Podcasts about Assistant Secretary

Events are moving rapidly in the Middle East, so we wanted to provide our loyal podcast listeners with some context to help digest everything that's happened so far. We hope to provide a longer view of the what, where, who, how and why and offer some perspective on this military action's broader historical, political, and legal implications.Ted Postol is Professor of Science, Technology and National Security Policy Emeritus in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at MIT. His expertise is in nuclear weapon systems, including submarine warfare, applications of nuclear weapons, ballistic missile defense, and ballistic missiles more generally. He previously worked as an analyst at the Office of Technology Assessment and as a science and policy adviser to the chief of naval operations. In 2016, he received the Garwin Prize from the Federation of American Scientists for his work in assessing and critiquing the government's claims about missile defenses.Ambassador Chas Freeman is a retired career diplomat who has negotiated on behalf of the United States with over 100 foreign governments in East and South Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and both Western and Eastern Europe. Ambassador Freeman was previously a Senior Fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense, U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'Affaires in the American embassies at both Bangkok and Beijing. He was Director for Chinese Affairs at the U.S. Department of State from 1979-1981. He was the principal American interpreter during the late President Nixon's historic visit to China in 1972. In addition to Chinese, Ambassador Freeman speaks French and Spanish at the professional level and can converse in Arabic and several other languages.Bruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law. Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.Ralph Nader Radio Hour is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Thanks for reading Ralph Nader Radio Hour! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Federal agencies are releasing their new use case inventories for artificial intelligence. Across the government, there now are more than 2,500 AI use cases, an increase of more than 800 since last year. And with the rise of agentic AI, agencies are positioning themselves to drive toward more automation and efficiencies. Kelly Fletcher is the chief information officer for the State Department. And Kris Saling is the chief technology advisor for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. They talked about the state of their AI rollouts with Federal News Network's Jason Miller. Fletcher leads off this excerpt from the discussion.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From Steel Mills to Quantum Scale-Up: Inside Illinois's Bold Bet on the Future of ComputingWhat does it take to build the world's largest dedicated quantum technology park — on the site of a former steel mill? Harley Johnson is leading that effort, and the answer involves equal parts materials science, economic development, and a 30-year bet on quantum that's finally paying off.Why This Episode MattersIf you're following the quantum computing industry's path from lab prototypes to commercial-scale systems, this episode maps the terrain. Harley Johnson — a computational materials scientist turned CEO of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP) — explains how Illinois assembled a unique combination of federal research funding, state economic investment, national labs, and top-tier universities into a 128-acre technology park designed to solve the quantum industry's hardest problem: scaling up.Whether you're a researcher, a founder, a policymaker, or someone trying to understand where quantum jobs and applications are actually headed, this conversation lays out how one state is building the infrastructure — physical, institutional, and human — to make large-scale quantum computing real.What You'll LearnHow a 1994 bet on quantum mechanics in a mechanical engineering lab led to directing the largest dedicated quantum tech park in the worldWhy Illinois chose a "beyond silicon" strategy for the CHIPS and Science Act — and how landing 4 of the first 10 federal quantum centers positioned the state for what came nextHow IQMP's public-private governance model works: a university-governed LLC partnering with private developers, accountable to the public while incentivizing industryWhy the park deliberately hosts a diverse portfolio of hardware modalities — including PsiQuantum, IBM, Inflection, Dirac, and Pascal — and how that mirrors venture portfolio thinkingHow IQMP's algorithm center connects quantum hardware companies with Fortune 500 end users in finance, insurance, energy, logistics, and pharmaWhat the DARPA Quantum Benchmarking Initiative means for tenant selection and validationWhy roughly two-thirds of future quantum industry jobs may require a bachelor's degree or less — and what that means for workforce development on a former industrial siteHow the Duality Accelerator, Chicago Quantum Exchange, and Polsky Center create a pipeline from early-stage startups to scale-up tenantsWhy the convergence of physics, engineering, and computer science — all housed in one college at UIUC — is accelerating quantum's transition from science to engineeringResources & LinksGuest LinksHarley Johnson — Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering and Materials Science Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP)Organizations & ProgramsChicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) — regional hub coordinating quantum research, workforce studies, and industry engagement Duality Accelerator — quantum startup accelerator run through the Polsky Center at the University of Chicago Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of ChicagoDARPA Quantum Benchmarking Initiative — federal program validating progress toward useful quantum computing NSF MRSEC at UIUC — Materials Research Science and Engineering Center focused on electronic and quantum materials Policy & FundingCHIPS and Science Act — federal legislation driving investment in semiconductor and quantum technology manufacturing in the US Companies MentionedPsiQuantum — photonic quantum computing company scaling up at IQMPIBM — anchor tenant at IQMP with longstanding partnership with UIUCKey Quotes & Insights"Help me pick a problem, a topic that is not big now, but would be big in 10 years." — Harley Johnson, on the question he asked his advisor in 1994 that launched his career in quantum materials"When I heard my friends who are experimental physicists say, 'We know how to do it, now it's just an engineering problem,' I said great — now you've thrown down the gauntlet. Let the engineers at it.""Something like two-thirds of the jobs that this industry will eventually create will require a bachelor's degree or less." — On workforce projections from Chicago Quantum Exchange research"Our neighbors and community members are learning about quantum and thinking about how my grandson gets a job in quantum. Because my family, until now, we're steelworkers." — On the community impact of building a quantum park on a former US Steel site"We're seeing a convergence of the great productive academic minds from computer science, engineering, and physics working now on the same problems. I'm not sure we saw that even five years ago."Related EpisodesAlejandra Y. Castillo — Quantum as a Regional Economic Development Engine — Castillo, former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, discusses how quantum technologies fit into federal and state economic strategy through the CHIPS and Science Act, EDA Tech Hubs, and inclusive workforce development. Essential context for understanding the policy and economic framework that IQMP operates within.Martin Laforest — Building Quebec's Quantum Ecosystem — Laforest, partner at Quantacet and advisor to Canada's National Quantum Strategy, traces how Quebec built one of the world's strongest quantum ecosystems through decades of strategic investment — starting with a bet on condensed matter physics in the 1970s. A compelling parallel to the Illinois story and a window into how this pattern is playing out globally.Nadya Mason — Quantum Leadership — Mason, the dean of the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at University of Chicago, is a major force on the academic side of the Illinois quantum ecosystem, and has strong views on what's needed in terms of inclusion and education. Calls to ActionIf you're working on quantum scale-up challenges or building a quantum startup approaching the growth stage, explore what IQMP and the Illinois quantum ecosystem offer — from cryogenic facilities to algorithm partnerships to connections with Fortune 500 end users.Subscribe to the NQE Podcast to follow the people and institutions building the infrastructure for quantum computing's next chapter.Share this episode with anyone in economic development, science policy, or workforce planning who wants a concrete example of how quantum investment translate...

Programmable digital currency is the final piece of the global control grid that's finally snapping into place. Catherine Austin Fitts on how to defeat it. (00:00) The Control Grid (08:28) How Biometrics Will Be Used to Control You (10:36) Why Banks Don't Want You to Use Cash (19:10) What Role Does the Central Bank Play in War? (40:31) What Crisis Will Justify Digital Currency? Catherine Austin Fitts began her career at Dillon Read & Co. in New York and later served as Assistant Secretary of Housing under President George H. W. Bush. Drawing on her experience on Wall Street and in Washington, she warned communities and investors about mortgage fraud and ultimately prevailed in an eleven-year lawsuit with the Department of Justice. She is now the publisher of The Solari Report, a weekly briefing featuring Money & Markets and nationwide meet-ups focused on financial insight and independent living—subscribe here: www.solari.com Paid partnerships with: Black Rifle Coffee: Promo code "Tucker" for 30% off at https://www.blackriflecoffee.comAudien Hearing: Learn more about how Audien can help you or someone you love hear better. Call 1-800-453-2916 or visit https://HearTucker.com Battalion Metals: Shop fair-priced gold and silver. Gain clarity and confidence in your financial future at https://battalionmetals.com/tucker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week marked 4 years since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the start of a war that served as a wakeup call for Europe and the West. Since then, we've seen Europe take drastic steps to cut its ties to Russian gas, redrawing the region's energy map. Greece has played, and continues to play, a key role in this story. At the same time, questions remain about European security, the continued Russian threat, and whether the Trump administration can deliver a negotiated peace. Finally, the war in Ukraine also brought the world's attention to a murkier side of the Kremlin's playbook, and that's the weaponization of the Orthodox Church and its campaign to undermine the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt, Charles Kupchan, Elena Lazarou, and Aristotle Papanikolaou join Thanos Davelis this week for a deep dive into how Russia's invasion of Ukraine four years ago has changed Europe, reshaped the region's energy map, and impacted the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Orthodoxy around the world. Taking us to our “I am HALC” segment, we're putting the spotlight on Andreas Akaras, looking at his time on Capitol Hill and his work bringing Turkey to justice over the attack by Turkish President Erdogan's bodyguards against US protesters in Washington, DC. A little more info on our guests: Charles Kupchan is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and professor of international affairs at Georgetown University in the Walsh School of Foreign Service and Department of Government. Elena Lazarou is the Director General of ELIAMEP and an expert specializing in EU foreign policy, global geopolitics, transatlantic relations, and security and defence issues. Amb. Geoffrey Pyatt is former US ambassador to Greece and Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources. Aristotle Papanikolaou is a Professor of Theology and the Archbishop Demetrios Chair in Orthodox Theology and Culture. He is Co-founding Director of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham University. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

