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On the Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore hosts an all-start lineup of guests to break it all down: Michael Carpenter, who served as the U.S. National Security Council's Senior Director for Europe, US Ambassador to the OSCE, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia; John Sipher, a 28-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service and recipient of the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal; and James Sherr, an honorary fellow at the International Center for Defense and Security and an Associate Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House.
The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are:Theresa Bourgeois - Public policy and communications expert.March Gallagher - The Ulster County Comptroller and the former president and CEO of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley.Allison Kavey - a full professor in the History Department at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY).Warren Whitlock - a former federal senior executive having served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Diversity & Leadership, and, Associate Administrator for Civil Rights at the Federal Highway Administration.
The U.S. has no shortage of Emerging Technology and Defense Technology innovation, but getting that innovation into the hands of the Warfighter remains a challenge. As the pace of technological change accelerates, the Department of Defense (DoD) is rethinking how its research, development, and laboratory ecosystem can move faster and better connect Emerging Technology with operational needs and National Security priorities.In this episode of Emerging Tech Horizons, Arun Seraphin sits down with Jacob Glassman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies, to discuss the future of the defense innovation ecosystem and the role of the Department's laboratories in accelerating Defense Technology transition. Glassman shares insights from a recent review of the defense lab enterprise, including efforts to break down barriers to innovation, improve collaboration across laboratories, and get promising Emerging Technology to the Warfighter faster.Key topics include:Why the Department needs to move beyond simply out-innovating adversaries and learn to continuously innovate faster than the pace of change on the battlefield, strengthening National Security.How government laboratories, FFRDCs, and university research centers can serve as critical bridges between Emerging Technology, industry, acquisition programs, and the Warfighter.The barriers preventing promising Defense Technology from moving from prototypes to scalable capabilities—and why the Department is strong at prototyping but struggles with scaling.How lowering barriers to entry can create opportunities for startups, entrepreneurs, and non-traditional innovators to work with defense laboratories and bring new Defense Technology and Emerging Technology into the National Security ecosystem.The untapped value of government intellectual property, advanced facilities, and technical expertise—and how better access and collaboration could generate greater returns on those investments and strengthen National Security.Workforce challenges facing the defense laboratory enterprise and the need to create new opportunities for younger technical talent to contribute to the future of Defense Technology and National Security.Glassman's "sprint" approach to solving problems through rapid experimentation, learning by doing, and quickly deciding whether to kill, pivot, or scale an effort.How initiatives such as LabFinder could improve access to government laboratory facilities, lower barriers for industry, and provide better data on facility utilization, helping accelerate Emerging Technology and Defense Technology development.NDIA Emerging Technologies Institute: https://www.ndiaeti.org NDIA Emerging Technologies Conference: https://www.ndiatechexpo.orgBe sure to follow us on social media for updates, early access to upcoming events, inside scoops, & more:LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4htROo0Twitter: https://bit.ly/48LHAx3Facebook: https://bit.ly/47vlht8And for more podcasts, articles, & publications covering all things emerging tech, visit: ndiaeti.org#Warfighter #EmergingTechnology #Departmentofdefense #DefenseTechnology #NationalSecurity
The US faces a dwindling stockpile of critical weapons systems, having massively depleted them in its war with Iran. The weapons shortage was a factor in President Trump's recent decision to cancel new strikes on Iran and it costs Ukraine most acutely, leaving its cities virtually defenseless against Moscow's relentless attacks. For more on what all this means, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Evelyn Farkas joins the show. Also on today's show: settler violence in the West Bank; Afghan women's rights activist Mahbouba Seraj; Ben Wilker, Former Chair, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Welcome to “Nuclear bombs and bots”, the first episode of our second series! Hosted by the ELN's Deputy Executive Director, Bekki Field, this episode explores the relationship between new “disruptive” technologies and nuclear weapons. To start the episode, Bekki is joined by Edan Simpson, ELN Project and Communications Officer, and Julia Berghofer, Head of the ELN's Nuclear and New Technologies programme, to break down what a “new technology” actually is, and why they matter for nuclear weapons policy. Edan's “How To Fix It” panel features Younger Generation Leaders Network (YGLN) members Alice Saltini and Ksenija Trajkovska; Alice is a former ELN Policy Fellow, where she spearheaded our research projects in nuclear and new technologies. Nowadays, she is the Senior Research Lead at the Rhode Island School of Design and a Non-Resident Expert on AI at the James Martin Centre for Non-Proliferation Studies; Ksenija Trajkovska is a Senior OSINT & CBRN Analyst at Fenix Insight and an incoming Research Analyst at Open Nuclear Network. We ask our panel: Whether we focus so much on the risks posed by emerging technologies that we ignore their potential benefits to nuclear weapons systems? And how important is training for military personnel to recognise and challenge the biases that can evolve from an increasing use of AI in military systems? Moving on to “Turn Back the Clock”, where we look at how new technologies have historically affected nuclear weapons, Bekki is joined by Alexandra Bell, a YGLN alumnus, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Affairs in the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability (ADS) at the U.S. Department of State, and the President and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Bekki and Alex discuss the history of these technological advancements, how technology changes threa perceptions, and how equipped the expert community is to cope with the pace of technological change. Finally, as always, the episode wraps up with “The Debrief,” where Bekki, Edan and Julie review everything they've covered. Catch up on previous episodes and make sure to subscribe to future episodes of “Ok Doomer!” Referenced in the podcast: The AI lens of cognitive warfare: Why LLMs language bias is a security risk by Ihor Samokhodskyi
In this episode, we are joined by Laura Patton Watson, former Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, to explore how strong fiscal management and federal grant compliance contribute to better workforce outcomes. Drawing on decades of experience overseeing billions of dollars in federal grant funding, Laura discusses the importance of understanding grant agreements, building an organization-wide culture of fiscal responsibility, preparing for the growing role of AI in financial oversight, and balancing new technology with sound human judgment. She also previews the 2026 Administrative and Financial Management Conference and the practical guidance it will offer workforce professionals responsible for managing federal grants.
