Podcasts about Hudson Institute

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu reviews last week's Trump-Xi summit, and details the key highlights from the second dialogue between the two leaders this year. Next, Miles takes a closer look at US-Japan relations following last week's summit, and China's emerging narrative against Japan. Finally, Miles follows up on China's intensifying internal purges amidst continued economic slowdown, and what we can expect from the upcoming slate of purges at China's fifth plenary meeting.China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future.

The Arctic is no longer a remote blank spot on the map - it is a frontline for missile defense, undersea warfare, and the future of U.S. national security. Bryan Clark reveals why America's current posture leaves the “back door” exposed, and what it would actually take to see, move, and respond in the high north before a crisis hits.Host, Adam and Bryan Clark break down the Arctic as a seabed-to-space battlespace, from aging radar sites in Greenland and Alaska to the growing threat of unmanned surface and undersea vehicles that can slip past today's surveillance. Bryan explains why Russia's Arctic advantage is bigger than most Americans realize, how Svalbard, the GIUK gap, and polar satellite links fit into the picture, and why low-flying drones and cruise missiles could be far harder to detect than the bomber and ICBM threats the U.S. still plans around.You'll discover why Alaska becomes even more critical if Golden Dome moves forward, how Russia's nuclear icebreakers and floating nuclear power plants support its Arctic dominance, and why U.S. and allied infrastructure is still too thin to keep pace. Bryan also lays out the practical fixes - from long-endurance unmanned aircraft to proliferated LEO satellites and new icebreakers - that could turn the Arctic from a vulnerability into a defended domain.He also addresses China's “near Arctic nation” ambitions too, including the commercial motive behind resource extraction, fishing, and shipping access, and the strategic logic behind wanting a stake in the region's future. If you care about homeland defense, strategic competition, or the next major pressure point between the U.S., Russia, and China, this conversation shows exactly why the Arctic cannot stay an afterthought.Bryan ClarkBryan Clark is a senior fellow and Director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at Hudson Institute. He leads studies there in naval operations and fleet architecture, electronic warfare, autonomous systems, military competitions, 5G telecommunications, and command and control.Before joining Hudson Institute, Bryan was a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA), and special assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations and director of his Commander's Action Group. During his 25-year Navy career, Bryan was an enlisted and officer submariner.Follow us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nuclecast3665?si=h1kCO6NqUtL87w6qFollow 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 Kimberly@anwadeter.org

WarTalk regulars Bryan Clark of the Hudson Institute, Justin McIntosh, and Tony Stark join Jordan. We discuss… The Potemkin Pacific — why Paparo has half the planet on his map and nothing to fight with, and how the Iran blockade became the status quo The midterm budget squeeze — what a Democratic Senate means for the defense topline, why Anduril won't keep working at risk, and how a shipbuilding binge could hollow out the force Who replaces Hegseth — the two Mike Rogerses, and why the talent pool for a lame-duck Pentagon is drying up The AI Force — why a SOCOM-style AI branch cuts against a technology meant to be everywhere, and what a benchmark-setting version could actually do Manned-unmanned teaming — why putting sailors on robot ships is “asinine,” and what combined arms for robots should look like Gifts for Beijing — the Anduril drone Iran fished out of the Gulf, dud PrSMs as intelligence windfalls, and why compute still can't blow anything up on its own Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Pentagon officials engaging defense authorizers and appropriators to make the case for their budget; rise in bond yields and gas prices in the wake of the Iran war;  Steve Witkof's meeting with Iran's Abbas Arakchi; Houthi attacks on  Saudi Arabia and threats of strikes on US forces if Washington intervenes; highlights from the leader addresses at the UN General Assembly; Xi Jinping's state visit, US-Denmark Greenland agreement; Russian elections as Ukraine hammered Moscow's refineries and much more.

WarTalk regulars Bryan Clark of the Hudson Institute, Justin McIntosh, and Tony Stark join Jordan. We discuss… The Potemkin Pacific — why Paparo has half the planet on his map and nothing to fight with, and how the Iran blockade became the status quo The midterm budget squeeze — what a Democratic Senate means for the defense topline, why Anduril won't keep working at risk, and how a shipbuilding binge could hollow out the force Who replaces Hegseth — the two Mike Rogerses, and why the talent pool for a lame-duck Pentagon is drying up The AI Force — why a SOCOM-style AI branch cuts against a technology meant to be everywhere, and what a benchmark-setting version could actually do Manned-unmanned teaming — why putting sailors on robot ships is “asinine,” and what combined arms for robots should look like Gifts for Beijing — the Anduril drone Iran fished out of the Gulf, dud PrSMs as intelligence windfalls, and why compute still can't blow anything up on its own Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the three grand narratives shaping world history. The episode was recorded live on September 23 in front of an audience at the Hudson Institute in Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time in American history, the United States is simultaneously deterring two major nuclear powers. Russia and China are no longer parallel threats operating in separate theaters. They are actively collaborating, with China bankrolling Russia's war in Ukraine, North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces, and Iran selling oil almost exclusively to Beijing. The bipolar world of the Cold War, where the United States faced one adversarial superpower, has given way to something more complex and more dangerous. And the business leaders, investors, and board members navigating global strategy in this environment are doing so without a playbook. Rebeccah Heinrichs, Senior Fellow and Director of the Keystone Defense Initiative at the Hudson Institute, is one of the most trusted voices helping decision makers understand what this shift means, what it demands, and what is actually at stake. Having served on the Bipartisan Strategic Posture Commission, the US Strategic Command Advisory Group, and the National Independent Panel on Military Service and Readiness, she brings a rare combination of technical depth and communicative clarity to some of the most consequential questions of our time.On this episode of The Reboot Chronicles Podcast, we sit down with Rebeccah Heinrichs, Senior Fellow at Hudson Institute, to unpack what C-suite leaders and board members need to understand about the new geopolitical order, why China represents the defining strategic challenge of the coming decade, how the defense industrial base is being rebooted by private capital and emerging technology companies, what friendly shoring and reshoring mean for global supply chain strategy, and why the ability to communicate complex ideas to broad audiences may be the most important skill in national security today.

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu takes a look ahead at the Trump-Xi summit, and details what to expect during round two of meetings between Presidents Trump and Xi. Next, Miles reviews the latest assessment of Chinese EV giant BYD, and reports that the automaker may be falling behind industry competition in terms of software development and consumer financing. Finally, Miles take a closer look at reports regarding Xi Jinping's health, and concerns following his trip to New Delhi for the BRICS meetings where he had fallen ill and whether this will impact his upcoming diplomatic engagements.China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss reconciliation being punted to the lame duck session as work on appropriations and the National Defense Authorization Act conference accelerate; new Russia sanctions head to the White House for President Trump's signature as the Pentagon reportedly prepares to withdraw tens of thousands of US troops from NATO; US and Iranian forces trade fire as the Pentagon says war costs top $33 billion; with control of the Bab al Mandab, Tehran-backed Houthi rebels advance on oil-rich Marib province and strike Saudi oil facilities as Trump rebuffed Saudi calls for help, striking his own deal with the Houthis for safe passage of US and Israeli ships; China's effort to avoid the Bab al Mandab and Suez Canal by sailing the first commercial ship via a northern route from China to Europe via the Russian Arctic Coast; Trump approves F-35 fighters for Saudi Arabia despite intelligence community concerns the stealth jet's technology could leak to China; Gulf states question US reliability as American forces pull back from regional bases meant to deter Iranian attack; Washington's approval of a $2.8 billion in arms package for Israel including 2,000-pound bombs blocked by the Biden administration as the White House again blocks a visa for Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to visit the UN; as Washington woos Russia to peace in Ukraine with lucrative deals, Moscow ramps up attacks on Europe, with one of its warships firing flares at a Danish helicopter, Dutch rail lines sabotaged and a second Bulgarian ammunition depot since August that caught fire and exploded; Finland becomes the 10th nation to joins France's nuclear deterrence initiative; as the US-Canada trade war continues, Prime Minister Mark Carney sought a trillion dollars in investment and the European Union offered the country associate member status that Trump said could be “a hostile act” and threatened to block trade with Europe; speculation about Xi Jinping's health; South Korean President Lee Jae Myung rules out combat forces for the Gulf; and former Arizona Republican Sen. Jon Kyl dies at age 84.