It's been four years since the beginning of the Ukraine war, and the consequences continue to reverberate across Europe and the world. David Kramer, Executive Director of the Bush Institute and former Assistant Secretary of State, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why he thinks the U.S. should increase military assistance to Ukraine, why more pressure needs to be put on Putin, and why conceding land to Russia is not the answer to unprovoked aggression. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Ilan Berman speaks with Randy Schriver and Mike Kuiken, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, about the USCC's latest report to Congress, and what they see as the future domains of our unfolding competition with the PRC. MATERIALS REFERENCED:-- The Commission's 2025 Annual Report to Congress (available here: https://www.uscc.gov/annual-report/2025-annual-report-congress)BIOGRAPHIES:Randall Schriver is the Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security (IIPS) and a partner at Pacific Solutions LLC. He is also a lecturer for Stanford University's “Stanford-in-Washington” program, is on the Board of Advisors to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, and is on the Board of Directors of the US-Taiwan Business Council. He served for two years (2018-2019) as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, where he led a team of nearly one hundred professionals and was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on matters related to the Indo-Pacific region.Michael Kuiken serves as Vice Chair of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission following nearly 23 years in the U.S. Senate and is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. In the private sector, Mike is the Managing Member of Silver Valley Strategies, where he advises founders, CEOs, and investors on geopolitical and government strategies.

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was associate editor and columnist for the The Wall Street Journal and was appointed by President Reagan to Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy. He joins founder of Curves International Fitness, businessman, author, filmmaker and philanthropist Gary Heavin to discuss the collapse of the dollar, Tucker/Huckabee interview, United States being a puppet of Israel, and much more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE LIKE AND SHARE THIS PODCAST!!!    Watch Show Rumble- https://rumble.com/v769yqy-the-u.s.-is-a-servile-agent-of-israel-paul-craig-roberts-and-gary-heavin.html YouTube- https://youtu.be/LXe21BJ9TOk?si=Vn9aOqUKlLzdhCmh   Follow Me X- https://x.com/CoffeeandaMike IG- https://www.instagram.com/coffeeandamike/ Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/CoffeeandaMike/ YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@Coffeeandamike Rumble- https://rumble.com/search/all?q=coffee%20and%20a%20mike Substack- https://coffeeandamike.substack.com/ Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-and-a-mike/id1436799008 Gab- https://gab.com/CoffeeandaMike Locals- https://coffeeandamike.locals.com/ Website- www.coffeeandamike.com Email- info@coffeeandamike.com   Support My Work Venmo- https://www.venmo.com/u/coffeeandamike Paypal- https://www.paypal.com/biz/profile/Coffeeandamike Substack- https://coffeeandamike.substack.com/ Patreon- http://patreon.com/coffeeandamike Locals- https://coffeeandamike.locals.com/ Cash App- https://cash.app/$coffeeandamike Buy Me a Coffee- https://buymeacoffee.com/coffeeandamike Bitcoin- coffeeandamike@strike.me   Mail Check or Money Order- Coffee and a Mike LLC P.O. Box 25383 Scottsdale, AZ 85255-9998   Follow Dr. Roberts Website-  https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/   Sponsors Vaulted/Precious Metals- https://vaulted.blbvux.net/coffeeandamike McAlvany Precious Metals- https://mcalvany.com/coffeeandamike/ Independence Ark Natural Farming- https://www.independenceark.com/

Senior executives face unprecedented challenges: AI-driven processes, multi-generational teams, and constant change can make leadership feel overwhelming.In this episode of The Executive Appeal, Alex D. Tremble sits down with Alejandra Castillo, Senior Fellow for Economic Development at Purdue University NW and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. Alejandra shares her decades of leadership experience across three presidential administrations and explains how human-centered leadership drives alignment, innovation, and team performance.You'll learn:- How to quiet your mind and lead with clarity under pressure- Strategies for aligning multi-generational, AI-impacted teams- Why empathy and human connection accelerate performance- How to empower your team without over-relying on technology- When to push forward and when to allow space for others to catch upThis episode is for you if:- You're managing teams across generations or tech disruption- Your team struggles with alignment or communication- You want to maintain humanity in an AI-influenced workplace- You want to drive results while reducing burnout and frictionListen now to discover how human leadership is your most powerful strategic advantage.

With Australian Foreign Minister Wong explaining that Australia and China "are in a state of permanent contest in the Pacific" what are Australia's priorities in the Pacific, as well as in Southeast Asia? How does Australia engage in creative diplomacy, and how can the United States and Australia reinforce each other's efforts in supporting market-oriented democracy in this critical region? CIPE's John Morrell is joined by Bill Costello for a conversation about Australia's perspectives on ASEAN and the Pacific. Bill is Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia Development and Programs with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He was previously Australia's Ambassador to Timor-Leste.

For today's podcast, we're bringing you the audio for a panel discussion that Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson hosted this past November, at a conference on Precision Lethality and Civilian Harm Mitigation, hosted by the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL) at the University of Pennsylvania.Joining him on the panel were Professor Claire Finkelstein, CERL's founder and director; Christopher Maier, a former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict in the Biden administration; Dr. Larry Lewis, a principal research scientist at CNA and expert in civilian harm mitigation; and Professor Geoffrey Corn of Texas Tech University School of Law, an expert in the law of armed conflict with more than two decades of experience as an Army Judge Advocate General.Together, the panelists discussed the challenges of civilian harm mitigation in urban warfare environments, what mistakes were made in Gaza and other contexts, how civilian harm mitigation intersects with media coverage and legitimacy concerns, and what key lessons policymakers and warfighters should carry into the next such conflict.You can view articles and podcasts published in Lawfare that grew out of a number of workshops and sessions from the conference here.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A recent Capitol Hill policy briefing sponsored by the Center for Immigration Studies and the Ben Franklin Fellowship examined the long-term security implications of the Biden administration's Afghan evacuation program. Excerpts from the event are featured in this week's episode of Parsing Immigration Policy, titled “Stopping the Next Afghan Terrorist Attack: Mitigating the Vetting Failures, Fraud, and Corruption of the Biden-Era Evacuation Program.”Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), a member of the House Judiciary Committee and co-chair of the Border Security Caucus, opened the discussion by warning that the Biden-era “Operation Allies Welcome” for Afghan nationals evolved into “an unmanageable and unsafe process.” He argued that safeguards became optional and that statutory vetting standards were weakened. “We're not abandoning allies,” Biggs said. “We're importing unvetted migrants. And the only promise we were breaking was our oath to keep American citizens safe and protect our borders and our people.” He emphasized that security vetting protects both Americans and the integrity of legitimate humanitarian programs.Andrew Veprek, Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), detailed how the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program had expanded far beyond the original SIV statutory framework. He noted that while the traditional SIV category required 15 years of faithful service and chief-of-mission approval, the Afghan program extensively broadened eligibility and reduced verification standards, gutting statutory requirements. There are still roughly 120,000 principal applicants still in the SIV pipeline (not including family members, which could quintuple the total). President Trump has put a hold on these.James Rogers, a former Foreign Service officer and whistleblower, described systemic pressure for rapid visa processing and adjudication. He cited widespread document irregularities and estimated substantial fraud, potentially higher than 75%, within the applicant pool. Rogers called for structural whistleblower protections and reforms to separate investigative and defensive functions within the employee grievance process.Mark Krikorian, the Center's executive director and podcast host, concludes the podcast discussion by highlighting a recent development in Afghanistan that complicates U.S. policy even further: the Taliban's recent issuance of a new penal code that formally recognizes slavery. Krikorian argues that Afghan nationals seeking entry to the U.S. can now claim they are fleeing slavery, triggering asylum grants despite the impossibility of meaningful vetting. He advocates eliminating defensive asylum claims and instead transferring applicants to safe third countries willing to accept them.HostMark Krikorian is the Executive Director of the Center for Immigration StudiesGuestsRep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and co-chair of the Border Security CaucusAndrew Veprek is the Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM)James Rogers, is a former Foreign Service officer and whistleblowerRelatedThe Ben Franklin FellowshipIntro MontageVoices in the opening montage:Sen. Barack Obama at a 2005 press conference.Sen. John McCain in a 2010 election ad.President Lyndon Johnson, upon signing the 1965 Immigration Act.Booker T. Washington, reading in 1908 from his 1895 Atlanta Exposition speech.Laraine Newman as a "Conehead" on SNL in 1977.Hillary Clinton in a 2003 radio interview.Cesar Chavez in a 1974 interview.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaking to reporters in 2019.Prof. George Borjas in a 2016 C-SPAN appearance.Sen. Jeff Sessions in 2008 comments on the Senate floor.Candidate Trump in 2015 campaign speech.Charlton Heston in "Planet of the Apes".