Israel says it has doubts about Hamas disarming. The group and other Palestinian factions in Gaza have agreed to lay down their weapons. But they say it's dependent on the withdrawal of Israeli troops — which Israel has refused to do unless they disarm. Where does this leave Gaza? In this episode: Xavier Abu Eid, Political analyst and former adviser to the Palestinian negotiating team Michael Mulroy, Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Nimrod Novick, Former special envoy and senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres Host: Frankie McCamley Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
U.S. House Candidate, retired US Marine, and former police officer David Burck is scheduled to take a short break from the campaign trail to discuss President Trump's primetime election integrity speech and how concerned we should be about election security this year. (And yeah, we'll talk about the campaign too.)As the U.S.-Iran conflict intensifies with renewed military strikes and rising concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel William "Burner" Dunn is scheduled to join me once more to provide expert analysis on the evolving crisis. The latest escalation has heightened fears of a broader regional conflict, disrupted global energy markets, and increased concerns about U.S. military operations and regional stability.As the Trump administration rolls out bilateral health partnerships with dozens of countries under its America First Global Health Strategy, it is doing more than restructuring foreign assistance. It is replacing a decades-old model that too often exported ideology instead of improving health. Dr. Alma Golden, a pediatrician, public health expert, and former Senate-confirmed Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Global Health at the U.S. Agency for International Development, she has also served as as Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director of the Office of Population Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush and most recently, as Chief Operating Officer of the Institute for Women's Health, where she helped advance evidence-based policies and programs to improve the health and well-being of women and girls around the world. Dr. Golden is scheduled to join me to discuss how the Trump administration is putting women's health ahead of politics.David Burck: https://davidburck.com/Col. William "Burner" Dunn: https://colonelwilliamdunn.com/homeGunfighters Rule!: https://amzn.to/4oRTauOThe Institute for Women's Health: https://www.theiwh.org/Dr. Alma Golden: https://www.theiwh.org/who-we-are/#leadershipTapper on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0AArwj5iTabIXYsSKIxNakBecome a supporter of Tapp into the Truth: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tapp-into-the-truth--556114/supportAimee's Audios Subliminal Acoustic Fingerprinting: https://www.aimeesaudios.com/If recent events have proven anything, you need to be as prepared as possible for when things go sideways. You certainly can't count on the government for help. True liberty requires self-reliance. Let My Patriot Supply help you be prepared. My Patriot Supply: https://www.mypatriotsupply.com/?_ef_transaction_id=&oid=1&affid=84Support American jobs! Get great products! Some are now at wholesale prices. Go to My Pillow and use promo code TAPP to save! https://www.mypillow.com/tappVisit Patriot Mobile or Call (817) 380-9081 to take advantage of a FREE Month of service when you switch using promo code TAPP! https://patriotmobile.com/tappChuck Norris is no longer with us, but you can honor the man he was and be as active and healthy as he was until his passing. How? By adding Morning Kick to your daily routine. Morning Kick is a revolutionary new daily drink that combines ultra-potent greens like spirulina and kale with probiotics, prebiotics, collagen, and even ashwagandha. Plus, every purchase is backed by a 90-day money-back guarantee: https://chuckdefense.com/tapp"Remember Pop Rocks? Now, imagine they gave you superpowers."Please let me introduce you to Energy Rocks! Born from the grit and ambition of a competitive athlete who wanted a better, cleaner way to fuel the body and mind, without the hassle of mixing powders, messy bottles, or caffeine crashes. Energy Rocks is a reimagining of energy into something fun, functional, and fantastically effective. A delicious popping candy energy supplement that delivers a rapid boost of clean energy and focus — anytime, anywhere. No water. No mixing. No bulky bottles. Just open, pop it in your mouth, and get ready to rock. Making any time the right time to "Get in the Zone, One Pop at a Time." https://energyrocks.store/products/cherry-berry?sca_ref=8856032.9eONVDNSeb4ez73FFollow Tapp into the Truth on Locals Follow Tapp into the Truth on SubstackHero SoapBlue CoolersKoa CoffeeBrainMDDiamond CBDSauce Bae2nd SkullEinstokBeanstoxBelle IsleHoneyFund"Homegrown" Boone's BourbonBlackout Coffee Co.Full Circle Brewing Co.Pasmosa Sangria
On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Michael Carpenter, a senior fellow for Transatlantic Affairs at the International Institute for Strategic Studies who served in the administration of former President Joe Biden as the NSC's Senior Director for Europe and U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE and in the administration of Barack Obama as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia; and Max Bergmann, director of the Europe and Russia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who served as a member of the Secretary of State's Policy Planning Staff and as a speechwriter for former Secretary of State John Kerry.
Rafe Pomerance, who died on May 21, 2026 at age 79, spent nearly five decades trying to make the world take climate change seriously before it was too late. I last spoke with him at the Arctic Repair conference in Cambridge in summer 2025, where he told me his message was "absolutely the same" as it had been in 2018: the fate of Miami is tied to the fate of Greenland.A Career That Started With a Coal ReportPomerance's climate awakening began almost by accident. In the late 1970s, while lobbying for clean air at Friends of the Earth, he came across a government report on coal liquefaction warning that carbon dioxide emissions could cause a "significant and damaging" rise in Earth's temperature. From that point he devoted himself almost entirely to climate change, pushing Congress toward hearings and testifying himself in 1984 that the consequences, once clear, would be irreversible. He helped organize the landmark 1986 Senate hearings on the greenhouse effect, a genuine turning point in public awareness. From 1986 to 1993 he worked at the World Resources Institute, and under President Clinton he became Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Environment, leading the U.S. negotiating team that helped produce the Kyoto Protocol.In August 2018, the New York Times Magazine devoted an entire issue — "Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change" — to the story of how climate action nearly happened in the 1980s, with Pomerance at its center. The piece, later expanded into a book of the same name, cemented his reputation as one of the movement's earliest and most persistent voices, sometimes dubbed the "Paul Revere of climate change."In our Cambridge interview, Pomerance was focused on his final project: the Upper Limit Project, which sought to establish a global cap on sea-level rise as a companion metric to the 1.5°C temperature target. He argued that temperature alone had failed to sufficiently drive policy, but that sea-level rise — visceral, universal, and tied to the collapsing Greenland ice sheet's 24 feet of locked-up sea-level potential — could finally galvanize leaders from Miami to Tuvalu. He was candid about America's retreat from climate leadership under President Trump, calling the dismantling of the Inflation Reduction Act "a real tragedy," though he found some relief in China's growing role in clean energy technology.Despite the political headwinds, Pomerance remained resolutely hopeful. "It's just not acceptable to lose the homes of hundreds of millions of people over time," he told me, "and that's not an outcome that the world can accept." He leaves behind a policy legacy stretching from the Clean Air Coalition to Kyoto to the Arctic Repair movement, and generations of scientists and advocates he personally inspired.The Cover That Made Him FamousStill Pushing, Even at the EndAn Optimist to the Last
Dr. Phil breaks down the Pentagon's newly released UFO files, 40 declassified UAP documents, videos, and audio recordings, some hidden for 80 years and shows the proof behind his statement that the government has been lying about UFOs for 79 years. In this episode of The Real Story, Dr. Phil examines the declassified evidence for himself: JANAP 146, the 1953 military regulation that threatened pilots with 10 years in prison for discussing UFO sightings; the secret 1971 Turner Report, in which an Australian intelligence officer documented a U.S. "facade of ridicule"; Project Sign, the Air Force's first UFO investigation; the retired officials who spoke out, including the first CIA Director; and the Bolender memo proving national security UFO reports were kept out of Project Blue Book. Whistleblower David Grusch called this document proof of "the U.S. cover up and the involvement of the CIA." Read the files yourself — every source is linked below. Then you decide.
