantle an important arms deal.

Following a shocking event on U.S. soil, Elizabeth rushes to find answers to President Dalton's many questions about how it was able to occur.

After an Italian warship answers a distress call from a ship carrying Libyan refugees, Elizabeth is given 20 minutes to decide whether to question a passenger who claims to know the whereabouts of Jibral Disah, the most-wanted terrorist in the world. Also, Stevie brings her boyfriend Jareth home to meet her parents.

While Elizabeth accompanies Alison on a college campus tour, she is ambushed by protestors about a Chilean mining operation involving the U.S. and Chilean governments. Also, Henry, Jane and Jose Campos attempt to track down Jibral Disah's third wife, Hijriyyah

As Elizabeth holds peace talks between the prime ministers of India and Pakistan, a mysterious plane crash tied to both countries causes the three parties to reevaluate the deal. Also, in an attempt to help the NSA locate the terrorist Jibral Disah, Henry approaches a former teacher of one of Disah’s wives for information, and Elizabeth withstands a grueling interview with Jane Pauley.

Elizabeth learns that a member of the inner circle of the terrorist group Boko Haram has fallen ill with a deadly virus and, by leveraging his weakness, she formulates a plan to get them to release a group of schoolgirls they are holding captive. Also, Henry gets new information on the whereabouts of Jibral Disah that leads them closer to pinpointing his location.

After Elizabeth delivers her first speech to the United Nations General Assembly formally condemning the terrorist group Hizb-al Shahid, she discusses forming a coalition against them with the Russian Foreign Minister. However, the talks create a conflict of interest between Elizabeth and Henry, who is searching for a way to save Dmitri’s ill sister, Talia Petrov, from the Russian government.

When President Dalton gets word that the world’s most wanted terrorist, Jibral Disah, is hiding in Islamabad, he sends the “Murphy Station” – Henry, Jane and Jose – on a dangerous mission to eliminate the threat. Also, Elizabeth and Henry go to couples therapy.

The United States debates enacting a “render safe” mission to secure nuclear weapons that belong to the Pakistani government before it collapses, while the Murphy Station pursues the terrorist Jibral Disah.

When Elizabeth receives shocking news about an important political operative, she navigates a tricky political situation with President Dalton, who she learns may be considering replacing her as Secretary of State. Also, Stevie and Jareth get engaged.

When a storm destroys a naval base in Bahrain, Elizabeth urges President Dalton to reexamine his approach to climate change and his overall foreign policy, something that could jeopardize his re-election campaign. Also, the McCords worry that their family is being stalked when they discover Jason’s laptop may have been hacked.

With Algeria on the brink of a civil war, Elizabeth delicately negotiates a regime change, but her plans go awry when Roy Curtis, the trusted U.S. Ambassador to Algeria, dies unexpectedly. Also, Henry fights to save religious antiquities in Algeria when he discovers they are being destroyed by Hizb al-Shahid.

After U.S. environmental activists protesting China’s damage of a South China Sea reef are arrested for spying, Elizabeth finds herself in a stalemate with the Chinese foreign minister as she lobbies for their release.

After a bombing at a political rally in Angola, Elizabeth must find a way to respond to a “dissent memo” from the Bureau of African Affairs when they criticize the Dalton Administration’s lack of attention to the upcoming Angolan election.

When an imminent U.S.-France state dinner is jeopardized after a CIA operative is captured by French intelligence, Elizabeth must negotiate the operative’s release while keeping the event on track.

When Elizabeth discovers that a terrorist bombing at an Illinois coffee shop was funded by someone with close ties to the Saudi government, she makes a bold move after the Saudi ambassador refuses to bring the man to justice. Also, Matt refuses to issue a statement when news breaks that he and the bomber are linked to the same mosque, and Henry reaches out to Dmitri when he hears he’s having trouble adjusting to his new life in Phoenix.

After Venezuela’s president andhis immediate successors are killed in a devastating earthquake, Elizabeth works to stop a power grab by the late president’s son, as well as secure the release of the international aid team he arrested.

As President Dalton eagerly awaits voting results on Election Day, Elizabeth uncovers information that could put the U.S.’s peace deal with Iran in jeopardy.

As the U.N. Security Council considers reinstating sanctions against Iran for its suspected nuclear activities, Elizabeth tries to stop Israel from taking matters into its own hands when it threatens military action against the Iranians.