Zineb Riboua is a research fellow at the Hudson Institute's Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East and founder of its China in MENA Project. She joins Zoe Sankey to discuss Iran, the Houthis, Israel, Turkey, Islamism, China's influence in the Middle East, and the growing ideological divide between the West and its opponents. Why is Iran escalating from a position of weakness? What do the Houthis actually want? And how does the ideology of third-worldism connect Islamists with parts of the Western left? Riboua explains Iran's strategy of “buying time”, the impact of sanctions and the naval blockade, China's role as a source of support for Tehran, and the Houthis' search for new patrons—including their growing interest in al-Shabaab. She also discusses Morocco-Israel normalisation, the changing balance of power in the Middle East, Turkey and Erdoğan's ambitions, and the prospects for Syria-Israel normalisation. The conversation then turns to Europe and the West: why some young North African men become radicalised after migrating to Europe, the spread of Islamist and anti-Western ideas, and the rise of third-worldism as a political framework. Finally, Riboua discusses the rise of AI doomerism, China's role in the debate, the politics of degrowth and environmentalism, declining fertility in the Middle East, and what demographic change means for the future of the region and the West. Zineb Riboua: https://zinebriboua.com Read Quillette: https://quillette.com 00:00 Introduction to Zineb Riboua and the geopolitical context 01:57 Iran's strategy of buying time and recent escalation 03:50 Sanctions and economic pressure on Iran 05:50 Yemen, the Houthis and regional support 09:07 What do the Houthis actually want? 11:57 The Houthis' religious and ideological motivations 15:00 Arab, Persian and Bedouin identities 17:56 Zineb Riboua on Morocco, Jewish heritage and Israel 22:02 Islamist radicalisation and antisemitism in Europe 26:11 Foreign influence and the rise of third-worldism 28:59 What is third-worldism? 34:08 Israel's changing geopolitical role 36:06 AI doomerism, China and the “psyop” theory 39:10 AI panic, regulation and geopolitics 43:00 Degrowth, environmentalism and anti-human ideology 45:01 What young people in the Middle East want 47:04 Falling fertility and the region's demographic problem 48:59 Turkey, Erdoğan and the struggle for influence 52:08 Syria-Israel normalisation and Turkey's role 54:54 American politics and the future of US support for Israel 58:10 Why Israel matters to American technology and power 59:58 Closing remarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Good afternoon, I'm _ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 87-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 45,936 on turnover of 7.6-billion N-T. The market rebounded from its recent downturn on Wednesday, but turnover was thin as investors remained cautious ahead of the U-S Federal Reserve's policy decision on interest rates. Digital minister discusses AI, cybersecurity during US visit Digital Minister Lin Yi-jing has held talks with U-S officials, think tanks and major technology companies during a visit to Washington, D.C. According to the Ministry of Digital Affairs, the talks focused on cooperation on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The ministry has not named the U-S government officials who met with Lin and his delegation, but has said they also met with several Washington-based think tanks, including the Hudson Institute and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The delegation also met with OpenAI, Meta and Amazon. The ministry says one of the main issues discussed was "how AI models understand Taiwan" - and that issues was brought up as the Lai administration is seeking to ensure (確保) that Taiwan's language, history and culture are accurately represented by A-I systems. Central bank under pressure to raise rates at upcoming meeting The central bank is holding its quarterly policymaking meetingtoday. The bank left interest rates unchanged for the ninth consecutive quarter at its last policymaking meeting in June - which meant the discount rate remained at 2-per cent. However, inflation topped the 2-per cent alert level for a fourth consecutive (連續的) month in August and several major central banks around the world have recently raised their key interest rates. Reuters is reporting that a survey found that 28 of the 31 economists ​say it will keep the rate unchanged despite the hikes by other central banks. Russia Drone Strike Damages Ukraine Bus and Trains A Russian drone strike on a passenger bus in southern Ukraine has killed five people and wounded at least seven others. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack an “atrocity” (兇惡的行為) and part of ongoing strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure. The attack occurred today in the Nikopol district near the war's front line. Zelenskyy also reported that a passenger train was struck in the Mykolaiv region and that the passengers were evacuated. Ukrainian Foreign Minister said that more than 500 locomotives have been damaged since the all-out war began in 2022. Ukraine is urgently seeking replacements. WHO on Ebola in Congo The WHO sees 'encouraging signs' in Congo 's Ebola fight, but warns cases in one region are surging (陡增). AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports UN Chief Urges AI Guardrails The United Nations chief is urging global competitors in artificial intelligence to cooperate in addressing threats from the technology, warning that “the world cannot afford a race to the bottom on AI safety.” Secretary-General António Guterres says concerns raised by those on the frontlines of AI technology that its development “is racing ahead of our understanding of the risks” can't be ignored. Guterres told U.N. reporters Wednesday that governments must assume their first responsibility to protect civilians from AI threats, which means “national action is essential” but “global coordination is also indispensable.” He stressed that guardrails are needed to "make AI safe, transparent, accountable (負責的), with human dignity at the center.” That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _. －－－－以下為 SoundOn 動態廣告－－－－ 蔡旻佑 Evan Yo《快樂有時有》演唱會 20週年 台北站 演出日期｜2026.12.6（日）晚上19：00 (18：00開放入場) 演出地點｜三創CLAPPER STUDIO (台北市中正區市民大道三段2號5F) 票　　價｜全站席NT$1,112 售票日期｜2026年9月20日（日）上午11：12 售票請洽iNDIEVOX

Washington stopped talking about South Africa in the abstract this week. Marco Rubio named individual officials for visa restrictions over land seizures, race-based discrimination and incitement, and the US ambassador in Pretoria called it only the first move. Hudson Institute's Joshua Meservey explained why Washington chose a scalpel over a sledgehammer, and why South Africa's own dealings with Tehran, Moscow and Hamas made this outcome close to inevitable. Denker Capital's Kokkie Kooyman weighed in on how South African banks are quietly benefiting from the same Iran war that's rattling oil markets, even as FirstRand heads for the exit in the UK and the country drifts closer to Beijing and Moscow. AfriForum's Jacques Broodryk laid out a disturbing new report on the patterns of torture behind 47 farm attacks. And on Wall Street, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to fight an oil-driven inflation spike, sending stocks lower.

The night before this interview, Marco Rubio picked up a weapon Washington has never used against South Africa before: visa restrictions aimed at individual officials, not the country as a whole. Hours later, the US ambassador in Pretoria said it was only the start. Joshua Meservey of the Hudson Institute had spent months arguing publicly for exactly this approach, and told Alec Hogg why the scalpel beats the sledgehammer, why AGOA is not off the table whatever the ambassador implies, and why South Africa's own record with Tehran, Moscow and Hamas made this outcome close to inevitable. He also had a hard question for South Africans weighing in on BEE and land expropriation from here: does it matter that Washington agrees with you, if agreeing with Washington is now politically radioactive.

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu reviews the recent threat intelligence report released by Anthropic, developers of Claude AI, that details use of the platform by several Chinese foreign actors for military and security activities. Next, Miles covers the recent BRICS summit held in New Delhi, and highlights the concerns raised among the participating countries over ongoing Middle East security and unilateral sanctions. Finally, Miles looks into an emerging trend among the Chinese labor force involving new labor rights advocacy tactics exercised by the workforce aimed at Chinese companies foreign endeavors to address unfair labor practices and violations.China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss where defense legislation stands as both the House and Senate adjourn and November elections loom; President Trump's promise that voters receive $5,000 payments if GOP retains House and Senate; US and Iran continue to exchange fire as Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis take the strategic ports from which to better control the Bab al Mandeb, striking a Saudi Aramco refinery in Jizan sending oil prices soaring; Ha'aretz report that the UAE warned Israel about the Hamas attack as Israeli forces destroyed Hezbollah's underground facilities in South Lebanon; decision by a dozen nations to sanction trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank; Washington's continuing efforts to broker Ukraine peace deal while seeking to normalize relations with Moscow even as Russia continues to wage hybrid operations against NATO including an April test of a system to attack European undersea infrastructure that was thwarted by UK, Norwegian and US forces; Canada and Germany step up to help Ukraine with air defense weapons; analysis of AfD's victory in Saxony-Anhalt elections; the new bridge between Russia and North Korea; the Philippine defense minister's viral video pushing back on China's South China Sea provocations; big decisions for the US-South Korea alliance; what to expect from the BRICS summit this weekend in New Dehli; and lessons as America commemorates the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks that killed some 3,000 that changed global security as well as American politics.