With the recent wave of milestones across the U.S. nuclear sector, we were eager to better understand what these achievements mean for the future of advanced reactors. Over the past month, Antares, Valar Atomics, Deployable Energy, and Aalo Atomics each achieved criticality, an important technical milestone, through the Department of Energy's Reactor Pilot Program (RPP) and Nuclear Energy Launch Pad. To help us put these milestones into context, we were delighted to host Dr. Rian Bahran, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors in the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy. Rian oversees the Department's portfolio for advanced reactor research, demonstration, and deployment, and is a career member of the Senior Executive Service who has served under both the Biden and Trump Administrations. We were thrilled to visit with Rian to "demystify" the latest developments in U.S. nuclear and discuss what still needs to happen before these technologies reach commercial scale. In our conversation, Rian explains why the four recent criticality milestones represent an important step forward for advanced nuclear. While criticality is not the finish line, he shares how these demonstrations help validate a new commercialization pathway by allowing companies to build and test nuclear hardware in months rather than years. He describes how the Department of Energy's Reactor Pilot and Launch Pad initiatives are creating greater regulatory certainty, helping companies unlock private capital, and accelerating progress toward commercial deployment. We discuss the DOE's broader strategy for expanding U.S. nuclear capacity, from gigawatt-scale reactors and small modular reactors to microreactors. Rian explains why the DOE is pursuing multiple technologies simultaneously, allowing the market to determine the winning designs while supporting innovation across the reactor, fuel cycle, and supply chain ecosystems. He outlines how reactor uprates, restarts, and investments across the nuclear fuel cycle can provide near-term additions to U.S. generating capacity while advanced reactors continue progressing toward commercialization. We explore the role advanced nuclear could play in powering AI infrastructure, military installations, industrial facilities, and future export markets. Rian discusses how the DOE is leveraging AI to accelerate reactor design, licensing, manufacturing, and deployment, and why workforce development has become one of the industry's greatest long-term challenges. He emphasizes that the U.S. has reached a true inflection point for nuclear energy, driven by unprecedented alignment across government, industry, private capital, and growing electricity demand. It was a wide-ranging and fascinating discussion, and we sincerely appreciate Rian taking the time to join us during such a busy time. Mike Bradley kicked us off by noting that three key themes have driven markets so far this quarter. First, Treasury yields have continued to move higher, with the 10-year Treasury yield rising to approximately 4.55% and the 30-year Treasury yield climbing above 5%. Second, renewed geopolitical uncertainty following the end of the Iranian ceasefire helped lift WTI crude oil prices by roughly $4/bbl this week to approximately $72/bbl. Third, equity markets have experienced notable sector rotation, with investors shifting capital out of semiconductor stocks and back into the Magnificent 7. Mike concluded by highlighting the sharp reversal in sentiment toward small modular reactor (SMR) companies. While SMR stocks were among the market's strongest performers entering 2026 amid growing enthusiasm for nuclear power, the group is now down roughly 30% on average year-to-date. Nick Morriss, Brett Rampal, and Veriten Senior Advisor Bill Flores also joined the discussion, contributing their perspectives and questions on nuclear energy and power.
In this episode, Mike is joined by Ambassador Laura Stone, who most recently served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall Islands and previously held senior leadership roles at the U.S. Department of State, including Deputy Assistant Secretary for China and Mongolia. They discuss the role that the Marshall Islands and the broader Pacific Islands play in U.S. engagement with the Indo-Pacific, how they factor into U.S.–China strategic competition, and how the United States can work more effectively with its allies and partners to strengthen its approach to the region.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has wrapped up his three-day tour of the Gulf. Regional states want a greater say in security--after coming under attack during the Iran war. So, can Washington rebuild trust with its regional allies? And will Gulf states be able to steer the future of the Strait of Hormuz? In this episode: Abdulla Banndar Al Etaibi, Assistant Professor of International Relations at Qatar University Gordon Gray, Former U.S. Ambassador and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Sina Toossi, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy, focusing on U.S.-Iran relations Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
President Donald Trump needs more than $65bn in urgent funding for the Pentagon as a result of the Iran war, a stark reminder of the cost to America's military. Amid a munitions crunch, the defense industrial base is being told to go faster - and the US' adversaries are taking note.In today's episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey sits down with Dana Stroul, former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East and now director of research at the Washington Institute. She delivers a blunt assessment of the conflict's fallout, why lopsided sanctions relief has handed Tehran an economic windfall, and how the war has severely strained America's Gulf alliances. Plus, they discuss new reports that an advanced Iranian "jellyfish" drone formation successfully brought down a US F-15 fighter jet back in April.CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyDana Stroul, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Middle East and research director Washington Institute @dstroulWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Iran was using ‘jellyfish' swarm of drones, reports downed F-15 pilothttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/06/23/f-15-pilot-shot-down-over-iran-saw-jellyfish-swarm-of-drone/Dana Stroul: How the Iran War Will Transform America's Military Rolehttps://www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/middle-east-power-paradox-dana-stroulProducer: Max Bower and Rachel PorterExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/HighlightsUS facing weapons shortage - can Trump fix it?Did Iran down a US fighter jet with a secret new drone weapon? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Calvin Johnson, Ph.D. is the Dean of the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from Eastern Washington University, a Master's Degree in Sociology/Research Methods from Temple University, and a Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland-College Park. Prior to his current role, he served dual roles as the Associate Director of the Office of Research and Evaluation and the Performance Improvement Officer at the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, then went on to serve 12 years as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research, Evaluation, and Monitoring at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Policy Development and Research. Having also worked in research positions at the University of Pennsylvania, The Urban Institute, and with the Executive Office of the Mayor of the District of Columbia, he serves as a Commissioner on the United States Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys as well as was elected as a Fellow for the National Academy of Public Administration. Calvin calls Houston, Texas home.
On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore looks at this military revolution with former Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zagorodniuk and Michael Carpenter, who served in the administration of former President Joe Biden as the NSC's Senior Director for Europe and U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE; and in the administration of Barack Obama, Mike served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia.
Bob Stack is the former Managing Director of Deloitte's Washington National Tax Practice, a role he held until his recent retirement. Prior to his work for Deloitte, Bob served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Tax Affairs in the Office of Tax Policy at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In this episode of On Tax, he and Cravath partner and host Len Teti discuss how an early love of French language and international travel inspired Bob's path to tax law in front of a live audience of students, faculty and alumni at the University of Virginia School of Law. They also talk about Bob's tenure at the Treasury Department and reflect on the role senior colleagues play in building knowledge and confidence for professionals across the tax world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Israel intensifies its military action in Lebanon, killing and injuring dozens of people, despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Iran insists those attacks must also end as part of any deal with the United States. So, why is Israel ramping up its strikes? In this episode: Najat Aoun Saliba, Independent Member of the Lebanese Parliament Rami Khouri, Distinguished Fellow at the American University of Beirut Michael Mulroy, Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
Billy Pizer discusses how energy security goes beyond the price of oil or liquified natural gas since these prices do not fully capture all the costs of using fossil fuels. One well-known externality, a cost beyond the price at the pump, is global warming and the corresponding climate-related disasters like the 2025 Palisades fire in California or the devastation in North Carolina from Hurricane Helene in 2024. Billy points out that there are other costs as well, including macroeconomic vulnerability from spiking oil prices and the risks associated with the tilting of political and military decisions due to energy needs. He also explains that climate change poses threats to those banks and parts of the financial system that have assets concentrated in places vulnerable to extreme weather events. Billy is the President and CEO of Resources for the Future, a think tank focused on energy and the environment. He previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment and Energy at the US Treasury.