February 9, 2026 — On this special episode of Asia Inside Out, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, 25th Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and non-resident distinguished fellow at Asia Society Policy Institute, speaks with Daniel Russel, former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and distinguished fellow at Asia Society Policy Institute. They discuss U.S. defense and alliance strategy following the release of the 2025 National Security Strategy and 2026 National Defense Strategy, and how U.S. policy toward Asia fits within the current global security landscape. (55 min., 21 sec.)Asia Inside Out brings together our team and special guests to take you beyond the latest policy headlines and provide an insider's view on regional and global affairs. Each month we'll deliver an interview with informed experts, analysts, and decision-makers from across the Asia-Pacific region. If you want to dig into the details of how policy works, this is the podcast for you. This podcast is produced by the Asia Society Policy Institute, a “think-and-do tank” working on the cutting edge of current policy trends by incorporating the best ideas from our experts and contributors into recommendations for policy makers to put these plans into practice.

2 - Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at DHS, Tricia McLaughlin joins us today as the House holds hearings today regarding immigration agencies' involvement in deporting illegal immigrants. Despite accusations of racism and threats of going to hell, how did ICE Director Todd Lyons and other leaders hold up on the stand? Why are they only going after illegal criminals? Is the unmasking issue the biggest issue for Democrats? Is DHS monitoring the anti-ICE protests taking place at schools around the country? Does ICE have a recruiting problem? How is the self-deportation program going? Are we catching terrorists? 210 - Your calls. 215 - Dom's Money Melody! 225 - One caller knows a lot about adverse possession. Will we get another Money Melody winner? Is Josh Shapiro a squatter? 235 - How much are babysitters making? 240 - More on adverse possession. Your calls. 250 - The Lightning Round!

12 - Are Congresspeople really using AI-generated imagery to argue against ICE in court? Do the local school districts care that their students are walking out? 1205 - What is “Shapiro's Folley” according to Dom? 1215 - Side - foreign word or phrase we use in everyday life. 1220 - Your calls. What should be done about kids walking out of class and protesting? 1235 - This land is your land, Josh Shapiro. Teasing what is to come. 1245 - Attorney General of Pennsylvania Dave Sunday joins us. What can he tell us about the special prosecutor for SEPTA and his role and the cases he may be trying soon? What are they doing to hold these transit offenders accountable? Is there fraud that the state is looking into, like the hospice care fraud in California? What is Dave looking to curb as far as drug trade in the state and locally? How many drug seizures have there been? What else is he looking to do in his role? 1250 - Will we get a suspect in the Nancy Guthrie case? 1 - Is Todd Lyons going to hell? Is Josh Shapiro acting like a king? Will this land grab act 115 - Is Josh Shapiro pro-squatter? 120 - Abington Township and Rockledge Borough Republican Organization (ATRO) Chairman, Joe Rooney joins us today. Is there any Native American land in Abington? Is Josh Shapiro making PA residents worried that he is enacting Manifest Destiny across the Commonwealth? Why is there poor leadership in the Abington School District and why does that put the Superintendent and Principal's jobs at risk? How do these teachings of these far-left concepts to the children denigrate the student and their ability to learn and be taught? Why is the Abington School District's representation on the line? Why do the people who run the schools have no pride in teaching the children? 135 - Why does Seahawks Quarterback Sam Darnold owe the state of California money after winning the Super Bowl? 140 - Your calls. 150 - Your calls. 2 - Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at DHS, Tricia McLaughlin joins us today as the House holds hearings today regarding immigration agencies' involvement in deporting illegal immigrants. Despite accusations of racism and threats of going to hell, how did ICE Director Todd Lyons and other leaders hold up on the stand? Why are they only going after illegal criminals? Is the unmasking issue the biggest issue for Democrats? Is DHS monitoring the anti-ICE protests taking place at schools around the country? Does ICE have a recruiting problem? How is the self-deportation program going? Are we catching terrorists? 210 - Your calls. 215 - Dom's Money Melody! 225 - One caller knows a lot about adverse possession. Will we get another Money Melody winner? Is Josh Shapiro a squatter? 235 - How much are babysitters making? 240 - More on adverse possession. Your calls. 250 - The Lightning Round!

Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Billy Kirkland addresses the National Congress of American Indians on February 10, 2026. Kirkland is a citizen of the Navajo Nation. He was confirmed to his post, a political position at the Department of the Interior, on October 7, 2025. In his position, Kirkland oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education and the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration. Kirkland spoke at NCAI's executive council winter session in Washington, D.C. It was his first appearance at NCAI since being confirmed.

Admiral Brian Christine, Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, joins 1819 News: The Podcast for an in-depth conversation on the most critical health, life, and cultural issues confronting America. Serving under President Donald Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Christine offers a rare, inside look at how the Trump administration is reversing radical Biden-era policies and restoring science, accountability, and moral clarity to federal healthcare.

Admiral Brian Christine, Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, joins 1819 News: The Podcast for an in-depth conversation on the most critical health, life, and cultural issues confronting America. Serving under President Donald Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Christine offers a rare, inside look at how the Trump administration is reversing radical Biden-era policies and restoring science, accountability, and moral clarity to federal healthcare. #1819News #1819Podcast #AdmiralBrianChristine #TrumpAdministration #ProLife #ProtectChildren #MedicalFreedom #HealthPolicy

Physicians now face a world where search bars, chat apps, and large AI models are becoming many people's first stop for health questions, long before they enter a clinic.Former Google Chief Health Officer and national health IT leader Dr. Karen DeSalvo joins us to unpack what this shift means for clinicians, regulators, and patients, and why 15% of daily Google searches are questions no one has ever asked before.We cover:• Why consumer health search is becoming a powerful entry point into care• How Google built guardrails for safety, quality, and real-time monitoring of emerging risks• What the rise of GenAI “doctor in your pocket” tools could mean• The regulatory tensions ahead as states experiment with AI-driven medical decision support• How global demand, workforce strain, and new data sources (IoT, at-home diagnostics, wearables) are accelerating AI-supported primary care—About our guest: Dr. Karen DeSalvo is a health leader who has committed her career to improving health for everyone, everywhere. She was most recently Google's Chief Health Officer, where spearheaded a global team of health professionals dedicated to harnessing Google's technology and platforms to help everyone, everywhere live a longer, healthier life. Before Google, Dr. DeSalvo held significant roles in the U.S. government, including National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and acting Assistant Secretary for Health. She was also the Health Commissioner in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, where she led public health recovery efforts. Dr. DeSalvo currently sits on the Boards of Directors for Welltower and CityBlock Health and is a member of the Council of the National Academy of Medicine. —Pre-order Halle's new book, Massively Better Healthcare.—

On this episode of #TheGlobalExchange, Colin Robertson sits down with The Honourable Kevin Lynch and Jim Mitchell about their book A New Blueprint for Government: Reshaping Power, the PMO and the Public Service. // Participants' bios: - The Honourable Kevin Lynch served as Deputy Minister of Industry, Deputy Minister of Finance, Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to Cabinet, later as vice chair of BMO Financial Group. - Jim Mitchell served as Assistant Secretary to the cabinet responsible for the machinery of government before founding the policy consulting firm Sussex Circle. // Host bio: Colin Robertson is a former diplomat and Senior Advisor to the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. // Reading Recommendations: - "A New Blueprint for Government: Reshaping Power, the PMO and the Public Service" by The Honourable Kevin Lynch and Jim Mitchell. - "The Dollar a Year Men" by Allan Levine - "The Daily" Podcast by The New York Times - "The Curse of Politics" Podcast  - "Slow Horses" by Mick Herron // Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll // Recording Date: January 20, 2026 Release date: February 9, 2026