4:20 pm: Jason Isaac, Founder and CEO of the American Energy Institute, joins Greg for a conversation about how the success of America's younger generation lies in learning a trade rather than getting a college education.4:38 pm: Representative Troy Shelley, whose district covers Mona in Juab County, the proposed site of yet another controversial data center, joins Greg to discuss the approval process for this and other future data centers.5:05 pm: We're talkin' baseball as once again Salt Lake City has popped up in the news as one of the favorites to land a Major League Baseball expansion franchise.But do the citizens of Utah want it?We'll take your calls at 888-570-8010.6:38 pm: John Fonte, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for American Common Culture at the Hudson Institute, joins the show to discuss his piece in The Federalist on how the Smithsonian shouldn't be saying that America was built on stolen land.

Michael is joined by Peter Rough, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute, to dissect the stalled diplomatic efforts to resolve the war between Ukraine and Russia, and the latest interventions by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He also assesses Ukraine's persistent deep-strike campaign against Russian refineries, mounting Russian casualty rates, and the internal frictions behind Kyiv's high-level military leadership shakeup. Finally, Peter evaluates the growing threat of Russian gray-zone sabotage across Europe and examines whether allied aid and sanctions can hold the line ahead of a difficult winter. Let us know what geopolitical topic we should focus on next, get in touch at podcast@bgsdc.com.

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu covers updates from the recent G20 meeting, and looks into the emerging clash between the new coalition of nineteen against China's overcapacity and strategic industrial policy. Next, Miles looks ahead to the Trump-Xi meeting in Washington, D.C. and examines the CCP's key narratives leading up to the second round of bilateral dialogue between the two leaders this year. Finally, Miles reviews the latest announcement of CCP purges, including a planned mass-dismissal of central committee members and officials at the party's Fifth Plenary session next month.China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future.