Send us Fan MailThe NCUA looks to be getting a new board chair: John Crews, a longtime Washington DC hand and currently Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Treasury Department. Prior jobs include Policy Director of the Senate Banking Committee and Policy Advisor to House majority leader Steve Scalise. He's a guy who knows his way around inside the Beltway.There's an urgency to his nomination because present NCUA board chair Kyle Hauptman has been named to the board of the Public Company Accounting Oversight board. Hauptman also is the only member of the NCUA's current board. There are two other seats but their occupants presently are involved in litigation and no longer serve.Will Crews cross the finish line in the Senate and assume the top job at NCUA?On the show is Washington DC lobbyist Elizabeth Ergubian, herself a former staffer at NCUA where she served as Director of External Affairs & Communications and Policy Advisor to the Chair.Before that she was Deputy Chief Advocacy Officer & Senior Counsel at CUNA.She knows the Beltway doings, she knows credit unions, and here she tells what to expect in Crew's confirmation hearing - and when to expect it.Listen up.Like what you are hearing? Find out how you can help sponsor this podcast here. Very affordable sponsorship packages are available. Email rjmcgarvey@gmail.com And like this podcast on whatever service you use to stream it. That matters. Find out more about CU2.0 and the digital transformation of credit unions here. It's a journey every credit union needs to take. Pronto
Visit us at Network2020.org. Cuba is at a strategic crossroads as the near collapse of its national energy system reshapes the island's political landscape. Intense U.S. sanctions and the loss of energy support from traditional partners like Venezuela have left the Cuban government in its most vulnerable state in decades. While Havana seeks diplomatic paths forward, the current U.S. administration sees an opportunity for changing a government that Washington has declared “an unusual and extraordinary security threat.” This crisis moment carries profound implications for U.S. foreign policy and for broader geopolitics.. What is the current situation in Cuba, and how is Washington's geopolitical pressure impacting its governance? What role might other countries, like Russia, play in this situation? And what are most likely future scenarios for Cuba?Join us for an insightful discussion that explores the current state of affairs in Cuba and its future trajectory. Our speaker for this briefing will be Emily Mendrala, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.Music by Sergii Pavkin from Pixabay.
On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore breaks it all down with Michael Carpenter, a Senior Fellow for Transatlantic Affairs at the International Institute for Strategic Studies who served in the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden as the NSC's Senior Director for Europe as well as the US Ambassador to the OSCE and in the administration of Barack Obama as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia; and Casey Michel, author of the books American Kleptocracy: How The US Created the Greatest Money Laundering Machine in History, Foreign Agents: How American Lobbyists and Lawmakers Threaten Democracy Around the World, and United States of Oligarchy: How America's Wealthiest Ally with Dictators, Weaken the U.S., and Destroy Democracy.
Former senior national security official Frank Rose joins the conversation to examine the future of arms control, nuclear policy, and strategic stability in an increasingly complex global environment. Drawing on his extensive experience in arms control, missile defense, and nuclear security, Rose offers a candid assessment of how arms control must adapt to a world shaped by great‑power competition, emerging technologies, and evolving threats from China and other strategic competitors. He explores arms control not as an end in itself, but as a practical tool for managing risk to the United States and its allies. The discussion also takes a hard look at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)—its structure, mission, and strategic role—and considers whether organizational reform may be necessary to meet future nuclear security challenges. Rose addresses the technological pressures reshaping deterrence, the realities of stockpile stewardship, and why sustaining credibility may require difficult choices in the years ahead. Frank A. Rose is President of Chevalier Strategic Advisors, a strategic advisory firm focused on the intersection of geopolitics, national security, and defense technology. He advises companies, investors, and institutions on strategic risk, government engagement, and emerging defense and dual-use technologies.Previously, Rose served as Principal Deputy Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (2021–2024), where he helped oversee the U.S. nuclear security enterprise. He also served as Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Space and Defense Policy (2009–2017), leading U.S. policy on nuclear deterrence, arms control, missile defense, space security, and allied defense cooperation. Earlier in his career, he was a Professional Staff Member on the House Armed Services Committee and a policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Defense. Rose is a frequent commentator and author on national security and strategic technology issues, with appearances across major media outlets and policy forums. He holds a B.A. in History from American University and an M.A. from King's College London. Follow us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nuclecast3665?si=h1kCO6NqUtL87w6q Follow on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nuclecastpodcast Subscribe RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/ Rate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclecast/id1644921278 Email comments and topic/guest suggestions to Kimberly@anwadeter.org
This week I'm sharing the third installment from the day-long conference convened by the Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs (ACF) at Johns Hopkins SAIS on April 3rd in Washington — "The China Debate We're Not Having: Politics, Technology, and the Road Ahead." The first two episodes featured Jessica Chen Weiss's opening remarks and the panels on what China wants and what the United States wants. This week's panel — "Tech, Rivalry, and Competing Visions of the Future" — turns to the domain that, more than any other, has come to define how Washington thinks about the U.S.-China relationship: technology, and especially AI. Once again, my deep thanks to Jessica Chen Weiss, ACF's inaugural faculty director, for organizing this terrific conference and for so generously letting me share this audio with Sinica listeners. Moderator Kat Duffy of the Council on Foreign Relations opens by interrogating the very framing of the panel: is "rivalry" actually the right word for what's going on between the U.S. and China in tech? The panelists give a range of answers — from "yes, because both sides believe it is" to Samm Sacks's pithy rejoinder that "rivalry serves specific actors and specific interests." From there the conversation ranges across the FCC's recent move to bar most foreign-made routers, the pitfalls of framing AI competition as a sprint to AGI rather than what Jeff Ding calls a "diffusion marathon," the many internal Chinas that get flattened in DC discourse, the cybersecurity reciprocity problem (Volt Typhoon, Salt Typhoon, and what President Trump tellingly admitted about all of it), and what it would actually mean for the U.S. to compete by being its best self — what one panelist memorably calls "Americamaxxing." There's a lot of substance packed into this hour, and a lot of generative pushback against received DC wisdom. The audience Q&A at the end takes up the role of race and xenophobia in the discourse — a topic that, as one questioner pointedly notes, had been conspicuously absent from the day's earlier discussions. Panelists:— Samm Sacks, Senior Fellow, New America and Yale Law School— Jeff Ding, Assistant Professor of Political Science, George Washington University— Mieke Eoyang, Visiting Professor, Carnegie Mellon University; former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy— Selina Xu, Lead for China and AI Policy, Office of Eric Schmidt Moderator: Kat Duffy, Senior Fellow for Digital and Cyberspace Policy, Council on Foreign RelationsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