For more than five decades, nuclear arms control treaties were enforced between Russia and the US until this week. The last agreement has been allowed to lapse without a new one to replace it. So, why has this happened, and what are the dangers? In this episode: Thomas Countryman, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-Proliferation under the Obama administration Rebecca E Johnson, Co-founder and first President of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Nikolai Sokov, Senior Fellow at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Host: Tom McRae Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Photo: Kipnuk resident Larry Kalistook asks village and state officials questions about possible relocation during the meeting on January 31, 2026. (James Oh / Alaska Public Media) The Alaska Native village of Kipnuk is at a crossroads. A powerful storm last fall destroyed homes, contaminated water, and left residents with a critical decision: rebuild in the same spot or move to higher ground? As the Alaska Desk’s Alena Naiden from our flagship station KNBA reports, the conversation is just getting started. Kipnuk resident Rayna Paul fights back tears as she talks about how the remnants of Typhoon Halong ravaged her village — and why relocating is so important for the next generation. “We want them to have a livable life too.” She shared her thoughts at a recent meeting in Anchorage, where more than 50 Kipnuk residents discussed the future of their community. Village Council President Daniel Paul says it'll be up to the residents to decide what's next. “I had many calls from our tribal members, half of them wanna stay, half wanna go.” Kipnuk is about four miles inland from the Bering Sea coast and was once home to about 700 people. Nearly everyone evacuated after the October storms. Paul says about 100 residents are back now, working to rebuild, but there's a lot to do. The storm demolished about 150 homes, wiped out vital infrastructure, and left lands and water contaminated. During the meeting, residents spoke predominantly in Yup'ik, asking what relocation could look like. They asked about how to choose a new site and secure land ownership. And they pondered what it would take to set up critical infrastructure at a new place. Village Council Vice President Chris Alexie says that would include a school, airport, and health clinic. “This isn’t going to be an easy process to do, but we have to do that.” Village officials say the relocation process can take years. Kipnuk elder David Carl says he supports relocating. “We’re not thinking about ourselves, who we are now, we just want to fight for our upcoming generations.” But for Daniel Paul, Kipnuk is home and he hopes to live there again one day. “For me, I’m gonna stick with Kipnuk, regardless of how the situation is. I was raised there, and I’ll stay there.” Paul says the meeting was just the first step in the relocation discussion, and residents have a lot of factors to weigh. But Kipnuk leaders also feel a sense of urgency. Paul says the village expects only one substantial influx of federal funding. To make the best use of it, he says they need to decide soon whether they want to stay or move. Navajo County Complex. (Courtesy Navajo County) For decades, public health officials in Navajo County, Ariz. have been helping tribal members and elders who were not born inside a hospital with obtaining birth certificates. As KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, they have seen a spike in applicants following reports of Native people getting caught up in ICE crackdowns nationwide. Last year, 305 residents applied for delayed birth certificates across Navajo County, two thirds of which covers tribal lands belonging to Navajos, Hopis, and White Mountain Apaches. Violet Redbird-Nez (Kiowa and Diné) is a vital records specialist with county public health. She treks to Kayenta quarterly to help residents get documented and for the last three months, Redbird-Nez says there is an uptick. “They're worried that they might get deported.” There were 22 applicants last month alone. Once the paperwork is filled out, it typically takes six weeks. “And it's so endearing to know that they came by to say, ‘Hey, thank you for helping me get my birth registered. I'm legal now,' is what they say. So that's awesome.” Indian Health Service is headquartered in Rockville, Md. (Photo: Antony-22 / Wikimedia) U.S. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NM) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced this week the Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act. The legislation elevates the role of the Indian Health Service (IHS) Director to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health within the Department of Health and Human Services. Senators say elevating the position would give IHS greater authority to address the health care needs of Native communities. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling Thursday, February 5, 2026 – Can caribou slow the drive for oil and mineral development in Alaska?

On this episode of The Dish on Health IT, host Tony Schueth, CEO of Point-of-Care Partners (POCP), is joined by colleagues Mary Griskewicz, Regulatory Resource Center Lead, and Janice Reese, Senior Consultant and Program Manager of FHIR at Scale Taskforce (FAST), for a wide-ranging discussion on two major proposed rules released in mid-December 2025: the HTI-5 proposed rule from the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP) and CMS's latest proposal on healthcare price transparency. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen/

Interview with Dr. Wes Mitchell, who is the author of the book Great Power Diplomacy, The Skill of Statecraft from Attila the Hun to Kissinger. He's also co-founder of the think tank, the Marathon Initiative, and, very relevant for this discussion, he was Assistant Secretary of State under the first Trump administration.

The Hoover Institution Program on the US, China, and the World hosted, Insights from the 2025 US-China Economic and Security Review Commission Report: Findings and Recommendations, on Thursday, January 29, 2026.  This event features leading experts from the Hoover Institution and the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission for a discussion analyzing the key bilateral economic and security challenges faced by the US and China and their impacts on the broader international landscape. Congress created the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission to monitor, investigate, and report on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China. Its annual reports to Congress address and make recommendations about pressing issues such as trade practices, technological competition, military strategy, and human rights concerns, with far-reaching implications for policymakers and stakeholders around the world. The Commission's 2025 Annual Report was released in November 2025. To view the report, click the following link: https://www.uscc.gov/annual-reports FEATURING Erin Baggott Carter is a Hoover Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. She is also an associate professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California, a faculty affiliate at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute, and a nonresident scholar at the 21st Century China Center at UC San Diego. She has previously held fellowships at the CDDRL and Stanford's Center for International Security and Cooperation. She received a PhD in political science from Harvard University.  Drew Endy is a science fellow and senior fellow (courtesy) at the Hoover Institution. He leads Hoover's Bio-Strategy and Leadership effort, which focuses on keeping increasingly biotic futures secure, flourishing, and democratic. Professor Endy also researches and teaches bioengineering at Stanford University, where he is the Martin Family University Fellow in Undergraduate Education, senior fellow (courtesy) of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and faculty codirector of degree programs for the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design.  Mike Kuiken is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and serves as a Commissioner on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. He is an advisor to the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) and a member of Anthropic's National Security and Public Sector Advisory Council. He also consults with CEOs, boards, and senior leaders across investment, AI, defense, technology, and multinational firms globally.  The Honorable Randall G. Schriver is Chairman of the Board at The Institute for Indo-Pacific Security. In addition, Mr. Schriver is currently a partner at Pacific Solutions LLC. Most recently, Mr. Schriver served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs from 8 January 2018 to 31 December 2019. Prior to his confirmation as Assistant Secretary, Mr. Schriver was a founding partner of Armitage International LLC, a consulting firm that specializes in international business development and strategies. He was also a founder of the Project 2049 Institute and served as President and CEO. Previously, Mr. Schriver served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.  MODERATOR  Glenn Tiffert is a distinguished research fellow at the Hoover Institution and a historian of modern China. He co-chairs Hoover's program on the  US, China, and the World, and also leads Stanford's participation in the National Science Foundation's SECURE program, a $67 million effort authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 to enhance the security and integrity of the US research enterprise. He works extensively on the security and integrity of ecosystems of knowledge, particularly academic, corporate, and government research; science and technology policy; and malign foreign interference.  

NATIVE TITLE TRIBUNAL GREEN LIGHTs  SANTOS GAS WELLS IN GOMEROI COUNTRY At the time this show was broadcast we did not know the decision which will be devastating for all those who continue to stand up to prtect the Pilliga, to protect the Great Artesian Basin and to prevent gas,whether it is burned here or exported,from aggravating climate chaos. This podcast contains the voices of Gomeroi people and their allies who cames down from Narrabri and elsewhere to bring a sacred flame to NSW Parliament. You will hear MC Raymond Bubble Weatherill, MP Jackie Scrubie, Assistant Secretary of Unions NSW Vanessa Seagrave, Assistant Secretary of Nurses and Midwives Association Michael Whaites, A Gomeroi speaker from Teachers Federation. MP Jeremy Buckingham and Gomeroi Woman Kara Kinchella from Lock the Gates Alliance.            *****************************************************Part 2 is an interview with Simon Kerr by Bella Jesson.They are talking about the No Music on a Dead Planet campaign  https://nomusic.au/#signup(link is external) We're building community & solidarity as part of a global movement committed to collective action