Pete Hegseth's entire life has been leading to this moment. A war for the very soul of our nation. But can he save the institution responsible for his sense of self from the woke mind virus, or is it too late?  — A production of BRINK Website: thisispropaganda.show Instagram: instagram.com/thisispropagandashow Email: propaganda@brink.com — CREDITS  Written, Produced, and Hosted by Malcolm Critcher and Joshua Belhumeur  Co-Producer: Reed Chandler __  Some dialogue and quotations have been condensed, paraphrased, or reconstructed based on contemporaneous accounts, interviews, and other source material. All archival clips from film and television used under fair use, for educational purposes only. REFERENCES “Air Force Denies Retirement Benefits for Some Trans Troops.” Air and Space Forces Magazine, Aug. 2025, www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-retirement-benefits-transgender/. “‘All for Nothing': Air Force Trans Troops Sue over Revoked Retirement.” Air Force Times, 13 Nov. 2025, www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2025/11/13/all-for-nothing-air-force-trans-troops-sue-over-revoked-retirement/. “Allegories of the Four Continents.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, www.metmuseum.org. “America the Rebellious Slut.” Commonplace: The Journal of Early American Life, commonplace.online. “Amy Sherald Cancels Smithsonian Show, Citing Censorship of Trans Artwork.” Hyperallergic, July 2025, hyperallergic.com/amy-sherald-cancels-smithsonian-show-citing-censorship-of-trans-artwork/. “Amy Sherald Withdrew ‘American Sublime' Exhibition from Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Citing ‘Culture of Censorship.'” Culture Type, 29 July 2025, www.culturetype.com/2025/07/29/amy-sherald-withdrew-american-sublime-exhibition-from-smithsonian-national-portrait-gallery-citing-culture-of-censorship/. “The Army Recruiting Ad Featuring a Soldier with 2 Moms Just Got Harder to Find. Here's Why.” Military.com, 16 Jan. 2024, www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/16/army-delists-calling-ads-making-them-harder-find-youtube-after-years-of-political-blowback.html. Arnold, Tyler. “Does the Navy Endorse Drag Shows? TikTok Video Has Lawmakers Demanding Answers.” EWTN News, 9 May 2023, www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/does-the-navy-endorse-drag-shows-tik-tok-video-has-lawmakers-demanding-answers. “Artist Amy Sherald Has Canceled Her Upcoming Show at the Smithsonian.” NPR, 24 July 2025, www.npr.org/2025/07/24/nx-s1-5479078/artist-amy-sherald-has-canceled-her-upcoming-show-at-the-smithsonian. “Asked to Flag ‘Negative' National Park Content, Visitors Gave Their Own 2 Cents Instead.” NPR, 26 June 2025, www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5444323. Associated Press. “Sergeant, 23, Is First Woman Awarded Silver Star since World War II.” 16 June 2005. “Before Lady Liberty, There Was Lady Columbia, America's First National Mascot.” Smithsonian Magazine, www.smithsonianmag.com. Ben-Shalom, Miriam. Miriam Ben-Shalom Collection. AFC2001/001.43276, Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/collections/veterans-history-project-collection/serving-our-voices/diverse-experiences-in-service/lgbtq-veterans/item/afc2001001.43276/. Beynon, Steve. “Thousands of Women Serve in Combat Roles. Pentagon Nominee Hegseth Says They Shouldn't.” Military.com, 18 Nov. 2024, www.military.com/daily-news/2024/11/18/thousands-of-women-serve-combat-roles-pentagon-nominee-hegseth-says-they-shouldnt.html. Boyd, E. B. “Lessons from a War.” Princeton Alumni Weekly, 7 Nov. 2007, paw.princeton.edu/article/lessons-war. Brest, Mike. “West Point Apologizes for Sharing Inaccurate Pete Hegseth Information.” Washington Examiner, 11 Dec. 2024, www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense/3257116. Brofer, Jennifer. “Marines Conduct ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Repeal Training.” DVIDS, 1st Marine Logistics Group, 29 Apr. 2011, www.dvidshub.net/video/114054/marines-conduct-dont-ask-dont-tell-repeal-training. Carter, Ash. “Remarks on Ending the Ban on Transgender Service in the U.S. Military.” 30 June 2016. U.S. Department of Defense, www.defense.gov. “CHOOSE: Drag Queens or Fatties for US Navy Recruitment.” YouTube, uploaded by BlazeTV, www.youtube.com/shorts/VES0RUssfO8. Craven, Jasper. “Battle of the Sexes.” The Baffler, no. 80, Sept. 2025, thebaffler.com/salvos/battle-of-the-sexes-craven. “‘Cruelty Was the Point': Transgender Troops Look Back on Their Ban as It's Set to End.” Military Times, 15 July 2026, www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/07/15/cruelty-was-the-point-transgender-troops-look-back-on-their-ban-as-its-set-to-end/. “Emma.” The Calling, U.S. Army, May 2021. “Executive Order 14004: Enabling All Qualified Americans to Serve Their Country in Uniform.” 25 Jan. 2021. Federal Register, www.federalregister.gov. “Executive Order 14183: Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.” 27 Jan. 2025. The American Presidency Project, University of California, Santa Barbara, www.presidency.ucsb.edu. “Executive Order 14253: Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” 27 Mar. 2025. Federal Register, doc. 2025-05838, www.federalregister.gov. “Executive Order 14347: Restoring the United States Department of War.” 5 Sept. 2025. Federal Register, www.federalregister.gov. “The Female Combatants, or Who Shall.” 26 Jan. 1776. Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University, findit.library.yale.edu/catalog/digcoll:292042. Fleming, E. McClung. “The American Image as Indian Princess, 1765–1783.” Winterthur Portfolio, vol. 2, 1965. “Fox Commentator Pete Hegseth: If You Want Something, Go After It.” Press Publications, 2015. Fram, Bree. “Media.” Bree Fram, www.breefram.com/media. “Freedom Watch Update.” DVIDS, podcast 72, www.dvidshub.net/podcast/72/freedom-watch-update. “From Wall Street to Iraq: The Pete Hegseth UNCENSORED Story.” Danger Close with Jack Carr, YouTube, uploaded by JackCarrUSA, 24 Oct. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FD-5dCM-ts. “Full Speeches: Trump, Hegseth Address Military Leaders at Rare Meeting in Quantico.” YouTube, uploaded by Face the Nation, 30 Sept. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhGeNPJlIK4. Gast, John. American Progress. 1872. Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles. Halligan, Lindsey. Statement on the National Portrait Gallery. July 2025. Qtd. in LGBTQ Nation, www.lgbtqnation.com. “Harpy Daniels Doubles Down on Navy Drag Queen Backlash: ‘We're Winning.'” YouTube, uploaded by Dave Shadow, www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMPqAopFDAc. “Harpy Daniels: Navy's Drag Queen Digital Ambassador.” YouTube, uploaded by TheDC Shorts, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK0Y3_S3UtA. “Hegseth Orders Rare Meeting of Top Military Leaders.” YouTube, uploaded by ABC News, Sept. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY4bxfi5paQ. Hegseth, Pete. In the Arena: Good Citizens, a Great Republic, and How One Speech Can Reinvigorate America. Threshold Editions, 2016. ---. “Remarks to General and Flag Officers.” Marine Corps Base Quantico, 30 Sept. 2025. U.S. Department of War, www.war.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/4318689/. Transcript. ---. The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free. Broadside Books, 2024. “Hegseth's ‘Anti-Woke' Changes Likely to Receive Praise and Pushback from Top Leaders.” Sunrise, YouTube, uploaded by The Hill, www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B6T_HdjCHw. “House Approves ‘Department of War' Renaming in Annual Defense Bill.” The Hill, 23 July 2026, thehill.com/homenews/house/5985402-house-ndaa-passage-department-of-war/. “Law School Will Allow Official Recruiting.” The Harvard Crimson, 26 Aug. 2002, www.thecrimson.com. “A Look Back at Hegseth's Local Roots.” Forest Lake Times, Feb. 2025, www.hometownsource.com. Luckey, Palmer. “Palmer Luckey: AI-Powered Autonomous Weapons, Future of Warfare.” Interview. 60 Minutes, CBS, 18 May 2025, www.cbsnews.com. Mayer, Jane. “Pete Hegseth's Secret History.” The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024, www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/pete-hegseths-secret-history. McMaster, H. R. “Preserving the Warrior Ethos.” National Review, Oct. 2021. Reprinted by the Hudson Institute, www.hudson.org. ---. “Preserving the Warrior Ethos.” Foreign Podicy, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, 7 Jan. 2022, www.fdd.org. Podcast. “Meet the Navy's Drag Queen, ‘Harpy Daniels.'” YouTube, uploaded by PIX11 News, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eio7p2adUkA. “Military Colonel: ‘We Have an Obligation' to Correct Anti-Trans Rhetoric That Is ‘Factually Untrue.'” YouTube, uploaded by MS NOW, www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EB9BAQDjlk. “National Security Act of 1947.” Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, National Archives and Records Administration, www.trumanlibrary.gov. “National Security Act of 1947.” Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State, history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/national-security-act. “Navy's Drag Queen Recruit: Joshua Kelley's Inspiring Journey.” YouTube, uploaded by Can We Talk? Hosted by Dr. Dan Mason, PhD, www.youtube.com/shorts/9CEaWPXaf_A. “The Navy's Latest Recruiter Is a Drag Queen.” YouTube, uploaded by Michael Knowles, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdekkMREcDg. Obama, Barack, and Joe Biden. “Remarks by the President and Vice President at Signing of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010.” 22 Dec. 2010. The White House, obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2010/12/22/remarks-president-and-vice-president-signing-dont-ask-dont-tell-repeal-a. “Oldest Person Living.” Guinness World Records, www.guinnessworldrecords.com. O'Neill, Robert [@mchooyah]. Post on the U.S. Navy's digital ambassador program. X (Twitter), 4 May 2023. ---. Interview. O'Connor and Company, WMAL, 5 May 2023. Radio broadcast. “Pete Hegseth Medal Flap Puts Focus on What It Takes to Earn a Bronze Star.” The Washington Times, 6 Dec. 2024, www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/dec/6/pete-hegseth-medal-flap-puts-focus-takes-earn-bron/. Pogrebin, Robin. “Amy Sherald Cancels Her Smithsonian Show, Citing Censorship.” The New York Times, 24 July 2025, www.nytimes.com. “The Rant.” The Princeton Tory, Oct. 2002, theprincetontory.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/2002-10.pdf. “Read: Hegseth's Speech to Generals and Admirals.” Air and Space Forces Magazine, 30 Sept. 2025, www.airandspaceforces.com/read-hegseth-speech-generals-admirals/. “Reviving the Warrior Spirit: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Service, Sacrifice and Strength.” YouTube, uploaded by The White House, 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=38hwtrnR66k. Ripa, Cesare. Iconologia. Rome, 1603. Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights, Inc. 547 U.S. 47. Supreme Court of the United States. 2006. “Saving America's Story.” The White House, July 2026, www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/07/saving-americas-story/. “Secretary of War Pete Hegseth Addresses Generals and Flag Officers.” DVIDS, 30 Sept. 2025, www.dvidshub.net/video/984046. “Senate Committee Backs Department of War Name Change.” Military Times, 11 June 2026, www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2026/06/11/senate-committee-backs-department-of-war-name-change/. Sherald, Amy. Letter to Lonnie G. Bunch III. 23 July 2025. ---. Trans Forming Liberty. 2024, oil on linen. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, whitney.org/media/62011. Slack, Megan. “From the Archives: The End of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.” The White House Blog, 20 Sept. 2012, obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2012/09/20/archives-end-dont-ask-dont-tell. Talbott v. United States. No. 25-5087. U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. 1 June 2026. GLAD Law, www.gladlaw.org/cases/talbott-v-usa/. “Transgender, at War and in Love.” Directed by Fiona Dawson, The New York Times, 2015. Op-Doc. “Transgender at War.” Vice on HBO, HBO, 2015. “Transgender Troops Face Deadlines to Self-Report under Trump's Ban.” The Washington Post, 22 June 2025, www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/06/22/transgender-troops-trump-ban-hegseth/. TransMilitary. Directed by Gabriel Silverman and Fiona Dawson, SideXSide Studios, 2018. “Trump and Hegseth Deliver Charged Speeches at Military Meeting.” YouTube, uploaded by TODAY, www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGb8nBDzIQ0. Trump, Donald J. “Remarks to Military Leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.” 30 Sept. 2025. Compilation of Presidential Documents, DCPD-202500970, U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.govinfo.gov. ---. “Remarks at Marine Corps Base Quantico.” 30 Sept. 2025. Factbase, Roll Call, rollcall.com/factbase/. “Trump, Hegseth Summon Hundreds of Generals to Quantico.” Stars and Stripes, 30 Sept. 2025, www.stripes.com. “Trump Moves to Scrub National Parks Sites of Signs That Cast America in a ‘Negative Light.'” NPR, 17 Sept. 2025, www.npr.org/2025/09/17/nx-s1-5540117/government-moves-to-national-scrub-park-sites-of-negative-history. “Trump Order Targets Transgender Troops and ‘Radical Gender Ideology.'” The Washington Post, 28 Jan. 2025, www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/28/trump-transgender-troops-military-hegseth/. “Up to 1,000 Transgender Troops Are Being Separated from the Military in New Pentagon Order.” PBS News, 8 May 2025, www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/up-to-1000-transgender-troops-are-being-separated-from-the-military-in-new-pentagon-order. “U.S. Air Force to Deny Early Retirement Benefits to Some Transgender Service Members.” NPR, 8 Aug. 2025, www.npr.org/2025/08/08/nx-s1-5496133/air-force-retirement-benefits-transgender. “Vets for Freedom.” FactCheck.org, www.factcheck.org/tag/vets-for-freedom/. “Vets for Freedom: ‘Finish the Job.'” Secret Money Project, NPR, July 2008, www.npr.org/sections/secretmoney/2008/07/vets_for_freedom_finish_the_jo.html. “Vets for Freedom: ‘I Am the Surge.'” Secret Money Project, NPR, Aug. 2008, www.npr.org/sections/secretmoney/2008/08/vets_for_freedom_i_am_the_surg.html. Wagner, John. “All Hands Update: CFAS Don't Ask Don't Tell Training.” DVIDS, Defense Media Activity, 25 May 2011, www.dvidshub.net/video/116213/all-hands-update-cfas-dont-ask-dont-tell-training. Warren, Elizabeth. Letter to Pete Hegseth. Jan. 2025. United States Senate, www.warren.senate.gov. “White House Calls for a ‘Comprehensive Internal Review' of 8 Smithsonian Museums.” NPR, 12 Aug. 2025, www.npr.org/2025/08/12/nx-s1-5500550/smithsonian-trump-review. “Woman as Symbol, 1590–1800.” American Women: Topical Essays, Library of Congress, guides.loc.gov/american-women-essays/woman-as-symbol. “Woman Soldier Receives Silver Star for Valor in Iraq.” Army News Service, June 2005, www.dvidshub.net/news/538087. “WTF Was That Military Meeting…” YouTube, uploaded by HasanAbi, www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_Pt9NNZBNo. MUSIC ATTRIBUTIONS Playtime Elijah Aaron Licensed from Artlist What You've Been Looking For idokay (feat. Daniel Magen) Licensed from Artlist Quick Boudicca Licensed from Artlist No Man's Land Written and Performed by Joshua Belhumeur Too Many Steps Oran Loyfer Licensed from Artlist Tempted The Hazelnuts Licensed from Artlist American Dream Written and Performed by Joshua Belhumeur Moon Mother Richard Farrell (feat. Zephyr Gold) Licensed from Artlist A Propagandist Walks into a Piano Bar Written and Performed by Joshua Belhumeur Samizdat Written and Performed by Joshua Belhumeur