0:30 - Karoline Leavitt: shooter's manifesto indistinguishable from Left's daily rap 14:44 - Hakeem Jeffries responds to Leavitt 37:55 - Cop killer, judge 59:54 - Strauss Center Senior Fellow and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Simone Ledeen pushes back on Washington foreign policy voices, arguing the Iran campaign is not over. 01:15:14 - In Depth History w/ Frank from Arlington Heights 01:18:56 - Why Dan Proft is Single 01:35:17 - Wirepoints founder Mark Glennon questions the proposed Chicago Bears deal, saying, “It’s a massive amount of bureaucracy they’re creating.” 01:52:32 - Dominic Green, columnist for The Washington Examiner, contributor to the Wall Street Journal and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, reacts to King Charles III’s U.S. visit and what it signals for U.S.–U.K. relations 02:13:09 - Retired FBI Special Agent and Unabomber case profiler James Fitzgerald weighs in on the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, saying, “It’s almost like there’s an ideologically violent subculture out there.” James is also co-host of the “Cold Red” podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Michael Davis, is Head of Global Retirement Strategy at T. Rowe Price and former Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor (2009–2012), and will be retiring in May of 2026. He has had a long career in finance interspersed with spells of public service, including in particular a role as Assistant Secretary in the US Department of Labor, from 2009 to 2012. He has a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard and remains committed to the study of global leadership as well as the promotion of opportunity.Our conversation starts with Michael's non-traditional path into finance, and his upbringing in the south. We learn what drew him to finance, and the strong underpinning of service that is a thread throughout. Michael explains how translating between different worlds shaped his leadership philosophy of dignity, integrity, and learning from ethical leaders and presidential biographies, citing Truman's view that certainty never fully arrives. He outlines T. Rowe Price's differentiated retirement platform- $1.8T managed with about two-thirds retirement-related, active target-date leadership, record-keeping for 2.5M participants, and 1.1M individual investors- and the value of combining stakeholder signals. His core beliefs include integrity, transparency, simple communication, diversification, and a balanced view of active and passive. Looking ahead, he highlights the unresolved challenge of decumulation and delivering trusted advice at scale, arguing defaults beat financial literacy alone, and emphasizing that asset managers ultimately “sell trust.”This podcast is kindly sponsored by Benefit Street Partners and PIMCO. Founded in 2008, Benefit Street Partners – BSP – is Franklin Templeton's specialised private credit manager with $92 billion in assets under management. The firm provides a wide range of private credit strategies across the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, including direct lending, special situations, commercial real estate debt, infrastructure debt, asset backed finance, structured credit and liquid credit. PIMCO (Pacific Investment Management Company LLC) is a premier global investment management firm founded in 1971, specializing in active fixed-income with over $2 trillion in assets under management. Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, it offers diversified investment solutions across public and private markets, serving institutional and individual investors worldwid
The U.S. military just pulled off one of the most dramatic combat search and rescue missions in history, sending forces deep into Iran to recover the crew of a downed F‑15E Strike Eagle fighter. Aircraft were lost, firefights erupted, and both airmen came home alive. The last time America attempted something this ambitious inside Iran was Operation Eagle Claw in 1980 - and that ended in disaster.In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso sit down with two retired special operations colonels: Ioannis Koskinas (Air Force Special Operations, CEO of The Hoplite Group, former senior advisor to Generals McChrystal and Schwartz) and Joe Felter (Army Special Forces, Director of Stanford's Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense). As Felter puts it: no other country could have pulled this off, and no other country would have tried.The conversation starts with the rescue: how it was planned in under 48 hours, how and why aircraft were lost at a forward staging site deep in Iran, and what separates this outcome from the 1980 failure. It then pivots to the broader war: where the conflict with Iran is headed, the risk of Gulf state escalation, and why both guests, drawing on painful experience from Afghanistan's collapse, warn against assuming tactical brilliance equals strategic victory. The episode closes with the Indo‑Pacific: what allies are thinking as American attention and resources once again pour into the Middle East, and whether the U.S. can fight in the Gulf without undermining its ability to deter China.
In this episode, host Tim O'Toole is again joined by colleagues Collmann Griffin and Melissa Burgess (Miller & Chevalier) and special guests Erik Woodhouse (former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counter Threat Finance and Sanctions in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) at the Department of State) and Joshua Kretman (former Deputy Assistant Secretary (Acting) in EB, who also spent several years as the lead sanctions attorney in the Office of the Legal Adviser at State). In part 2 of their discussion of State's role in sanctions, Erik and Josh address an unanswered question from part 1, then explain the coordination and separation between State and OFAC in licensing and enforcement. The discussion also covers a recent case addressing State's power to designate and delist, as well as State's role when one of its decisions is challenged in court. Roadmap: Separation between OFAC and State in enforcement State's general role in sanctions license adjudication Sanctions enforcement versus sanctions implementation Challenging State designations, and the inherent power to delist ******* Thanks to our guest for joining us: Joshua Kretman: https://www.dentons.com/en/joshua-kretman Erik Woodhouse: https://www.crowell.com/en/professionals/erik-woodhouse Melissa Burgess: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/melissa-burgess Collmann Griffin: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/collmann-griffin Questions? Contact us at podcasts@milchev.com. EMBARGOED! is not intended and cannot be relied on as legal advice; the content only reflects the thoughts and opinions of its hosts. EMBARGOED! is intelligent talk about sanctions, export controls, and all things international trade for trade nerds and normal human beings alike. Each episode will feature deep thoughts and hot takes about the latest headline-grabbing developments in this area of the law, as well as some below-the-radar items to keep an eye on. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes so you don't miss out!
How AI is, could, and shouldn't be used in military and other national security contexts is a topic of growing importance. Recent conflicts on the battlefield, and between the U.S. military and a major AI lab, are forcing conversations about legal, ethical, and appropriate business limitations for increasingly powerful AI tools. Michael Horowitz, a Political Science professor and Director of Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania, is one of the world's leading experts on military AI and autonomous weapons. In this episode, drawing on his two stints in the U.S. Department of Defense, Horowitz walks through the major buckets of military AI use. He explains why militaries are, in some ways, more incentivized than any other institution to get AI governance right, but genuine tensions among speed, effectiveness, and meaningful human control can make responsible military AI difficult in practice. We cover Anthropic's recent dispute with the Pentagon as a case study in the fragile and increasingly consequential relationship between Silicon Valley and the defense establishment. Michael C. Horowitz is the Richard Perry Professor of Political Science and Director of Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Senior Fellow for Technology and Innovation at the Council on Foreign Relations. From 2022 to 2024, he served as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Development and Emerging Capabilities, where he was the principal author of the U.S. Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of AI and Autonomy. He is the author of The Diffusion of Military Power: Causes and Consequences for International Politics and co-author of Why Leaders Fight. Transcript Battles of Precise Mass: Technology Is Remaking War — and America Must Adapt (Foreign Affairs, 2024) The Ethics & Morality of Robotic Warfare: Assessing the Debate over Autonomous Weapons (Daedalus, 2016) Rules of Engagement (Penn Gazette, 2025)
In this episode, host Tim O'Toole is joined by colleagues Collmann Griffin and Melissa Burgess (Miller & Chevalier), and special guests Erik Woodhouse (former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counter Threat Finance and Sanctions in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) at the Department of State) and Joshua Kretman (former Deputy Assistant Secretary (Acting) in EB, who also spent several years as the lead sanctions attorney in the Office of the Legal Adviser at State). In part 1 of this discussion, Erik and Josh explain the structure and various players working on sanctions within State, walk through the process of creating a new sanctions program, and discuss State's role in sanctions targeting. Roadmap: Introductions and former positions at State Background on the State Department What role does State play in sanctions? Are there issues where State would want to hear from clients? What kinds of issues would you consider raising with State Venezuela: What role do you think State will play/is playing in this space? ******* Thanks to our guest for joining us: Joshua Kretman: https://www.dentons.com/en/joshua-kretman Erik Woodhouse: https://www.crowell.com/en/professionals/erik-woodhouse Melissa Burgess: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/melissa-burgess Collmann Griffin: https://www.millerchevalier.com/professional/collmann-griffin Questions? Contact us at podcasts@milchev.com. EMBARGOED! is not intended and cannot be relied on as legal advice; the content only reflects the thoughts and opinions of its hosts. EMBARGOED! is intelligent talk about sanctions, export controls, and all things international trade for trade nerds and normal human beings alike. Each episode will feature deep thoughts and hot takes about the latest headline-grabbing developments in this area of the law, as well as some below-the-radar items to keep an eye on. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes so you don't miss out!