Former Acting Director of I.C.E. Tony Pham joins Bob Clark to help clarify Federal and State laws regarding I.C.E. in New Mexico and beyond. Tony H. Pham currently serves as the Assistant Secretary for Border and Immigration Policy in the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans. Between August 25, 2020 and December 31, 2020, Mr. Pham served as the Acting Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Prior to taking on this position, Mr. Pham served as the Principal Legal Advisor for the ICE Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) starting on January 22, 2020.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Riley Gaines sits down with Admiral Brian Christine, President Trump's Assistant Secretary for Health, to break down the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement, new dietary guidelines, military readiness, Big Pharma influence, and the administration's stance on gender ideology and protecting children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey BillOReilly.com Premium and Concierge Members, welcome to the No Spin News for Wednesday, January 28, 2026. Stand Up for Your Country.  Bill explains that he's making headway in talks with the FBI to figure out what's going on. Talking Points Memo: Does the mainstream media care about Alex Pretti, or are they just focused on making Trump look like a villain? Rep. Jason Smith (R-Missouri), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, joins the No Spin News to expose The People's Forum for allegedly using U.S. taxpayer funds to incite violence across the country. Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, weighs in on the investigation into the Pretti shooting and whether she expects Minneapolis police to step in moving forward. Bill breaks down the President's latest comments on Trump Accounts. Final Thought: A preview of tomorrow's Talking Points Memo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Dish on Health IT, host Tony Schueth, CEO of Point-of-Care Partners (POCP), is joined by colleagues Mary Griskewicz, Regulatory Resource Center Lead, and Janice Reese, Senior Consultant and Program Manager of FHIR at Scale Taskforce (FAST), for a wide-ranging discussion on two major proposed rules released in mid-December 2025: the HTI-5 proposed rule from the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP) and CMS's latest proposal on healthcare price transparency.Rather than treating these rules as abstract policy exercises, the conversation focuses on what the government is trying to accomplish, how these proposals may reshape the interoperability and data access landscape, and why stakeholder participation during the comment period is not optional if the industry wants workable outcomes.Setting the Stage: How Proposed Rules Become RealityThe episode opens with a level set for listeners who do not spend their days in the Federal Register. Mary walks through how proposed rules originate, typically from legislation or executive policy, and how they move from proposal to public comment to either a final rule, an interim final rule, or, in some cases, a complete pause or reset.She emphasizes a point that often gets overlooked: every public comment is read and reviewed. The agencies group and analyze the comments section by section and respond to themes and concerns in the final rule text. Janice builds on this by explaining that the comment period is where high-level policy intent meets operational reality. The most effective comments are not lengthy manifestos, but specific, experience-based feedback that highlights feasibility issues, sequencing challenges, and unintended consequences.HTI-5: From Experimentation to ExecutionThe discussion then turns to HTI-5, with Mary outlining the core problem the rule is trying to address. Prior certification requirements placed a significant burden on vendors, often locking innovation into long development cycles while the market waited for updates. HTI-5 seeks to modernize this approach by reducing prescriptive certification requirements and relying more on modern, open architecture, particularly FHIR-based APIs, to enable faster, more scalable data exchange.Janice frames HTI-5 as a clear signal that the industry is moving out of the experimentation phase and into execution. By reinforcing a “FHIR-first” direction while pulling back on some certification detail, the rule implicitly raises expectations for real-world performance. As FHIR becomes the default, security, identity, consent, and trust cannot be treated as optional or inconsistently implemented components.From a FAST perspective, this shift is critical. HTI-5 creates the regulatory space, but the infrastructure and implementation guidance needed to make trusted interoperability work at scale must come from industry-led collaboration. Janice explains that FAST's work on security, identity, consent, and national directory services is about operationalizing trust so organizations are not reinventing these foundations on their own.Information Blocking, Automation, and Trust at ScaleA pivotal moment in the conversation centers on HTI-5's clarification that information blocking explicitly includes automated and AI-driven access. Mary underscores that automation is now central to how data moves across the healthcare ecosystem. When access decisions are embedded in APIs, workflows, and algorithms, trust becomes the defining requirement.Janice expands on this by noting that the issue is not just whether data can be accessed, but whether access is appropriate, provable, and governed. As automation increases, expectations shift toward accountability, auditability, and consistent enforcement of identity and consent. FHIR APIs, once viewed as certification checkboxes, are becoming the primary channel for data exchange across networks, including consumer-facing applications.Stakeholder Impacts: Vendors, Providers, and PayersThe episode then walks through how HTI-5 affects different stakeholder groups. For health IT vendors and digital health companies, Janice describes a trade-off: fewer certification guardrails provide flexibility but also remove a layer of protection. Vendors will be judged less on formal compliance artifacts and more on how their systems perform across networks at scale, including security, identity management, and reliability.Mary cautions that vendors should not interpret HTI-5 as traditional deregulation. With HTI-6 already on the horizon, organizations that underinvest now risk facing more stringent outcome-based expectations later. Tony reinforces this point, arguing that the real risk is collective. A single high-profile failure due to weak security or identity practices could undermine trust across the ecosystem and invite a regulatory response that affects everyone.For providers and health systems, the shift means becoming more informed consumers of technology. Certification alone will no longer guarantee interoperability or trustworthiness. Providers will increasingly need to ask vendors how solutions perform in environments beyond a single one and how identity, consent, and security are handled across organizational boundaries.From a payer perspective, Mary explains that while HTI-5 does not directly change prior authorization requirements, it fundamentally reshapes the data access environment. As FHIR APIs become the default, plans will be expected to exchange data more dynamically and through automated workflows. This raises expectations around timeliness, quality, and trust, and accelerates a shift from managing transactions to managing trust at scale.Price Transparency: Compliance Without ClarityThe conversation then transitions to CMS's proposed price transparency rule, with Tony noting the absence of POCP's usual price transparency expert and setting expectations for a higher-level discussion. Mary explains that this tri-agency proposal builds on earlier rules by clarifying standards, easing some reporting burdens, and refining requirements around machine-readable files, metadata, and reporting timelines.While these changes offer some relief to plans, Janice highlights a deeper challenge. Making pricing data available does not make it meaningful. Without consistent ways to connect clinical concepts to billing codes and pricing structures, patients and employers are left with technically accurate but practically unusable information. True transparency will require better integration of pricing data into real-time workflows, supported by APIs, governance, and trust frameworks.Mary also reminds listeners that employers are a critical stakeholder often overlooked in these discussions. As purchasers of coverage, they rely on usable pricing data to understand utilization and manage costs, making their perspective essential during the comment period.The Closing Message: Comment, Participate, Get InvolvedThe episode closes with a strong call to action. Mary urges listeners to “get off the bench” and engage, regardless of which rule is at issue. Comment periods directly affect compliance programs, product roadmaps, and competitive positioning. Janice reinforces that policy alone cannot solve interoperability challenges. Progress depends on shared implementation guidance, testing, governance, and sustained participation in standards organizations and multi-stakeholder initiatives, including FAST.The final takeaway is clear: HTI-5 and the price transparency proposal are not just regulatory events. They are inflection points. Organizations that participate now can help shape outcomes that are achievable, scalable, and trusted. Those that sit out will be left reacting to decisions made without their operational realities at the table.Listeners are reminded that both proposed rules have comment deadlines in late February, and that POCP is available to support organizations in understanding the implications and crafting effective comments. The episode closes, as always, with the reminder that Health IT is a dish best served hot. 

Can AI agents be deployed for enhanced protection? What is a “triple extortion”? How is ransomware evolving? Is there hope for SMEs?Sam Kaplan is a policy, legal, and national security professional with over eighteen years of experience across the public and private sectors. He is currently the Assistant General Counsel for Public Policy & Government Affairs at Palo Alto Networks, providing legal guidance on domestic and international legislative, regulatory, and policy matters, with a focus on cybersecurity, AI governance, privacy, data security, international data flows, and public-private capacity building.Before Palo Alto Networks, Sam led the global product policy team for Facebook's News Feed and News Tab at Meta Platforms, addressing issues like AI/ML fairness, algorithmic transparency, platform integrity, election security, misinformation, and harmful content.Prior to his private sector roles, Sam spent over thirteen years in the Federal Government. He held senior leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including Assistant Secretary for Cyber, Infrastructure, Risk and Resilience Policy and Chief Privacy Officer. Earlier government roles included work at the U.S. Department of Justice (Office of Legal Policy, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia) and as Counselor to a member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, focusing on the U.S. Intelligence Community.References:* Sam Kaplan on LinkedIn* Palo Alto Networks* Unit 42 Research (Palo Alto Networks)* Cyber Information Sharing and Collaboration Program (CISCP) at CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mastersofprivacy.com/subscribe

This episode with my friend and HBS classmate Todd Wilcox was recorded before Todd was nominated for his current role as Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security. We speak about his background and views on business and the world. Todd Wilcox was sworn in as Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security (DS) on October 14, 2025. In this role, he leads the security and law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of State, ensuring a safe environment for U.S. foreign policy operations. He oversees a global team of Special Agents, Diplomatic Couriers, Security Engineering Officers, Security Technical Specialists, contractors, and administrative personnel.Mr. Wilcox brings decades of leadership experience as a decorated combat veteran, former CIA case officer, and successful entrepreneur. Before joining the State Department, he founded Patriot Defense in 2005, a company dedicated to supporting those who defend America. He served as its Chief Executive Officer for 10 years before transitioning to Executive Chairman, where he guided the company's vision and acquisition strategy.Prior to his business career, Mr. Wilcox served as an Arabic-speaking CIA Field Operations Officer focused on Middle East and counterterrorism issues. His final assignment was as the CIA Liaison Officer to the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force in Orlando. He joined the CIA in 1997 after serving in the U.S. Army, where he earned the Green Beret as a Special Forces A-Team commander and completed a combat tour during Operation Desert Storm.Mr. Wilcox's achievements have been recognized by the U.S. Army ROTC Hall of Fame, Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year award, and the Orlando Business Journal's Veterans of Influence Award. He has served on the boards of the National Defense University Foundation, RAND Corporation's Center for Middle East Public Policy, and the Orlando Economic Partnership.An active member of the Young Professionals Organization (YPO), Mr. Wilcox also serves as Treasurer of Business Force, a nonprofit political action committee.