When a possible Israel-Iran war threatens the House’s imminent vote on the U.S. presidential election, Elizabeth attempts to bring the two reluctant countries to the negotiation table in an effort to broker a peace between them.

When the Mongolian government sends Elizabeth a horse as a gift, she thinks accepting it could upset other Asian countries, but she stirs up more controversy when she considers returning it to Mongolia.

When Elizabeth and her staff fly to Africa to offer development aid to the continent, they are caught by surprise when the Chinese arrive there first, ready to outmaneuver the U.S. with competing offers of aid.

When an influential rabbi organizing a symbolic Iran/Israel soccer game is killed, Elizabeth and Jay’s peace treaty plans for the two countries are jeopardized. Also, Elizabeth’s name is floated for a Nobel Peace Prize; Jay’s tireless work on the Iran/Israel peace deal strains his marriage; and Daisy makes a connection with new work colleague, Kevin Park.

When the upcoming marriage of two star-crossed lovers from Colombia is in jeopardy, Elizabeth works to reunite the son of the Colombian president and the daughter of the rebel leader, whose union is at the heart of an important peace deal after years of civil war.

Elizabeth is shocked when the Philippines’ unconventional new president, Datu Andrada, makes a pass at her during their meeting to discuss his refusal to participate in an Asia-Pacific territory treaty.

Elizabeth’s landmark global climate treaty with more than 200 countries is jeopardized when China threatens to back out due to her meeting with an ailing Dalai Lama. Also, Henry worries about his undercover operative’s safety, and Jay is surprised when Abby serves him with a custody agreement for their daughter.

When a computer sting uncovers the possible mole in the CIA arms smuggling ring, Elizabeth’s questioning of the suspect makes her think that a larger, more dangerous force is behind the operation. Also, Henry worries that the doomsday cult is drugging his embedded operative, and Elizabeth and her State Department staff come up with an unorthodox approach to solving black rhino poaching in Namibia.

Elizabeth enlists the help of Hollywood star Ashley Whittaker to help sway the president of Kyrgyzstan to end human trafficking in his country, but the added attention could put an American captive at risk. Also, when Henry finds the bomb that’s being held by the doomsday cult, he uncovers information that they could be planning a deadlier attack.

When warring rebel groups threaten Elizabeth’s Somalian food relief efforts and kidnap an American aide there, she reluctantly considers asking a notorious Russian arms dealer for help. Also, Henry is blindsided when he is taken off the VFF doomsday cult case, and Alison and Stevie await their college acceptances.

As the U.S. hunts for the person believed to be behind the CIA arms smuggling case, Elizabeth and her team must work to save Jay when he’s kidnapped in Nice, France, during a fact-finding mission into the suspect.

Elizabeth and her team work to secure the release of an American journalist held hostage in the Sudan.

As Elizabeth and President Dalton head to Rome for the G20 Conference, she is concerned for Henry’s safety when he is sent to Israel to intercept the doomsday cult’s bio-weapon before it is deployed.

Elizabeth heads to Brussels to seek NATO’s support against Russia when it threatens to invade Bulgaria, but when France refuses to cooperate, it could threaten the alliance’s very existence. Also, Henry’s new government role has him dive into the Russia issue and turn to his former operative, Dmitri Petrov for help, and as Nadine and Mike B’s relationship heats up, Elizabeth finds out information about her old friend that makes her question his loyalties.

When the assistant vice minister of Timor-Leste suddenly dies during a meeting with Elizabeth on the first day of the U.N General Assembly, she becomes suspicious after the president of Timor-Leste ships the body back without a proper investigation. Also, a “fake news” story surfaces claiming Elizabeth is responsible for the minister’s death, and Dmitri returns to work with Henry.

While Elizabeth is in Libya to help negotiate an end to their civil war, a tragic accident with her chauffeured car embroils her in an urgent situation to secure medical care for a gravely wounded local girl.

With a government shutdown looming, Elizabeth must think outside the box to help fund an electrical grid in a Syrian refugee camp, before riots break out in the country due to the lack of electricity and water. Also, Henry searches for Dmitri when he goes missing.

As the government shutdown shows no sign of progress, Secretary of State McCord must negotiate an agreement between the White House and its opposition led by Senator Morejon. Also, Elizabeth is having trouble finding a suitable replacement for the chief of staff position.