Arrington welcomes (D) Matt Strickler. Former Virginia Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources under the Ralph Northam administration. He also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks for the U.S. Department of the Interior. Strickler is one of many candidates running in the Democratic Primary hoping to win the Virginia 2nd Congressional seat currently held by Republican Jen Kiggans.
March 5, 2026 ~ Van Hipp, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, discusses Iran's nuclear program with Chris Renwick, Lloyd Jackson, and Jamie Edmonds. He explains why military action was the right decision. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 3rd of March, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State looks at the US' next steps in the Middle East, and we take a look at the impact it may have on NZ trade. A New Zealand wine company is the only Australasian brand named in the World's Best Sommelier Selection for 2026. And Liam Lawson joins the show ahead of the first race of the season this weekend and his second full season in Formula 1. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Join host Adam Lowther and guest Christopher Stone, a senior fellow at the National Institute for Deterrence Studies, as they delve into the intricacies of the National Defense Strategy (NDS) on this episode of NucleCast. Explore the critical debate around the perceived shift in American defense priorities, particularly the focus on Homeland Defense and its implications for global strategic dynamics. Christopher Stone offers a compelling argument against the notion of isolationism, emphasizing the enduring importance of strategic encirclement and the evolving geopolitical landscape. This episode provides a deep dive into the strategic considerations shaping U.S. defense policy, with insights into the roles of China, Russia, and other global players. Christopher Stone is a prominent figure in space policy, currently serving as a Senior Fellow for Space Deterrence at the National Institute for Deterrence Studies, where he focuses on research related to space warfare strategies and deterrence, particularly in the context of great power competition; he previously held a position as a Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy at the Pentagon, giving him significant experience in the field of U.S. space policy development at a high level.Socials:Follow on Twitter at @NucleCastFollow on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nuclecastpodcastSubscribe RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/Rate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclecast/id1644921278Email comments and topic/guest suggestions to NucleCast@anwadeter.org
Episode Topic: The Power of Learning AgendasUnlock the blueprint for modern governance in this collaborative breakthrough featuring King County and Notre Dame's Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO). Learn how Learning Agendas transform evidence into equity-driven results. This recording is the essential toolkit for leaders seeking to accelerate organizational impact through community-centered policy evaluation. Featured Speakers:Diana Epstein, Evidence Team Lead, Office of Management and Budget (OMB)Keith Fudge, Director of Policy Management, Research to Action Lab, Urban InstituteDr. Calvin Johnson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research, Evaluation, and Monitoring, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)Vincent Quan, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Innovation, J-PAL North AmericaDr. Eva Wong, Senior Maternal and Child Health Epidemiologist, Public Health—Seattle & King CountyRead this episode's recap over on the University of Notre Dame's open online learning community platform, ThinkND: https://go.nd.edu/15f08d.This podcast is a part of the ThinkND Series titled Evidence Matters. Thanks for listening! The ThinkND Podcast is brought to you by ThinkND, the University of Notre Dame's online learning community. We connect you with videos, podcasts, articles, courses, and other resources to inspire minds and spark conversations on topics that matter to you — everything from faith and politics, to science, technology, and your career. Learn more about ThinkND and register for upcoming live events at think.nd.edu. Join our LinkedIn community for updates, episode clips, and more.
Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Distinguished Military Fellow Mick Mulroy to discuss the Trump administration's new National Defense Strategy (NDS) and its implications for the Middle East. While serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for the Middle East from 2017 to 2019, Mulroy helped prepare the 2018 NDS, giving him an insider perspective on US defense planning. Together, Taylor, Czekaj, and Mulroy unpack what the new strategy means for US priorities globally and for the Middle East in particular, including how it could be reflected in a potentially looming military strike on Iran. Recorded on February 4, 2026.
In this episode of Two Think Minimum, Ambassador Steve Lang, currently a senior advisor at Crest Hill Advisors and non-resident senior associate with CSIS, discusses WRC-27. He is a veteran diplomat and international policy leader. Steve Lang was confirmed by the Senate as U.S. Coordinator of International Communications and Information Policy, with the rank of Ambassador in 2024, and served in that role until 2025. He also served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Information and Communications Policy from 2022. As coordinator, Steve led U.S. delegations to numerous international conferences and negotiations, including WRC-23. In his 30-year career as a U.S. diplomat, Steve has served in Japan, Mexico, China, Taiwan, Thailand, and Cuba.
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.