“This is a book about my life, about admitting ‘I was wrong,' and about how important it is to say it out loud,” is how our guest today, Diane Ravitch, begins her 2025 memoir, An Education: How I Changed My Mind About Schools and Almost Everything Else.What follows is her incredible life's journey spanning nearly nine decades, from learning to write as a left-hander using a quill pen at her Texas public school to becoming one of the most influential leaders of the modern conservative American education reform movement. Having spent the first half of her professional life in education policy advocating for national standards, testing, and accountability reform alongside charter schools and so-called school choice programs; as a founder of Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Assistant Secretary of Education during the George HW Bush administration, and serving on the board of the National Assessment for Educational Progress or NAEP (the “gold standard” of achievement assessments), however, as the opening quote reveals, after seeing this vision of education reform in action, she very publicly changed her mind about all of it.‍Diane has now spent the last 15 years vigorously challenging the same education reform movement she helped build. Co-founding the Network for Public Education, and writing several best-selling books critical of testing, corporate influence in education policy, and privatization. “We must have a more generous, contemporary vision of public schools and what they can be,” she writes. “I will use whatever time I have to fight for the ideals I believe in, to love the people who mean the most to me, to do whatever I can to strengthen democracy in my beloved country, and to advance the common good.”An Education: How I Changed My Mind About Schools and Almost Everything Else (Columbia University Press)

This episode was recorded in 2022.Catherine Austin Fitts is a former Wall Street investment banker and government official who served as Assistant Secretary of Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner in the first Bush administration. She is now the president of Solari, Inc. and publisher of The Solari Report, where she promotes alternative views on finance, health, and government transparency, often focusing on systemic corruption and financial control.This bio is written with reference to the year 2022, when Robert F. Kennedy Jr was primarily known as an environmental lawyer and leading figure in the anti-vaccine movement. He founded the Children's Health Defense and was a longtime advocate for clean water and environmental protection. Since then, he has been confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services in 2025, serving under President Donald Trump.✉️ Subscribe to my pretty fantastic newsletter

Summary In this episode of the GovDiscovery AI podcast, host Mike Shanley interviews Michael Catanasi, the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial-Based Policy. Catanasi discusses his recent experiences at the Honolulu Defense Forum, where he engaged with various military and international partners to address the challenges and opportunities in maintaining and growing the U.S. Defense Industrial Base, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. He emphasizes the importance of developing skilled labor and advanced manufacturing capabilities in Hawaii, which are crucial for supporting U.S. military operations in the Pacific. Guest Bio: The Honorable Michael Cadenazzi was sworn in as the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (ASD(IBP)) on September 23, 2025. In this role, he is the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment on industrial base policies and leads the Department of War's efforts to develop and maintain the U.S. defense industrial base to ensure a secure supply of materials critical to national security.   Over the past two decades, Mr. Cadenazzi has served as a serial entrepreneur and consultant with experience in managing and addressing challenging issues across the aerospace & defense sector. He has launched multiple defense industry services and technology start-ups across the signals intelligence, program analysis, data analytics, and market assessment and strategy sectors, and executed two successful transfers of business ownership. His extensive sector experience includes work from the space to undersea domains and from aircraft and munitions to armor, weapons, ships, and services. His clients have included domestic and international firms from large prime contractors to all levels in the supply chain. His direct experience spans strategy, mergers & acquisitions, operations, supply chain and organizational transformation. Prior to his civilian career, Mr. Cadenazzi served for ten years as an active-duty U.S. Navy cryptologic warfare officer. He completed the Cryptologic Division Office Course at Corry Station in Pensacola Florida before his first tour at Naval Communications & Telecommunications Area Master Station (NCTAMS) WESTPAC in Agana, Guam. Following graduate education, he was assigned to the staff of Commander, U.S. Navy SIXTH Fleet in Gaeta Italy. He completed his military service on the staff of U.S. Naval Forces Europe in London, the United Kingdom. Mr. Cadenazzi holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from Tulane University and a master's degree in electrical engineering with an emphasis on RF communications and signals intelligence from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. He was commissioned an ensign in 1995 through the Tulane Naval Reserve Officer Corps (NROTC) program. Learn more at BusinessDefense.gov LEARN MORE: Thank you for tuning into this episode of the GovDiscovery AI Podcast with Mike Shanley. You can learn more about our Defense business intelligence solutions by visiting www.govdiscoveryai.com. To connect with our team directly, message the host Mike Shanley on LinkedIn. https://www.govdiscoveryai.com/

Alejandra Y. Castillo, former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and now Chancellor Senior Fellow for Economic Development at Purdue University Northwest, joins your host, Sebastian Hassinger, to discuss how quantum technologies can drive inclusive regional economic growth and workforce development. She shares lessons from federal policy, Midwest tech hubs, and cross-state coalitions working to turn quantum from lab research into broad-based opportunity.Themes and key insightsQuantum as near-term and multi-faceted: Castillo pushes back on the idea that quantum is distant, emphasizing that computing, sensing, and communications are already maturing and attracting serious investment from traditional industries like biopharma.From federal de-risking to regional ecosystems: She describes the federal role as de-risking early innovation through programs under the CHIPS and Science Act while stressing that long-term success depends on regional coalitions across states, universities, industry, philanthropy, and local government.Inclusive workforce and supply-chain planning: Castillo argues that “quantum workforce” must go beyond PhDs to include a mapped ecosystem of jobs, skills, suppliers, housing, and infrastructure so that local communities see quantum as opportunity, not displacement.National security, urgency, and inclusion: She frames sustained quantum investment as both an economic and national security imperative, warning that inconsistent U.S. funding risks falling behind foreign competitors while also noting that private capital alone may ignore inclusion and regional equity.Notable quotes“We either focus on the urgency or we're going to have to focus on the emergency.”“No one state is going to do this… This is a regional play that we will be called to answer for the sake of a national security play as well.”“We want to make sure that entire regions can actually reposition themselves from an economic perspective, so that people can stay in the places they call home—now we're talking about quantum.”“Are we going to make that same mistake again, or should we start to think about and plan how quantum is going to also impact us?”Articles, papers, and initiatives mentionedAmerica's quantum future depends on regional ecosystems like Chicago's — Alejandra's editorial in Crain's Chicago Business calling for sustained, coordinated investment in quantum as a national security and economic priority, highlighting the role of the Midwest and tech hubs.CHIPS and Science Act (formerly “Endless Frontier”) — U.S. legislation that authorized large-scale funding for semiconductors and science, enabling EDA's Tech Hubs and NSF's Engines programs to back regional coalitions in emerging technologies like quantum.EDA Tech Hubs and NSF Engines programs — Federal initiatives that fund multi-state consortiums combining universities, companies, and civic organizations to build durable regional innovation ecosystems, including quantum-focused hubs in the Midwest.National Quantum Algorithms Center — This center explores quantum algorithms for real-world problems such as natural disasters and biopharma discovery, aiming to connect quantum advances directly to societal challenges.Roberts Impact Lab at Purdue Northwest (with Quantum Corridor) – A testbed and workforce development center focused on quantum, AI, and post-quantum cryptography, designed to prepare local talent and companies for quantum-era applications.Chicago Quantum Exchange and regional partners (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin) – A multi-university and multi-state collaboration that pioneered a model for regional quantum ecosystems.

In this episode, Lauren speaks with Kim McKay, Assistant Secretary of Programs for the Maryland Department of Disabilities, whose career has been shaped by both professional experience and personal purpose. Although she grew up around medicine, Kim knew early on that her path was not clinical. While working in healthcare administration, her son's autism diagnosis became a turning point that led her to focus on improving systems of support for families navigating disability services. From leading nonprofit initiatives to developing innovative employment and education programs, Kim has dedicated her career to making complex systems more accessible and effective. Recognized as one of Maryland's Top 100 Women in 2025, Kim shares her deep knowledge, hard-earned insight, and commitment to building better pathways for individuals with disabilities and the families who support them.https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-mckay-9242b994/https://mdod.maryland.gov/Pages/Home.aspxhttps://mcie.org