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck Warren and Sam Stone cover the potential cost of the Democratic Socialists of America's agenda, pressure on Iran, Russia's war in Ukraine, the Federal Reserve, and a major breaking development in the Lindsay Clancy case.Adam Michel, Director of Tax Policy Studies at the Cato Institute, breaks down his analysis of the DSA platform and why he estimates its largest proposals could require roughly $70 trillion to $200 trillion in additional federal spending over ten years. Michel explains why taxing wealthy Americans alone would fall far short, while also discussing a federal jobs guarantee, Social Security, declining birth rates, immigration, and America's growing fiscal pressures.Follow Adam on X: @adamnmichelRead his substack Liberty Taxed: A Blog on US Tax PolicyIn B's Crime Corner, we break down the latest twist in the Lindsay Clancy case announced today and the major questions now surrounding what happens next. The conversation looks at the broader implications of the defense arguments and what this case could mean for how postpartum mental health, criminal responsibility, and even workplace or legal decisions involving women are handled in the future.Ludovic Hood, Senior Fellow with Hudson Institute's Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East and a former U.S. Foreign Service officer, examines Iran, sanctions enforcement, the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf security, Iran's regional influence, and the future of cooperation between Israel and Arab states.Follow Ludovic on X: @Ludo_HoodGary Marx, President of Madison Strategies and the Concord Fund and Senior Advisor to the Judicial Crisis Network, gives an on-the-ground look at Russia's war against Ukraine. After multiple trips to the country, Marx discusses Ukraine's expanding drone war, attacks reaching Moscow and St. Petersburg, missile strikes, air-defense shortages, the battlefield “kill zone,” and how the war could eventually end.Follow Gary on X: @GarymarxListen to Peace & Power UkraineFinally, Gary Gygi, President and CEO of Gygi Capital, breaks down jobs, inflation, interest rates, tariffs, federal deficits, and the Federal Reserve. Gygi explains why upcoming inflation data could influence the Fed's next move and why federal spending remains central to America's fiscal outlook.Follow Gary on X: @GaryGygiGygiCapital.comCatch Breaking Battlegrounds live on 960 AM in Phoenix every Saturday at 9:00 AM, with full episodes and exclusive podcast-only segments dropping every Friday wherever you get your podcasts or watch on Youtube.Stay connected with Breaking Battlegrounds:• Substack: https://substack.com/@breakingbattlegrounds• Website: https://breakingbattlegrounds.vote• News: https://breakingbattlegrounds.news• X: @breaking_battle• Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds• Facebook: Breaking BattlegroundsIf you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review and share it with a friend. Your support helps keep the podcast growing.Breaking Battlegrounds is one of the top 2.5% most popular shows out of 3,779,399 podcasts globally. We interview policymakers, elected officials, and nationally and world-recognized reporters about the opportunities and hurdles the United States faces.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss House passage of a continuing resolution to keep government open until December as the National Defense Authorization Act stalls and the reconciliation outlook remains unclear; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned as the administration named Adam Telle as acting secretary and nominated Hung Cao as Navy secretary; US and Iranian forces trade fire as President Trump is reported to want to resume high-intensity combat operations after the election; Israel steps up attacks on Palestinians as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu maneuvers to remain in office; Germany says Russia was behind an unsuccessful explosive drone attack on Leipzig last month as Washington invited Russia's finance minister to attend the G20 meeting in Asheville to the consternation of allies that complained that the Trump administration's tariffs and Iran war have undermined their economies; the president's assertion that Canada is a bigger adversary than China or Russia, and that Washington might back Argentina's claim to the Falkland Islands, which London maintains is sovereign territory; Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles' first visit to the United States this year; Xi Jinping's ramped up diplomatic offensive ahead of his summit with Trump later this month as his warships sail ever closer to Japan.