For decades, we've told ourselves that manufacturing is something advanced economies naturally outgrow. That once you move into services, data, and software, heavy industry becomes optional, nice to have, but not essential. But from a national and economic security perspective, America can't afford to treat industrial capacity as a legacy asset it can outsource and revisit later—especially now. Hollowing out manufacturing doesn't just weaken supply chains. It introduces risk into systems that depend on precision, reliability, and readiness. The question isn't whether the U.S. can still build complex things; it's whether we've kept the muscle memory to do it at scale, in volume, and fast enough when demand shows up all at once. And the problem doesn't live in one place. It shows up across the workforce, the factory floor, and the balance sheet. A generation was steered away from the trades. Production systems were optimized for low-volume, high-complexity output instead of sustained throughput. Capital flowed toward financial efficiency rather than reinvestment in plants, tooling, and people. On paper, the industrial base still exists. In practice, it's been stretched thin by decades of offshoring, underinvestment, and policy drift. So how do you refocus a country after decades of offshoring? Chips, ships, pharma, manufacturing, defense programs, and aerospace production, and data centers are all pulling on the same constrained supply chains, the same limited pool of skilled labor, and the same aging infrastructure. Meeting that moment will take coordinated industrial policy, sustained capital investment, and a clear demand signal strong enough to justify rebuilding capacity at scale. So what does that actually look like, and how is the government trying to close the gap? In this episode, I sit down with Alex Krutz, CEO of Patriot Industrial Partners, who recently returned to industry after serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Manufacturing. We talk about what he saw moving through global industrial hubs, why the industrial renaissance is real—but fragile—and what actually has to change if capacity, resilience, and readiness are going to be rebuilt rather than debated. You'll also learn; Why moving “past” manufacturing creates economic and national security vulnerabilities The overlooked gap between high-tech capability and true industrial scale How workforce decline became a cultural problem, not just a skills shortage Why volume manufacturing—not innovation—is the hardest muscle to rebuild The role of government as a demand signal, not a market dictator When government equity stakes make sense—and when they don't Why shipbuilding, nuclear energy, and industrial gas turbines are resurfacing together How data centers and AI are quietly reshaping energy and manufacturing demand The coming collision between aerospace, energy, and MRO capacity Why reinvestment in tools, training, and facilities matters more than incentives alone A provocative idea to pull millions into manufacturing: tax holidays, paid training, and real upside What CEOs are actually worried about beneath the workforce headlines About the Guest Alex Krutz is the Managing Director of Patriot Industrial Partners and a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Manufacturing at the U.S. Department of Commerce. With more than two decades in aerospace and defense, Alex is known for leading complex manufacturing and supply-chain turnarounds across the industrial base—earning him the industry nickname “The Factory Doctor.” His work spans global performance-improvement engagements in the United States, Mexico, Canada, the UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, and Japan. Before his role in government, Alex founded Patriot Industrial Partners, a boutique advisory firm focused on value creation, operational excellence, and supply-chain resilience in aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing. In public service, he helped shape manufacturing and industrial policy at a national level, working closely with industry leaders across sectors including aerospace, energy, shipbuilding, and semiconductors. Alex's insights have been featured in publications such as Aviation Week, Forbes, and FlightGlobal, and he's been cited by outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and CNBC. He's also spoken at and contributed to conferences and executive forums hosted by institutions like Bank of America, JP Morgan, and Morgan Stanley. Connect with Alex on LinkedIn and send an email to alex.krutz@patriotindustrialpartners.com. About Your Host Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker, and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers, and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years' experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women's Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.
Humans have shaped the world more than any other species in existence, largely due to our ability to coordinate and work together as a unit – in other words, to govern ourselves. This means that, while human societies are at the center of the many crises we face today, we are also the key to navigating through them safely. But this is only possible if we're able to hold the foundations of our governance together: communication, agency, and remembering our shared humanity. What is the current state of our ability to do this, and what policy mechanisms and agreements are needed to navigate the turbulent decades to come? In this Reality Roundtable, Nate is joined by geopolitical risk experts Mark Medish and Chuck Watson to discuss the increasing strain being placed on human governance as a result of escalating conflicts between nations and state leaders. Together, they delve into the intricate foundations of our modern governing structures and why it is critical that we reinforce existing international treaties and agreements in order to avoid the worst outcomes for all of humanity. Mark and Chuck also discuss the history of nuclear arms control – including the upcoming expiration of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) – and how artificial intelligence threatens to disturb the tenuous peace built in the 20th century. Ultimately, they emphasize the need to renew public awareness and education on the importance of governance and the need for our leadership to engage in diplomatic negotiations in an increasingly complex world. Despite the media's focus on laws, regulations, and technology, why do people and our shared humanity still lay at the center of good governance and decision making? Where are our current leaders failing us, and does the average citizen still hold agency to influence the trajectory of global events? Lastly, what do we risk by abandoning trust in our fellow citizens and nations, and what opportunities are still available to rebuild our confidence in each other? (Conversation recorded on January 8th, 2026) About Mark Medish: Mark Medish has over 30 years of professional experience in policy, law, finance, and strategic communications. Medish served at The White House as a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director on the National Security Council, as well as at the U.S. Treasury as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs. He also worked in senior positions at the State Department (USAID) and the United Nations (UNDP). Medish is Vice Chair of Project Associates Ltd., a London headquartered strategic consultancy with offices in Europe, the Middle East, East Africa, and the U.S. He is also a founding partner of the Mosaiq Law Group in Washington, D.C., and a co-founder of Keep Our Republic, a non-profit civic education organization promoting democratic governance and rule of law. His previous business leadership posts include: president of The Messina Group, a boutique strategic communications firm based in Washington, D.C.; president of the international division of Guggenheim Partners, an asset management company headquartered in Chicago; and equity partner at Akin Gump, an international law firm where he led the sovereign advisory practice. He worked as a vice president for studies and senior scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He was a visiting research fellow at The Japan Institute of International Affairs in Tokyo. He is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is also a board member of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University and the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) in Vienna. About Chuck Watson: Chuck Watson has had a long career in international development projects as well as military and intelligence work, with a specialty in natural and human-made disaster modeling. He worked for the US Air Force, was an attaché to US Ambassadors to the Middle East Robert McFarland and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Chuck has worked as an advisor to governments for over four decades with a particular emphasis on big data, open source intelligence, with an emphasis on the Soviet Union and Russia. Chuck is also the founder and Director of Research and Development of Enki Holdings, LLC, which designs computer models for phenomena ranging from tropical cyclones (hurricanes) and other weather phenomena, earthquakes, and tsunamis, as well as anthropogenic hazards such as industrial accidents, terrorism, and weapons of mass destruction. Show Notes and More Watch this video episode on YouTube Want to learn the broad overview of The Great Simplification in 30 minutes? Watch our Animated Movie. --- Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future Join our Substack newsletter Join our Hylo channel and connect with other listeners
Glenn Hubbard is Dean Emeritus and Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics at Columbia Business School. He served as Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003 and was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the U.S. Treasury. He has served on the boards of BlackRock, ADP, MetLife, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.In this episode of World of DaaS, Glenn and Auren discuss:Why consumer sentiment contradicts economic indicatorsThe Fed's impossible dilemma on rate cutsSmarter tariff policy and growthWhy most MBA programs are ROI negativeLooking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Glenn Hubbard on LinkedIn.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
On today's special, we turn our full attention to Venezuela, exploring the need for intervention with four guests who offer varied firsthand experiences and perspectives on the country and President Trump's role. Our first guest is Santiago Vidal Calvo, a cities policy analyst focused on government accountability and transparency through the Manhattan Institute's Freedom of Information Law initiatives. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Vidal Calvo immigrated to the United States in 2021. He explains why President Trump's actions were lawful under Article II of the U.S. Constitution and justified by national security concerns, noting that more than a century of precedent supports the president's authority to act in this manner. He also challenges claims of international law violations, questioning who defines and enforces international law—and where those protections were during the 27 years Venezuelans were killed, tortured, and kidnapped. Next we speak with Carrie Filipetti who currently serves as Executive Director of the Vandenberg Coalition. Previously, she held senior roles at the U.S. Department of State, including Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cuba and Venezuela in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and Deputy Special Representative for Venezuela—earning a Superior Honor Award for her service. Venezuela's collapse is a stark riches-to-rags story: once the wealthiest nation in Latin America, its decline began with the rise of socialism. In just the past few years, roughly 25 percent of the population has been forced to flee. Families have been torn apart, torture and human rights abuses are widespread, and nearly every Venezuelan has been affected—fueling strong domestic support for what is unfolding now. Carrie also examines what this moment means for Cuba, and how these developments will shape the broader Western Hemisphere, including implications for Cuba and Nicaragua. Our third guest is Doral Councilman Rafael Piñeyro, who was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and moved to Miami with his family at the age of 15, carrying hopes and dreams for his future. Today, roughly 40 percent of the Doral community is Venezuelan. This issue goes beyond political parties or ideology—it is about principle, accountability, and justice. What happens in Venezuela matters not only to its people, but to the entire region and the United States. After 26 years of suffering under these regimes, the impact has been felt both in Venezuela and here at home. Councilman Piñeyro believes the United States is now sending a clear and unmistakable message: these regimes will be held accountable, and it is time for a better future for Latin America—while signaling to the world that America is back. Alexa Lavoi, Chief Journalist for Rebel News in Quebec and Ottawa, recounts her on-the-ground reporting from Doral, Florida, where she interviewed Venezuelans who fled their homeland after facing persecution for opposing views or noncompliance with the regime. Through emotional, firsthand stories, Alexa witnessed both the pain and resilience within the community. While hope remains strong, there is also profound worry for the future of Venezuela and for family members still trapped under the regime.