This week we focus on the Trump Administration's seizure of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro as Ralph welcomes legendary former ambassador, Chas Freeman, who calls it nothing more than a “gas station stick-up.” Then our resident Constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, lays out some of the legal ramifications of the whole affair.Ambassador Chas Freeman is a retired career diplomat who has negotiated on behalf of the United States with over 100 foreign governments in East and South Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and both Western and Eastern Europe. Ambassador Freeman was previously a Senior Fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense, U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'Affaires in the American embassies at both Bangkok and Beijing. He was Director for Chinese Affairs at the U.S. Department of State from 1979-1981. He was the principal American interpreter during the late President Nixon's historic visit to China in 1972. In addition to Chinese, Ambassador Freeman speaks French and Spanish at the professional level and can converse in Arabic and several other languages.We have been engaged in murder on the high seas, people who are suspected on flimsy grounds of carrying narcotics. If they are carrying narcotics, it is not to the United States [but] between Venezuela and Trinidad, from which the drugs go to Western Europe and West Africa. We have been guilty of acts of piracy, seizing vessels on the high seas, on the basis of no authority. And (very dangerously) we have seized a Russian-flagged tanker…And we are risking a war with a nuclear-armed superpower over an issue that is peripheral to Venezuela.Ambassador Chas FreemanDomestically, we have a constitutional crisis. We are the most powerful country on the planet, and our domestic constitutional crisis has turned out to be contagious to the international system. And so we're seeing the disappearance of well-established norms of human behavior, interactions between states. It will not be easy to resurrect those. The precedents we've just set could come home to trouble us.Ambassador Chas FreemanI think we have scared everybody around the world. If there is no protection from international law, people will arm themselves as heavily as they can to defend themselves. So diplomacy is not prospering in this environment. And I would just conclude by saying that the Trump administration has more than decimated our diplomatic service. About one third of the diplomatic service has left or is in the process of leaving public service of the government. So they join scientists and engineers in trying to bail out from what they consider to be an increasingly intolerable situation. Not a happy picture.Ambassador Chas FreemanBruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law. Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.The fact is, if you read the NATO Charter Article 5—I think right now we've got 32 members of NATO, and 31 countries would be obliged to take up war and arms against the United States. [The United States' intervention in Venezuela] is an invasion. It's every bit as much of an invasion as Hitler going into the Sudetenland after Munich. Everybody knows this isn't going to be a voluntary secession. If it isn't by military conquest, it'll be by coercion, by threats. So we may be at war with all the other NATO members. That's why I liken this to the Napoleonic Era when France and Napoleon were against all of Europe. He had no allies anymore, and I think we will have no allies either. Bruce FeinNews 1/9/25* Our top story this week is, of course, the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Maduro, who has served as president of the Bolivarian Republic since 2013, was abducted from his home, along with his wife, by the Fort Bragg-based Delta Force squadron. Maduro was then transported to New York and is now being held in detention pending trial. Before getting into the fallout of this operation, it is critical to note the complicity of the mainstream press. Semafor reports, “The New York Times and Washington Post learned of a secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin Friday night — but held off publishing what they knew.” The preeminent American newspapers justified their decision to withhold this critical information from the public by claiming that publishing what they knew could have endangered American soldiers. This decision however raises longstanding questions about what the role of the media should be in national security matters. Is it their responsibility to protect American forces as they carry out legally dubious missions? Or is it their responsibility to inform the public of their own government's shadowy operations if they might endanger all Americans?* Meanwhile, the future of Venezuela appears deeply uncertain. Despite pressure from the Venezuelan exile community to install one of their own to lead the country, such as Maria Corina Machado, Trump has shown little interest in this path, saying Machado “doesn't have the support within or the respect within the country,” per Reuters. Instead, he has so far supported the elevation of Vice President Delcy Rodríguez. Rodríguez, who has been “likened…to a sort of Venezuelan Deng Xiaoping,” according to NBC, has sought to court Trump in the past and it seems that for the time being at least, he is content to keep her in place so long as she is willing to accede to the demands of the American oil companies.* Whatever the long-term outlook for Venezuela in general, this incident is sure to have certain short-term consequences. At the administration level, this operation was seen as a rousing success and is likely to embolden them to attempt similar operations in other countries deemed adversarial. The Hill reports Trump said “Colombia…[is] Run by a sick man,” referring to Colombian President Gustavo Petro, but won't be for “very long.” Similarly, he remarked that “We're going to have to do something [about Mexico].” Cuba, he said, is “ready to fall.” South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, traveling with Trump, added that Cuba's days are “numbered.” It remains to be seen how far Trump will go with regime change operations in these sovereign nations, but the success of the Maduro abduction makes each one – and the inevitable blowback from these actions – that much more likely.* Beyond Latin America, Trump is again pressing for an American annexation of Greenland. According to the BBC, the administration is discussing “a range of options” including military force. Ironically, the White House is claiming that the acquisition of Greenland – a semi-autonomous region of Denmark – is a “national security priority,” despite Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's warning that any attack would mean the end of NATO, rattling the foundations of U.S. international security architecture. Nevertheless, Trump has continuously returned to the idea of annexing Greenland, so do not count on this quietly fading away, consequences be damned.* Moving to domestic politics, the AP reports the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the private entity created in 1967 to shepherd public funding to PBS, NPR and hundreds of public television and radio stations across the country, has voted to dissolve itself. The CPB has been under heavy assault by the Trump administration, which pushed Congress to defund the entity last year. Patricia Harrison, the organization's president and CEO, is quoted saying “CPB's final act would be to protect the integrity of the public media system and the democratic values by dissolving, rather than allowing the organization to remain defunded and vulnerable to additional attacks.” With the shuttering of CPB, the future of public media hangs in the balance. It will be up to the next Congress to restore funding, or allow these cherished institutions to fall into the dustbin of history.* Alongside the federal assault on public media, the federal government continues its assaults on public health. The New York Times reports Jim O'Neill, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has “announced dramatic revisions to the slate of vaccines recommended for American children,” drawing down the number from 17 to just 11. The six vaccines on the chopping block, those for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningococcal disease, rotavirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus – which, the Times notes, is the “leading cause of hospitalization in American infants,” – will only be recommended for some high-risk groups. Meanwhile, the New York Post reports Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, has unveiled new federal guidelines recommending alcohol use. Dr. Oz is quoted saying “Alcohol is a social lubricant that brings people together…it does allow people an excuse to bond and socialize, and there's probably nothing healthier than having a good time with friends in a safe way.” He added that the takeaway should be, “Don't have it for breakfast.” Given the well documented health risks of alcohol consumption, it is difficult to see this as anything besides a sop to the alcohol industry.* In more local news, the primary race between incumbent Congressman Dan Goldman and former Comptroller Brad Lander in New York's 10th congressional district is turning into nothing short of a proxy war between different factions within the Democratic Party. Goldman, who officially announced his reelection bid this week, was immediately endorsed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, per the New York Daily News. Lander on the other hand, can boast the endorsement of Mayor Zohran Mamdani along with support from Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, among other local progressives, per ABC7. With so much political muscle on both sides, this primary is sure to have important ramifications for the future direction of the Democratic Party.* For his part, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has hit the ground running. On January 5th, Mamdani signed Executive Orders No. 9, on combatting hidden junk fees, and No. 10 on fighting subscription tricks and traps. Among other things, these executive orders will Establish a Citywide Junk Fee Task Force, to be cochaired by Deputy Mayor of Economic Justice and former Biden Administration Secretary of Labor Julie Su. This announcement ends with a message stating that Mayor Mamdani “takes the protection of New York consumers and tenants seriously,” citing his recent “executive order to hold ‘Rental Ripoff' hearings in every borough,” which will “provide an opportunity for working New Yorkers to speak about the challenges they face – from poor building conditions to hidden fees on rent payments,” to be followed by a report and policy recommendations. This all from NYC.gov.* A fascinating new poll has been released by “Speaking with American Men,” also known as the SAM Project, which seeks to understand young American men of various backgrounds. One startling number from this study is that 31% report having been homeless or near-homeless in the past five years. In more direct political findings though, only 27% say Trump is delivering for them, and slightly less, 25%, say Republicans are delivering. However, despite these abysmal numbers, just 18% say Democrats are delivering for them. Clearly, while young men are not joined at the hip to the Republican Party, the Democrats have a long way to go to win them back and won't get there without profoundly changing their approach to courting this key voting bloc.* Finally, the battle between Netflix and Paramount over corporate control of Warner Bros. Discovery continues to drag on. This week, WB announced they would formally reject Paramount's latest bid, their eighth so far, arguing that it is inferior to Netflix's proposal, citing the “extraordinary amount of incremental debt,” Paramount would have to incur in order to take over the larger company. This is estimated to be over $50 million. Although Paramount's hostile bid is higher per share than Netflix's offer, Paramount's bid includes WB's cable assets, such as CNN, which the company believes will be worth more if spun off from the rest of the company. This from CNN itself. Meanwhile, Paramount – led by the Ellison family – is calling in political favors on their behalf. In a letter to the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, Paramount Chief Legal Officer Makan Delrahim, who led the Antitrust Division of the DOJ under Trump 2017-2021, accused the proposed Netflix WB merger of being “presumptively unlawful,” because it would “further cement [Netflix's] dominance in streaming video on demand,” per Deadline. Congress cannot directly block a merger or acquisition, that power rests with the DOJ, but it does possess oversight power in that realm and can exert pressure to this end. Given the high stakes of this fight, expect all parties to call in their chits on Capitol Hill and in the administration in order to win the big prize.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

In today's episode of Second Request, Executive Editor Teddy Downey sits down with Graham Steele former former Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and current Academic Fellow at the Rock Center for Corporate Governance. They discuss Steele's recent paper Financial Statecraft and explore the role of financial institutions in American foreign policy, and the tradeoffs for regulation of those industries in the U.S. To learn more about The Capitol Forum click here. To read Graham Steele's paper Financial Statecraft click here.