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu covers ongoing recovery efforts following the recent landslide and flash flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border, and the implications for China going forward. Next, Miles reviews the investigation of cabbages treated with formaldehyde in rural China, and the regional backlash China now faces from its trading partners. Finally, Miles covers the latest news from China's auto industry, as the domestic market heads for its worst year since 2021 amid continued sales decline. China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is coming home after a deployment that stretched past 240 days, and the bill is about to come due: mechanical failures, rations down to the emergency stores, 20,000 unfilled billets at sea, and a maintenance backlog funneling into the one carrier repair yard on each coast. Meanwhile, the White House wants to tear the electromagnetic catapults out of the Ford class and put steam back in. We're joined by Bryan Clark of the Hudson Institute, a former submariner and Navy strategist, and Shashank Joshi, who has just handed off the defense brief at The Economist and decamped to Washington, alongside regulars Justin McIntosh and Tony Stark. We discuss… Why the fleet breaks: extended deployments, generators failing in the South China Sea, Diego Garcia resupply chains, and 12-hour flight deck shifts that don't end The reenlistment cliff — what happens when half a carrier's crew hits their decision point right after the worst deployment of their careers Steam catapults and hydraulic elevators: 35,000 successful EMALS launches, a four-year delay to the next carrier, and 500 sailors added back to a ship designed to need fewer Whether agentic AI finally gives cyber its strategic moment, or whether dropping a bomb on the power plant remains the cheaper option The offense-defense balance, and why the drone debate should make us humble about predicting it The PLA Rocket Force's new corruption tip line — a purge that fixes a force, or one that reveals how deep the rot goes Chinese components in Ukrainian drones, the Rockchip inside a $400 hugging-face robot, and how much of the Internet of Things you can afford to worry about Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The USS Abraham Lincoln is coming home after a deployment that stretched past 240 days, and the bill is about to come due: mechanical failures, rations down to the emergency stores, 20,000 unfilled billets at sea, and a maintenance backlog funneling into the one carrier repair yard on each coast. Meanwhile, the White House wants to tear the electromagnetic catapults out of the Ford class and put steam back in. We're joined by Bryan Clark of the Hudson Institute, a former submariner and Navy strategist, and Shashank Joshi, who has just handed off the defense brief at The Economist and decamped to Washington, alongside regulars Justin McIntosh and Tony Stark. We discuss… Why the fleet breaks: extended deployments, generators failing in the South China Sea, Diego Garcia resupply chains, and 12-hour flight deck shifts that don't end The reenlistment cliff — what happens when half a carrier's crew hits their decision point right after the worst deployment of their careers Steam catapults and hydraulic elevators: 35,000 successful EMALS launches, a four-year delay to the next carrier, and 500 sailors added back to a ship designed to need fewer Whether agentic AI finally gives cyber its strategic moment, or whether dropping a bomb on the power plant remains the cheaper option The offense-defense balance, and why the drone debate should make us humble about predicting it The PLA Rocket Force's new corruption tip line — a purge that fixes a force, or one that reveals how deep the rot goes Chinese components in Ukrainian drones, the Rockchip inside a $400 hugging-face robot, and how much of the Internet of Things you can afford to worry about Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the impact of rising inflation on the Trump administration's budget request; CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow; NATO's moves to counter Russia's mounting provocations in the Baltic and across Europe; Pentagon policy chief Bridge Colby's meeting with allies as he oversees the review that will reduce US troops from Europe; Washington's new Iran sanctions to collapse the theocratic regime as Beijing vows to retaliate if its banks or businesses are targeted; the trade war with Canada; Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's claim Iran tried to kill one of his son's in Florida; retired Israeli Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter new extreme right-wing party; Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's effort to bring militias under control; Washington cancels an amphibious exercise with South Korea, but will press ahead with the trilateral Freedom Edge exercise next month with Korea and Japan; Japan, Australia, and Indonesia launch defense talks; and Beijing's tightening comprehensive encirclement of Taiwan.

Mary Kissel, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and former Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State, analyzes Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran, asserting that its success relies on penalizing large Chinesefinancial institutions. However, Beijing holds significant economic and military leverage over the US, including export controls on critical minerals. Regarding North America, Kissel describes the escalating trade war with Canada as a "loser's game" driven by domestic politics. She stresses that the 50% tariffs on essential materials like Canadianaluminum and auto parts disrupt deeply integrated supply chains. Consequently, this trade conflict severely harms ordinary consumers and threatens Republican control of key Senate seats in critical border states of Maine and Michigan. (3)

CONTENTS THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 8-25-2026COVER OF FANTASTIC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 1961Liz Peek, columnist for The Hill and Fox News, discusses the surprising resilience of the American economy, noting that small businesses are reporting strong hiring and profitability growth based on broad National Federation of Independent Business and Bank of America data. While consumer spending remains robust, recent data reveals a K-shaped economy, where higher-income homeowners spend extensively on renovations while lower-income consumers trade down at Walmart. Rising interest rates present a critical challenge, slamming the housing market and significantly increasing interest payments on the massive national debt. Lastly, the administration's tariff conflict with Canada is criticized as a major, highly unfortunate, and economically damaging political mistake. (1)Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, evaluates the Treasury's initial tranches of secondary sanctions targeting entities trading with Iran, including firms in China and the UAE. Although these measures stop short of targeting major Chinese banks, they provide President Trump with leverage ahead of his Washington summit with Xi Jinping. Within the Middle East, Schanzer warns that regional powers are hedging their bets. Saudi Arabia may be negotiating a separate peace with the Houthis and Iran, which could undermine US sanctions. Additionally, the US controversially rescinded Syria's state sponsor of terror status following the rapid rise of former al-Qaeda commander Ahmed al-Shara. (2)Mary Kissel, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and former Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State, analyzes Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran, asserting that its success relies on penalizing large Chinesefinancial institutions. However, Beijing holds significant economic and military leverage over the US, including export controls on critical minerals. Regarding North America, Kissel describes the escalating trade war with Canada as a "loser's game" driven by domestic politics. She stresses that the 50% tariffs on essential materials like Canadianaluminum and auto parts disrupt deeply integrated supply chains. Consequently, this trade conflict severely harms ordinary consumers and threatens Republican control of key Senate seats in critical border states of Maine and Michigan. (3)Colonel Jeff McCausland, US Army (Retired) and Visiting Professor at Dickinson College, warns that the US foreign policy process has collapsed under President Trump, who relies on personal loyalty over expert advice. This is illustrated by Trump's sudden decision to reduce joint US-South Korea military exercises without notifying allies. McCausland argues this undercuts South Korea while offering concessions to a nuclear-armed dictator, Kim Jong-un, who actively supplies weapons to Russia for the Ukraine war. Furthermore, he criticizes the "economic D-Day" against Iran as highly insincere given key delays in sanctioning China, and strongly condemns the trade war against Canada, a loyal ally with a rich military history. (4)Gregory Copley, editor of Defense & Foreign Affairs, argues that the US sanctions regime against Iran is strategic signaling that makes Washington look weak, as it ignores China's trade dominance and threatens relations with India. He also views the Canadian trade dispute as a strategic failure that weakens the NORAD treaty and forces Canada to act independently in the Arctic. This unpredictability has alienated European allies, who are now bypassing the US to negotiate directly on Ukraine. Additionally, Copley analyzes post-Petro Colombia, detailing how the energetic new president faces massive domestic security issues, narco-trafficking networks, and the grounding of critical disaster relief aircraft under sanctions. (5)Thaddeus McCotter, former US Representative from Michigan and columnist for American Greatness, details the severe political and economic fallout of Trump's trade war with Canada, noting that insulting rhetoric like the "51st state" remark has politically boosted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. He explains that border states like Michigan and Maine share deep commercial integration, meaning 50% tariffs will directly harm their local economies. This unvetted policy blindsided senior Republican legislators, including Susan Collins, who openly opposed the tariffs and avoided a campaign rally with Vice President Vance. Ultimately, McCotter warns that these tariffs jeopardize critical Senate seats in highly contested swing states, giving rival Democrats a very major campaign advantage. (6)Judy Dempsey, Senior Scholar in Berlin for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, with co-host Thaddeus McCotter: Dempsey describes European Baltic and Nordic leaders flocking to Kyiv, yet warns that "moral outrage" lacks a cohesive strategic plan to negotiate an end to the war. She highlights the rising prominence of the pro-Russian, far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in state elections. Interestingly, an ideological rift has emerged as radical AfD factions in East Germany sour on MAGA due to Trump's policies on Iran. McCotter delivers a severe critique of the MAGA-AfD relationship, arguing MAGA should never have "played footsies" with neo-Nazis, and asserting the AfD is fundamentally aligned with Vladimir Putin rather than the United States—their temporary embrace of MAGA merely a superficial attraction. Although West Germans have abandoned historical sentiments toward Russiadue to the Ukraine invasion, East Germany remains deeply split, harboring lingering sentimental pro-Russian views and separate post-unification cultural dynamics. (7)Note: segment 7 came with a separate co-host block for McCotter, so I've folded his critique into the single paragraph after Dempsey's material — flag me if you'd rather run his commentary as its own standalone file.

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu covers the recent escalation in trade tensions between the US and Canada over transshipment concerns, and China's pivotal role impacting the bilateral dynamic. Next, Miles looks at how a seemingly innocuous animated movie release in China went from complete relegation to viral sensation, rivaling performances of other global cinema releases including The Odyssey. Finally, Miles unpacks a recent conviction handed down by the Hong Kong High Court, under the new national security law, for two activists over organized vigils related to the Tiananmen Massacre. China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future. 

On this innovation conversation to highlight key topics in the countdown to the Apex Defense conference Jan. 27-28 next year in Washington, sponsored by Clarion Defence, Bryan Clark of the Hudson Institute joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the new operational problems shaped by the Ukraine and Iran wars that will be at the heart of the innovation and technology conference; and what to expect at Hudson's Sept. 23 event that explored the factory as the centerpiece of 21st century defense.To learn more about the Apex conference, sponsorship and attendance opportunities please visit apexdefense.org

Alexandra Seymour from The Hudson Institute talks with Rich about some of the myths surrounding data centers

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss implications of US debt passing $40 trillion as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent intervened in bond markets to cut yields, backfiring by alarming markets that reacted negatively to the move; President Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz as American territory, threatening Iran with an economic “D-Day” and Oman with strikes as the UAE, a financial gateway for Tehran, also imposed sanctions; Israel and Hamas rebuffed Jared Kushner as Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu declared Turkey a threat, striking a facility in Syria where Turkish troops were based; France, Germany and the UN condemned Israel's national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir for calling on the execution of 30 to 40 Gazans a day; Ukrainian civilian casualties mount as Moscow concludes Ukraine can no longer defend against large-scale ballistic missile barrages; another corruption scandal involving a close aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has opposition figures calling for elections; a suspected Russian drone is downed by a NATO fighter jet over Latvia as Moscow threatens London for supplying strike drones to Ukraine; the administration's questionnaire asking allies to detail how nations are exhibiting loyalty to the US president and his policies; Trump's order the Pentagon abruptly end annual military exercises with South Korea six days early to punish Seoul for not support the Iran War and saying North Korea is a nonthreatening state, which Pyongyang rebuffed with its largest missile tests in months; the impact economic warfare on Iran will have on China; and Taiwan's defense spending increase that Washington demanded just as some in Washington debate the US pivoting away from Asia.

Senior Fellow and Director of the Keystone Defense Initiative at the Hudson Institute, Rebeccah Heinrichs, on why President Trump can't wait until the election to finish what he started in Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu covers the death and legacy of former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji who served from 1998-2003 and played a pivotal role in China's entry into the WTO. Next, Miles details China's disdain over Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine last Saturday, on the 81st anniversary of Japan's surrender in the second world war, and reviews the backlash from the visit in China and South Korea. Finally, COVID cases are on the rise again in China, and Miles looks into the spread and how current conditions have led to the surge and CCP efforts to contain the spread of the virus. China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future. 

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss what's next for the Iran war as Tehran taps a new top security leader — Mohsen Rezaee — and holds firm on its demands, striking shipping as President Trump says America can maintain and “indefinite” blockade of the Strait of Hormuz; USS Abraham Lincoln becomes emblematic of the war's burden on the US military; more details on the Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia pact; Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu defies Trump on Gaza as his government continues to push Palestinians from the West Bank; how Europe should respond to Moscow's increasingly kinetic moves as Germany investigates the suspected Aug 4 Russian drone attack on Leipzig's airport; US efforts to gain control of Greenland as a US company, Greenland Energy, lands oil exploration equipment on the world's largest island without necessary approvals; Europe's elections as heat waves spark wildfires and dry up rivers, undermining growth; Russia uses North Korean ballistic missiles target Ukrainian civilians as well as Odesa and its grain supplies; Vladimir Putin visited Iturup on the Kuril Islands claimed by Japan and threatened to seize European ships if nations escalate efforts to combat Moscow's sanctions-evading shadow fleet; former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongi's legacy; Taiwan's pledge to increase defense spending and anti-blockade drills; North Korea's missile test; and the Trump administration touts its deterrence by denial and slams China's tariff evasion.

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu looks into China's new immigration regulations concerning entry and exit management that will go into effect starting September 15. Next, Miles reviews a homicide in Henan province that has risen to national attention, and why this story in particular has become such a viral sensation. Finally, Miles covers China's recent attempt to establish a national nature reserve at Panatag Shoal, and details the context behind the latest grey zone initiative and illicit coercion against the Philippines.   China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future. 

Josh opens the show by discussing the growing influence of the Democratic Socialists of America within the Democratic Party and what it means for the party's future and the direction of the country. Rebeccah Heinrichs, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, joins Josh to break down the latest developments involving Iran and the significance of President Trump's comments over the weekend. They discuss what they expect to hear from the White House in the coming days, who is leading negotiations with Iran, and what a potential path toward ending the conflict could look like. Josh wraps up the show by looking ahead to the 2026 midterm elections and what could happen if Democrats regain control of the House. He discusses why some Democrats are already floating the possibility of another impeachment effort and what that could mean for the remainder of President Trump's term.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six months into the war with Iran, the United States has fired 850 Tomahawks, emptied its LRASM and JASSM-ER inventories, expended essentially every ATACMS and PrSM in the arsenal, and burned through the SM-6 and PAC-3 interceptors it had been stockpiling for a fight with China. The administration's position is that the munitions are fine and the people saying otherwise are committing treason. Bryan Clark is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute and a former submarine officer who runs war games for the Navy and its allies. Justin McIntosh is a retired Army Special Forces soldier — twenty years in, sixteen of them as a Green Beret — who now writes Mind of Things on defense, technology, and foreign policy. We discuss… Why 850 Tomahawks in two months emptied the stockpile that was meant for China The leak hunt at Camp David, and why it should be a very short list How "lethality" became a testosterone prescription instead of an ammunition line item Japan's new defense strategy, which finally names China out loud — and bets on one-way attack drones Whether AUKUS Pillar 1 is quietly consuming the rest of the Australian military Why manned-unmanned teaming keeps failing in the war games, and what the CCA program got wrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, hosts Chuck Warren and Sam Stone examine China's growing challenge to the United States, disturbing allegations involving fentanyl enforcement in New Mexico, the latest developments surrounding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, a 33-year-old NBA All-Star Weekend murder finally solved, and a dramatic migration crisis unfolding in Ceuta. Michael Sobolik, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and author of Countering China's Great Game: A Strategy for American Dominance, joins Chuck and Sam to explain why he believes Washington has failed to adequately respond to China's political warfare. They discuss TikTok and ByteDance, America's dependence on Chinese supply chains, Taiwan's security, advanced semiconductor exports, India's growing strategic importance, and why rebuilding the U.S. defense industrial base could be critical in a future confrontation with Beijing. Follow Michael Sobolik on X: @michaelsobolik Book: Countering China's Great Game: A Strategy for American Dominance Next, Vince Torres, Executive Director of America First New Mexico, joins the show to discuss New Mexico's fentanyl crisis and allegations from DEA whistleblowers that agents were told not to seize certain large drug shipments. Vince also breaks down the state's education struggles, the push for school choice, and changing voter-registration trends that could reshape New Mexico politics. Follow Vince Torres on X: @VincentTorresNM Then, B's Crime Corner takes us back to Salt Lake City and the 1993 NBA All-Star Weekend, where a woman was murdered in a case that remained unsolved for more than three decades. New forensic technology ultimately helped investigators identify a suspect, leading to an arrest and guilty plea in 2025. Alex Welz, Senior Research Associate at The Heritage Foundation, joins the program with an update on the Iran war and what escalating tensions could mean for global energy markets and the Strait of Hormuz. He discusses Iran's weakened military and economic position, continued support from Russia and potentially China, Pakistan's regional role, and efforts to revive the Kirkuk-Banias pipeline as another route for Middle Eastern energy. Follow Alex Welz on X: @WelzAlex Finally, Quebec-based Rebel News journalist Alexa Lavoie joins Chuck Warren following her reporting from Ceuta. She describes how social-media claims about an supposedly open border helped trigger a massive attempted migration from Morocco, the role she says Moroccan authorities played in the crisis, the use of unaccompanied minors, and the growing divide inside Ceuta over humanitarian assistance, security, and control of the Spanish territory. Follow Alexa Lavoie on X: @ThevoiceAlexa Listen now to Breaking Battlegrounds, the radio show covering Arizona politics, campus unrest, election integrity, national campaigns, and the true crime cases everyone is talking about. Catch Breaking Battlegrounds live on 960 AM in Phoenix every Saturday at 9:00 AM, with full episodes and exclusive podcast-only segments dropping every Friday wherever you get your podcasts or watch on Youtube. Stay connected with Breaking Battlegrounds: • Substack: https://substack.com/@breakingbattlegrounds • Website: https://breakingbattlegrounds.vote • News: https://breakingbattlegrounds.news • X: https://x.com/breaking_battle • Instagram: @breakingbattlegrounds • Facebook: Breaking Battlegrounds If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review and share it with a friend. Your support helps keep the podcast growing. Breaking Battlegrounds is one of the top 2.5% most popular shows out of 3,779,399 podcasts globally. We interview policymakers, elected officials, and nationally and world-recognized reporters about the opportunities and hurdles the United States faces.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the future of reconciliation, a continuing resolution and appropriations as well as the confirmation of Todd Blanche as attorney general; President Trump reportedly blasted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the acute shortage of weapons that are said to have curtailed US options against Iran; US intelligence warns Russia might test NATO through a limited incursion into alliance territory as Washington frays relations with its European allies and faces depleted magazines; Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg's Aug 5 memo to defense executives giving them 21 days to develop concrete plans to accelerate production of sensors, platforms and electronic warfare, munitions, and space systems; Democratic senators accuse Feinberg of steering contracts to firms involving the president's sons; Iran and Oman continue to negotiate an agreement to jointly manage the strait of Hormuz including a transit corridor for traffic; Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan's mutual security pact; Trump's deal between Israel and Hamas, Jerusalem struck Hamas in Gaza as Hamas said it won't give up its weapons, just lock them up; Russia is suspected of using explosive drones on Leipzig's airport in the vicinity of Ukrainian cargo planes; China tightens its grip on the Scarborough Shoal as Beijing acknowledges two Chinese sailors were killed last year when one of its destroyers collided with one of its coast guard cutters while chasing a Philippine Coast Guard vessel; Japan's new defense white paper — “Preparing for a New Era of Warfare;” Taiwan's“Han Kuang” exercise to test wartime readiness; and why Pentagon policy chief Bridge Colby wants to go to China.

Six months into the war with Iran, the United States has fired 850 Tomahawks, emptied its LRASM and JASSM-ER inventories, expended essentially every ATACMS and PrSM in the arsenal, and burned through the SM-6 and PAC-3 interceptors it had been stockpiling for a fight with China. The administration's position is that the munitions are fine and the people saying otherwise are committing treason. Bryan Clark is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute and a former submarine officer who runs war games for the Navy and its allies. Justin McIntosh is a retired Army Special Forces soldier — twenty years in, sixteen of them as a Green Beret — who now writes Mind of Things on defense, technology, and foreign policy. We discuss… Why 850 Tomahawks in two months emptied the stockpile that was meant for China The leak hunt at Camp David, and why it should be a very short list How "lethality" became a testosterone prescription instead of an ammunition line item Japan's new defense strategy, which finally names China out loud — and bets on one-way attack drones Whether AUKUS Pillar 1 is quietly consuming the rest of the Australian military Why manned-unmanned teaming keeps failing in the war games, and what the CCA program got wrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is ship count the right metric for measuring naval power? Carriers, missiles, people, the industrial base, where should the Navy invest or divest to ensure the fleet of the near future is sized at the appropriate capability and cost. These issues and more are addressed in depth in the Hudson Institute's upcoming Fleet Design report. The CavasShips team of Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello cover for Vago today and share their recent conversation with Hudson's Bryan Clark, where he previews the study and discusses current naval operations. 

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu looks into joint maritime exercises conducted by US and Taiwanese coast guard vessels, and details the historic development of joint operations between the US and Taiwan in the strait. Next, Miles reviews White House messaging commemorating the 82nd anniversary of the American liberation of Guam and the 73rd anniversary of National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, looking back at the history and legacy of US involvement in the war. Finally, Miles covers recent updates from the US Treasury Department related to enhanced designations issued by OFAC targeting global networks that enable Iran's military capabilities and support of the IRGC.   China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future. 

Geopolitical expert Michael Doran argues that Middle East stability depends on the U.S. winning its long war with Iran. He warns the “rabid dog” regime remains a paused but persistent danger.Doran also unpacks how China is using the Middle East as a laboratory to test how America defends against missiles and drones before any move on Taiwan. He warns that anti-ship ballistic missiles supplied to Iran and the Houthis exist for one purpose: sinking American aircraft carriers.Michael Doran is a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and director of its Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East. A former George W. Bush administration National Security Council director, he is the author of Ike's Gamble and a leading voice on Iran, Israel and U.S. strategy.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the national security headlines of the week.

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week…is ship count the right metric for measuring naval power? Carriers, missiles, people, the industrial base, where should the Navy invest or divest to ensure the fleet of the near future is sized at the appropriate capability and cost. These issues and more are addressed in depth in the Hudson Institute's upcoming Fleet Design report. Joining us to preview the report is naval analyst and author of the study Bryan Clark. Please send us feedback by DM'ing @CavasShips or @CSSProvision or you can email chriscavas@gmail.com or cservello@defaeroreport.com.

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu reviews statements from President Xi Jinping delivered at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, and how China plans to use AI as a platform to extend its global dominance initiatives and influence. Next, Miles cover the latest developments from southern China as Typhoon Noul made landfall, and details the Chinese government's response to the emergent crisis. Finally, Miles examines the contributions of mathematicians Hong Wang and Yu Deng, who became the first ever Fields Medal recipients from China, and details their global academic careers. China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future. 

Five months into the Iran campaign, the US has two carrier strike groups parked in the Arabian Sea, a blockade that may take months to bite, and a daisy chain of tankers stretching thousands of miles because there is no longer any fuel or food to buy inside the Gulf. Now the Houthis have entered the chat and declared their own blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb. Just the OG crew with Bryan Clark, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a former submarine officer, Justin Mc a former special operations officer who works on defense technology, and Tony Stark. We discuss… What Trump is doing in Iran, why the Navy is short-cycling ships out of maintenance and what happened the last time the fleet ran this hot, from McCain and Fitzgerald to the Truman's two collisions in one deployment Why a ground campaign in Iran is a fantasy, from the Marsh Arabs to the Alborz range to the Baluch salt flats, and what Shia militias in Iraq would do to the logistics tail The nuclear-powered cargo ship renaissance and why circumnavigating Africa at 30 knots suddenly pencils out Whether Congress should get an AI kill switch, why DHS is the wrong home for it, and what happens when the boy who cried wolf is finally right Ukraine's civ-mil drama Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mike sits down with Bryan Clark, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at the Hudson Institute, about whether the United States is prepared for a major conflict in the Indo-Pacific. They examine how recent technological developments in drones, autonomous systems, electronic warfare, and precision strike capabilities are transforming the battlefield; the role of defence industrial capacity and contested logistics in sustaining military operations; and unpack the lessons from recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East for deterring and, if necessary, fighting a future war in Asia.

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu reviews President Trump's address related to Chinese interference in the 2020 US election, and the the extent to which election materials and systems may have been compromised in the process. Next, Miles details the recent move by the US government to re-adjust sanctions on Hong Kong related to China's enhanced security crackdowns, and the confusion involved regarding Hong Kong's autonomous status. Finally, Miles covers China's record of territorial maritime violations in the Indo-Pacific on the tenth anniversary of the landmark 2016 UNCLOS tribunal ruling against China's South China Sea claims. China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future. 

Michael is joined by Dr. Alina Polyakova, President and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis, and Peter Rough, Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute, to discuss how the recent NATO Summit in Ankara landed. The two explore the hidden friction points undercutting transatlantic unity, from software interoperability gaps to trade and digital policy disputes. They also focus on how Ukraine's decentralized, software-driven "operating system" has transformed Russia's immense geographic mass into highly exposed vulnerabilities, and how the sudden passing of Russia hawk Sen. Lindsey Graham is set to reshape Capitol Hill's approach to the war.