Elizabeth is determined to continue to hold a human trafficking conference in Kyrgyzstan despite the inappropriate actions by a U.S. ambassador. Also, Elizabeth and Henry worry about Alison when she keeps coming home from college.

Henry disagrees with the President and Elizabeth when they refuse to negotiate with terrorists for the release of an American CIA agent who was captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Also, Elizabeth tries to be supportive of Stevie who is going through a difficult time.

When a Russian dissident flees to the U.S. after contracting smallpox, Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord and retired U.N. Ambassador Kat Sandoval must work with Russian Foreign Minister Konstantin Avdonin to contain the outbreak.

Secretary of State McCord and her staff work with the Mexican government to extradite a Mexican cartel leader to a U.S. prison in an effort to diminish the opioid crisis. But after he escapes during transport and a journalist who secured a gloating interview with him while on the lam is murdered, Elizabeth’s urgency to find the leader escalates.

Secretary of State McCord reluctantly agrees to host a holiday party in the hopes of persuading senators in attendance to pass a treaty that requires countries to destroy landmines. Also, Henry tries to find evidence that the Senate Majority Leader exchanged information with the Russians.

Secretary of State McCord struggles with the realization that she may need to advise the Afghan government that a compromise with the Taliban may be better than a war with them. Also, Henry uses Dmitri as bait to convince a Russian spy to help the U.S., and Daisy returns from maternity leave and decides to finally tell Joe’s mother about the baby.

When Vice President Hurst feels threatened that Secretary of State McCord is vying to be the next president, she attempts to set Elizabeth up for failure by promising that Americans will continue to be able to adopt Russian orphans, despite the potential ban by Russia’s president. Also, Elizabeth and Henry find out Stevie is dating Dmitri after he is followed by a Russian assassin.

After President Dalton hears about a sonic attack at the U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria, he thinks Russia is to blame and uncharacteristically threatens them with military force, leaving his cabinet concerned about his mental status.

Elizabeth seeks creative solutions when the president of Sri Lanka's psychic convinces him to not move forward with a trade agreement with the U.S. Also, Alison grapples with guilt for missing the warning signs after her college roommate attempts suicide, and Henry makes an abrupt career decision.

Jay and Kat devise a way to help persecuted foreign LGBTQ citizens escape their country while their U.S. homeland security applications are processed. However, when the country closes its borders, Jay and Kat are forced to change that plan quickly, as it could now threaten their relationship with neighboring allies.

Elizabeth and the team are caught in an uncertain situation when they are about to award a foreign leader with the Medal of Freedom but learn he may have known that a minority group in his country is being persecuted. Also, President Dalton doubts his ability to return to office after being cleared by his doctor, and a past family grievance is brought to light when Henry’s sister pays a visit.

As the 20th anniversary of the American embassy bombing in Mali approaches, emotions run high among the State Department staff, who had personal connections to lives lost that day, including Elizabeth, who must decide if the U.S. should lift sanctions against the country deemed responsible. Also, Henry tries to help Jason break up with Piper.

Senator Morejon puts phase two of Elizabeth’s U.S./Iran arms deal in jeopardy when he asserts that Iran funneled money from phase one of the deal to fund a recent bombing that killed an American citizen. Also, Henry mulls over the option of becoming the chairman of the new military ethics department at the National War College.

Elizabeth’s negotiations for a security agreement combatting gang violence in South America becomes complicated when she attempts to free an American recently kidnapped there.

Elizabeth is attending a summit in Montreal to resolve territorial claims of the North Pole when an activist group detonates a bomb and she can’t locate Jason and Piper. Also, things take a turn for the worse when Elizabeth learns that Russia was involved in the bombing, and Henry helps one of his students work through a difficult decision.

Elizabeth must watch what she says and does when she deals with a refugee situation while being shadowed by Neal Shin, a newspaper reporter who may use his access to write a tell-all book.

When terrorists threaten to cause a flood in the Middle East that could kill millions of people, Elizabeth’s hopes of getting a neighboring country to close the dam fade after the government suddenly goes dark during a coup. Also, Stevie is tasked with finding Russell an activity that will help manage his stress.

Elizabeth and cabinet members brace for the fallout at home and abroad as President Dalton prepares for a retaliatory nuclear attack on a country that has reportedly just launched missiles bound for the U.S.