In this episode, we tackle the explosive developments surrounding the recent shooting incident involving an ICE agent and a woman in Minneapolis. President Trump has called for an investigation into the movement of $700 million in cash out of the airport, while FBI Director Kash Patel announces a criminal investigation into the organizers of anti-ICE protests that escalated into violence. John Solomon breaks down the significance of these events, highlighting the FBI's new stance on prosecuting those who obstruct law enforcement operations during protests.Joining the conversation are former law enforcement officials Jonathan Gilliam and Art Del Cueto, who provide expert analysis on the shooting incident. They discuss the video evidence, the legal implications, and whether the actions of the driver posed a legitimate threat to the officer involved. Solomon emphasizes the tragic series of decisions that led to this moment, from immigration policies to local governance, and the responsibility of law enforcement to de-escalate situations whenever possible.Later in the episode, Bobby Charles, former Assistant Secretary of State, shares insights on lessons learned from international law enforcement training that could be applied to improve responses in critical situations like this. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, joined us on the Guy Benson Show today to discuss the continued unfolding of the aftermath following an I.C.E.-involved shooting in Minneapolis. McLaughlin brought the Guy Benson Show new details about the deceased woman, Renee Good, and how she was "stalking" ICE throughout the day in a "chronic" manner, and McLaughlin wholly rejected the "categorically false" narrative that Good was the victim of a "wrong place, wrong time" coincidence. Listen to the full interview with the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security below. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For many Americans, Operation Absolute Resolve, which brought Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro to trial in New York, was an unexpected New Year's surprise. For others who have endured the corruption of his regime and watched as American adversaries have turned Venezuela and Cuba into platforms for illicit investment, arms trafficking, and narcotics, it is a long-awaited moment of vindication. It appears Chávez's henchmen are finally facing the music. But why now? Our guest, Roger Noriega, cites institutional issues within the U.S. government and severe counterintelligence failures of the past, obstacles he argues have been overcome under Marco Rubio's leadership and with President Trump's resolve. So, what's next? Will the opposition win a democratic election? And what is the Cuban play here? Could their regime be at risk?Roger Noriega is the founder and managing director of the consultant firm, Vision Americas LLC, which has teams in Washington and Bogotá. Ambassador (ret.) Roger F. Noriega has more than three decades of public policy experience focusing on U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere. After a 10-year career on Capitol Hill with Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to senior State Department posts including Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs and a U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States. He also coordinated the American Enterprise Institute's program on Latin America as a visiting Fellow for 15 years.Read the transcript here.Subscribe to our Substack here.

The Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Agriculture and the Small Business Administration discuss the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, on January 8, 2026. Speakers: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya Dr. Ben Carson (former HHS Secretary) HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O'Neill Assistant Secretary for Health and Head of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Brian Christine The event took place at HHS headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was associate editor and columnist for the The Wall Street Journal and was appointed by President Reagan to Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy. He joins founder of Curves International Fitness, businessman, author, filmmaker and philanthropist Gary Heavin to discuss Venezuela, what happens next, Cuba, Mexico, Iran,Trump being a dangerous rogue, and much more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE LIKE AND SHARE THIS PODCAST!!!    Watch Show Rumble- https://rumble.com/v73xlnw-venezuela-we-stole-their-oil-and-defended-it-paul-craig-roberts-and-gary-he.html YouTube- https://youtu.be/a04XxdYvPSI   Follow Me X- https://x.com/CoffeeandaMike IG- https://www.instagram.com/coffeeandamike/ Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/CoffeeandaMike/ YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@Coffeeandamike Rumble- https://rumble.com/search/all?q=coffee%20and%20a%20mike Substack- https://coffeeandamike.substack.com/ Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-and-a-mike/id1436799008 Gab- https://gab.com/CoffeeandaMike Locals- https://coffeeandamike.locals.com/ Website- www.coffeeandamike.com Email- info@coffeeandamike.com   Support My Work Venmo- https://www.venmo.com/u/coffeeandamike Paypal- https://www.paypal.com/biz/profile/Coffeeandamike Substack- https://coffeeandamike.substack.com/ Patreon- http://patreon.com/coffeeandamike Locals- https://coffeeandamike.locals.com/ Cash App- https://cash.app/$coffeeandamike Buy Me a Coffee- https://buymeacoffee.com/coffeeandamike Bitcoin- coffeeandamike@strike.me   Mail Check or Money Order- Coffee and a Mike LLC P.O. Box 25383 Scottsdale, AZ 85255-9998   Follow Dr. Roberts Website-  https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/   Sponsors Vaulted/Precious Metals- https://vaulted.blbvux.net/coffeeandamike McAlvany Precious Metals- https://mcalvany.com/coffeeandamike/ Independence Ark Natural Farming- https://www.independenceark.com/

Mike joins Ely Ratner, Principal at The Marathon Initiative and Senior Adviser at Clarion Strategies. Previously he was Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs during the Biden administration, and before that he was Executive Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). They discuss the strategic competition with China, the challenges and opportunities around the China challenge, what the most significant things the U.S. did relating to allies and partners during the Biden Administration, and the case for a Pacific defense pact.

In this episode recorded live from the 2025 Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, hosts Lauren Bedula and Hondo Geurts sit down with the Honorable Brent Ingraham, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. Secretary Ingraham shares his remarkable journey from designing engines at General Motors to answering an unexpected call from the Marine Corps in 2009 to fix the automotive failures of MRAP vehicles, launching a 16-year career passion for getting the right capabilities to warfighters. The conversation explores his revolutionary approach to managing Army programs through live digital dashboards instead of PowerPoint presentations, how entrepreneurs can engage with the Army's acquisition system, and his mission to "unleash" the acquisition workforce by eliminating bureaucratic roadblocks that prevent rapid capability delivery.Five Key Takeaways:Strategic recruiting can transform both careers and national security: Secretary Ingraham's unexpected recruitment from the automotive industry demonstrates how targeted expertise from outside traditional defense channels can solve critical problems, highlighting the importance of creative talent acquisition pathways that bring diverse industrial experience into defense acquisition leadership.The Army is unleashing its workforce to deliver: Secretary Ingraham's core message to his acquisition team is freeing them from excessive staffing requirements and bureaucratic processes, telling them "we want to take the bureaucracy of all of the staffing, of paperwork and processes out" so they can focus on what they were hired to do: designing, developing, delivering, and sustaining capabilities for warfighters.The Army manages programs with live data: In keeping with his position that "I do not want to manage programs by PowerPoint," Secretary Ingraham has begun revolutionizing Army acquisition by implementing real-time digital dashboards that provide instant visibility into cost, schedule, performance, budgets, contracts, and industrial base impacts across all programs, enabling faster decision-making and proactive risk management.Bring your products, not your presentations: Secretary Ingraham emphasizes that companies should bring prototypes directly to soldiers for feedback, stating "I don't care what shape it's in, whether it's a rough prototype or something that's really fine. Let's get it in the hands of users" because soldiers are best positioned to give feedback on products.You don't need a factory to work with the Army: Startups without production capacity should partner with the organic industrial base: Army depots, arsenals, and other manufacturers like Hadrian or Castilian, rather than building brick-and-mortar facilities, reducing time to production while strengthening the broader defense industrial ecosystem.

In today's episode, John Solomon and his guests dissect President Trump's Wednesday night speech and the significant political and economic developments that followed. From healthcare reforms to a surprising merger involving Truth Social, John Solomon covers it all. Join us as we welcome Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, who unveils a novel prosecution strategy against those who targeted Trump. Additionally, pollster John McLaughlin shares insights on the President's momentum heading into 2026. Finally, it's AMAC Thursday. Bobby Charles, former Assistant Secretary of State and current candidate for the Maine Republican gubernatorial nomination discusses President Trump's impactful speech, the surprising drop in inflation, and the implications of tariffs and interest rates on the economy. Bobby shares insights into the systemic welfare fraud occurring in sanctuary cities across various states, highlighting the challenges faced in Maine and beyond. As we approach the holiday season, Bobby emphasizes the importance of addressing public corruption and restoring trust in government. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, joined The Guy Benson Show today to discuss several high-profile immigration and public safety cases, including the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant accused of crimes such as human trafficking and domestic violence who was freed despite DHS efforts to deport him. Benson and McLaughlin also discussed the outrageous case of Edis Renan Diaz, an illegal immigrant convicted of raping a disabled woman who was controversially praised by an Obama federal judge for his "family devotion" and willingness to do work others would not. McLaughlin also addressed the misleading portrayal of Sae Joon Park by a member of Congress, clarified the status of Guan Heng, and more. Listen below. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we uncover the intricate web of investigations surrounding the Clinton Foundation and the contrasting treatment by the FBI under different administrations. Just the News Investigative Reporter Jerry Dunleavy reveals shocking new documents that illustrate the FBI's struggles to pursue allegations against the Clintons while simultaneously escalating investigations into Donald Trump. Later, we delve into a pressing legal battle as the Southeastern Legal Foundation takes on New York Attorney General Letitia James. Join us as Kimberly Hermann, the leader of the foundation, discusses the implications of a lawsuit aimed at protecting the First Amendment rights of school board members and parents concerning debates on transgender athletes in K-12 sports. Finally, we explore the significance of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in relation to critical minerals found in Africa. Daniel Simmons, former Assistant Secretary at the Department of Energy, discusses the challenges posed by China's dominance in critical mineral production and processing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For today's episode, Lawfare Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson sits down with Joel Braunold, Managing Director of the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace and a Lawfare contributing editor, and Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, the John C. Whitehead Visiting Fellow in International Diplomacy at the Brookings Institution, who previously served as Undersecretary General for Political Affairs at the United Nations as well as the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, among other senior U.S. diplomatic positions.They discuss Resolution 2803, which the U.N. Security Council adopted earlier this week to endorse and help implement President Trump's peace plan for Gaza, including how it conforms and departs from usual international practice, what it says about the political positions of the various parties involved in the peace plan, and how it may (or may not) help contribute to an enduring end to the broader conflict—as well as a possible path to Palestinian self-determination.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.