The Reagan National Defense Survey has again illuminated the MAGA world: MAGA Republicans are not isolationists, nor are the majority of Americans. Despite what those in Washington assert Americans believe, the latest polling reveals that 64 percent of Americans support U.S. leadership on the world stage, with eight in ten self-identified MAGA Republicans driving that figure. So why do we see this dissonance on the Right? Who gets to speak for “America First,” and what does it really mean? Why are figures within Trump's ranks convincing him that his base opposes intervention and a strong foreign policy? The latest polling reminds us that the American people know who our enemies are, and they are telling us how they want to deal with them. Who's going to listen?Roger Zakheim serves as the Washington Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. He previously practiced law at Covington & Burling LLP where he led the firm's Public Policy and Government Affairs practice group. Before joining Covington, he was General Counsel and Deputy Staff Director of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. Mr. Zakheim also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense where he supported the department's policies and programs related to Iraq and Afghanistan coalition affairs. Mr. Zakheim also currently serves on the Board of Directors of the United States Institute of Peace and is a Commissioner on the Congressional Commission on the National Defense Strategy of the United States.Read the transcript here.Subscribe to our Substack here.
Michael speaks with former acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency David Shedd and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense of Western Hemisphere Affairs Jana Nelson about US strikes on narcotraffickers in Latin America and whether the Trump Administration is closing in on attacks on Venezuela. They discuss what could be next for the Maduro regime and potential US targets in Venezuela, including arms facilities in remote areas. Jana and David also discuss the regional reaction to the rising tensions and how it ties into US politics, including in South Florida.
Mike & Nick are joined by fmr. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State & author of The Briefing Book on Substack, Joel Rubin, to break down the boat strikes against alleged drug traffickers, the administrations communications around these events, the latest on the wars still happening in Ukraine & in Gaza, plus, Mike & Nick on a growing trend happening in Congress that is pointing towards a crazy 2026.Can We Please Talk? is presented by our friends over at Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC. Have a cup of the best tasting coffee that helps Mike & Nick break down the latest news & politics! Visit this link - https://lddy.no/1hvgr & use the promo code CANWEPLEASEGET20 for 20% off your first purchase. And by SeatGeek. Need a night out? SeatGeek has the tickets! Go to seatgeek.com or download the SeatGeek app and use our promo code CANWEPLEASETALK at checkout to get $20 off that ticket purchase and enjoy that night out!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/can-we-please-talk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A longstanding measurement of success for any President is the state of the economy. President Trump is no exception. A recent survey from the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that only one in three adults approve of President Trump's handling of the economy. FOX Business's White House correspondent Edward Lawrence joins the Rundown to discuss the Trump administration's handling of the issue of affordability for Americans. Later, Dr. Dorothy Fink, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health & Women's Health at the Department of Health and Human Services, joins to discuss what led to the FDA's decision to remove its longstanding boxed warning from hormone-based menopause drugs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Congress is 43 days into the government shutdown, severely disrupting air traffic control, but hope rises as eight Senate Democrats vote to advance an end to the standoff. Mike McCormick, former Vice President of the FAA's Air Traffic Organization, discusses how the shutdown has led to many issues that are exacerbating an already understaffed system, then he shares his insights on how to rebuild the controller pipeline, and the challenges of restoring normal operations before the holiday travel season. The FDA is removing its long-standing boxed warning from hormone-based menopause drugs, a change that could reshape treatment for millions of women. For years, warnings about heart attack, stroke, and dementia discouraged many from using the therapy despite its benefits for hot flashes and other symptoms. Dr. Dorothy Fink, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health & Women's Health at the Department of Health and Human Services, joins the Rundown to explain what led to the FDA's decision, the science behind Hormone Replacement Therapy, and why women's health issues associated with menopause deserve more attention. Plus, commentary from Ruthless Podcast co-host John Ashbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ben and guest co-host Yalda Hakim, Sky News' Lead World News Presenter, discuss Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin's upcoming Alaska summit, previewing what might unfold, Ukraine's predicament, and how Europe has struggled with being sidelined. They also talk about Trump's fixation on the Nobel Peace Prize and his ‘real estate diplomacy,' as well as Israel's frightening plan to take over Gaza, the targeted killing of several Al Jazeera journalists, and Europe's uncoordinated response to Israel's expanding war and the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Finally, they discuss the fourth anniversary of the fall of Kabul and what life is like for women and girls under the Taliban's rule. Then, Tommy speaks with Michael C. Horowitz, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Development and Emerging Capabilities, about how drones and artificial intelligence have ushered in a new era of warfare, and why the US military is lagging behind. Check out Yalda's podcast, The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com
Simone Ledeen is a national security expert and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy, where she oversaw U.S. defense strategies for countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and others. With an MBA and finance background, she served as an advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and later as Executive Director at Standard Chartered Bank, leading the launch of its multi-national financial crime compliance program. Ledeen has held roles at the U.S. Treasury's Office of Intelligence and Analysis and is a Senior Fellow at the Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin. Her expertise spans technology, special operations, intelligence, and geopolitical issues, as seen in her 2025 discussions on Israel-Iran conflicts. The daughter of historian Michael Ledeen, she advocates for innovative defense solutions and public-private partnerships to address global threats. Based in Austin, Texas, Ledeen consults through Maven Defense Solutions and Vantage ROI, focusing on strategic advisory in defense and finance. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://americanfinancing.net/srs NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org https://tryarmra.com/srs https://meetfabric.com/shawn https://shawnlikesgold.com https://ketone.com/srs Visit https://ketone.com/srs for 30% OFF your subscription order https://lumen.me/srs https://patriotmobile.com/srs https://rocketmoney.com/srs https://ROKA.com – USE CODE SRS https://USCCA.com/srs https://ziprecruiter.com/srs https://betterhelp.com/srs This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self. https://drinkhoist.com – USE CODE SRS Simone Ledeen Links:X - https://x.com/SimoneLedeen LI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-ledeen Website - www.simoneledeen.com Maven Defense - www.mavendefense.com Strauss Center Profile - https://www.strausscenter.org/person/simone-ledeen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices