Podcasts about indo pacific

On today's episode of the China Global Podcast, we're going to discuss the South China Sea. The past year has been marked by four intersecting dynamics: First, a sharp escalation of Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia operations, especially against the Philippines. Second, a resumption of large-scale Chinese island construction after nearly a decade-long pause; Third, increasingly sophisticated Chinese legal and administrative moves to consolidate and institutionalize its claims; And fourth, a deepening of the US-Philippines military partnership and the emergence of a broader network involving US allies and partners from Europe and the Indo-Pacific. To discuss these trends, I'm delighted to have as my guest today, Dr. Collin Koh, who is a senior fellow at the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies in the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies based in Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction [01:33] Beijing'sObjectives in the South China Sea [06:24] Changes in China's Strategy  [09:13] A Revival of Island Building in Antelope Reef [16:11] Increased Activity in Scarborough Shoal  [20:13] Violating the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct?  [24:21] Pros and Cons to Finalizing the Code of Conduct [28:58] China's Response to US-Philippines Security Cooperation [33:15] Claimant Perceptions of US Policy 

What builds trust when you don't have a title or position of authority? SUMMARY According to Lt. Col. Joe Bledsoe '11, it's honesty, integrity, humility presence and action. Tune in as he shares practical leadership lessons learned from the Academy, combat aviation and years of mentoring others.   SHARE THIS EPISODE FACEBOOK  |  LINKEDIN   COL. BLEDSOE'S TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS 1. Leadership starts before the title. People follow your example, ideas, and presence long before you get formal authority. 2. Informal leadership is as real as formal leadership. Class president, wingman, or peer—your influence, credibility, and support role matter even without rank. 3. Be “clay to be molded.” Show eagerness, humility, and effort; people notice fresh attitude and willingness to embrace hard things. 4. You can't lead alone—build a trusted team. Time management and heavy responsibility force you to delegate to people you trust and empower them. 5. Trust has two layers: inherent and earned. Start with inherent trust (shared values, shared background) and deliberately grow earned trust through behavior. 6. Five traits that build credibility fast: Honesty, integrity, humility, presence (actually being there, engaged), and decisive action. 7. Debrief like a fighter pilot: brutally honest, never personal. Separate the person from the performance, do root‑cause analysis, fix errors, and then move on—no re‑litigating. 8. Own your mistakes out loud. Saying “I'm sorry,” “I was wrong,” or “I don't know, but I'll find out” accelerates trust and models humility. 9. Mentors and mentees are non‑negotiable. Continuously seek guidance from those ahead of you and invest in those behind you to sharpen your own thinking. 10. Prioritize relationships and pride in the mission. Treat family and friends well, cultivate the Long Blue Line, and remember you're on the A‑team—act like it.   CHAPTERS 00:00:00 — Opening & Guest Intro Show open, Naviere introduces Lt Col Joe “Paveway” Bledsoe and his career highlights. 00:01:13 — Voluntold to Lead: Becoming Class President Basic cadet training, being “voluntold,” interview gauntlet, and getting elected class president. 00:04:09 — What a Class President Actually Does Informal vs formal leadership, picking the class exemplar (Robin Olds), dining‑ins, spirit missions, and accountability. 00:08:38 — From Future Doctor to Fighter Pilot Arriving at USAFA wanting to be a physician, loving biology and medicine, and the first seeds of doubt. 00:10:03 — Ops Air Force, Powered Flight, and the Pivot Deployed Ops Air Force in CENTCOM, exposure to flying in theater, powered flight, and choosing pilot training over med school. 00:12:22 — Mentors, Family, and Making a Hard Call Mentorship from family, upperclassmen, and permanent party; emotional weight of changing paths and family's reaction. 00:14:08 — Leading Without Rank: Credibility and Trust Informal leadership as a young wingman, lessons from time management and delegation as class president, inherent vs earned trust, and key traits (honesty, integrity, humility, presence, action). 00:22:06 — Fighter Pilot Debriefs & Radical Feedback Culture Brutally honest debriefs, owning mistakes, root‑cause analysis, safety and mission focus, and how that mindset translates beyond the cockpit. 00:27:48 — Leadership at Home: Marriage, Parenting, and ‘Knock It Off' High‑school‑sweetheart marriage, parenting, using accountability and humility with kids, and balancing “fighter pilot” mode with being a husband and dad. 00:30:30 — Future Conflict, Growth, and Pride in the Long Blue Line Risk and future fight, Institute for Future Conflict, exposure to other AFSCs and logistics, daily growth habits (mentors, mentees, reading, writing, running), advice to younger self, and closing message on being proud of USAFA and the A‑team.   ABOUT COL. BLEDSOE BIO Lt. Col. Joseph “Paveway” Bledsoe '11 is a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and recognized leader whose career has spanned combat operations, advanced airpower development and service to the Long Blue Line. A native of rural Pennsylvania, Bledsoe graduated from the Academy in 2011 with a degree in biology before earning a Master of Public Policy from the University of Maryland.  He is Currently assigned to the Institute for Future Conflict at the U.S. Air Force Academy where he studies the future of airpower, emerging technologies and the challenges of great-power competition. Prior to joining the Institute, he helped lead training and operational planning efforts at the 366th Fighter Wing, contributing to major exercises and the wing's first deployment to the Indo-Pacific region. His work bridges the gap between today's operational realities and tomorrow's strategic challenges. A recipient of the Association & Foundation's Young Alumni Excellence Award, Bledsoe is widely respected for his emphasis on faith, family and service. Throughout his career, he has remained deeply connected to the Academy community through mentorship, alumni leadership and a commitment to developing the next generation of leaders. On this episode of Long Blue Leadership, he shares lessons learned from leading peers, building influence before authority and navigating high-stakes decisions in both the cockpit and the profession of arms.   CONNECT WITH JOE LINKEDIN   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LINE PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org Please note: we are only considering USAFA graduates as guests at this time. Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org     ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE AT USAFA.ORG/LONGBLUELEADERSHIP AND ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT Guest, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Joe "Paveway" Bledsoe" '11  |  Host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99    Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz 0:01 Sometimes leadership begins long before you've ever been put in charge. It starts when people trust you enough to follow your example, your ideas or your vision. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99; Long Blue Leadership starts now. Well, Lt. Col. Joe “Paveway” Bledsoe the Third. Welcome to Long Blue Leadership. Lt. Col. Joe Bledsoe 0:20 Naviere, it's great to see you. Thank you for having me here today. I'm looking forward to the conversation. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 0:24 So, Joe, your career has been exciting so far, and you're still in it. You know, you have been operational leader, obviously an F-15E Strike Eagle pilot. You've been deployed, you have been a researcher, you're a Young Alumni Excellence Award winner for our Association & Foundation, you've been an AOG board director and a fellow for the Institute for Future Conflict. And that, that's just, you know, a short little list, because you're a student heading back into, over to, is it North Carolina, right? Seymour Johnson.   Col. Joe Bledsoe 0:53 That's correct. Seymour Johnson, yep.   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 0:54 In the cockpit, yeah. Col. Joe Bledsoe 0:56 Yeah, we're super excited. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 0:59 Yes. Well, we're going to touch on probably many of those places, but I want to dial it back to something that only one graduate in every class experiences, and for you it happened shortly after Basic Cadet Training. Your class selected you as your class president. How did that come about? Col. Joe Bledsoe 1:14 How did that all go down? That's a great question. So there we were, right after basic training. I was in Cadet Squadron 19 for my freshman year, and I got the opportunity — this is one of those voluntold moments, right — where the upperclassmen and BCT cadre said, “Joe,” or “Cadet Bledsoe, report to H-1 during transition week.” That's when everybody's coming back, and you're like, “Sure, yep, yes, sir, yes, ma'am. Here we go.” So I show up with 40, 50 other fourth-class cadets, and we come to find out it was for us, and we were going to go through who was going to be the class officers. So first off, as I look back on that experience, a lot of respect and no humility being asked to go like represent Squadron 19, right? Like, I didn't volunteer, they just kind of pointed me in that direction, so we show up and got to interview with the upperclassmen, class officers, and there's funny interview questions, real serious interview questions. You know, I was just honest, right? Like, I'm here. This is what I think about what being a leader looks like, and how I could help serve the class, not thinking I would ever be selected, right? And as the night is going on, and ACQ is right around the corner, they kind of whittle it down to four or five of us, and we get up in front of the rest of the cadets and classmates that were there, and it was an open forum, like you know, back in Rome times, like you're standing in the gauntlet, Yeah, like it was like Roman voting, right? And asked a bunch of questions, and I remember standing up there with, you know, preppies, prior enlisted, and then me, just like straight off the street, and there's a couple other of us up there, and just answer the questions honestly, and at the end of that, there was a vote, and you know, they read the results, and I was like, "Holy smokes, I'm class president. How did this, how did this happen,” right? And I think there's a lot that — it was daunting at first, right? And then also, like, “This is awesome, I don't know what I'm getting into,” right? I just found out about it. I remember walking back on the Tizo. This was the first time I can say this now, because you know, grad, and I didn't run the strips because the upperclassmen and class officers walked me back, and I distinctly remember to — back to my squadron to — Jordan Kraft and Forrest Underwood walked back and were given some mentorship to me, like here's how to succeed, here's things we would recommend, and it was just an awesome opportunity to like kind of learn what pure leadership looks like, what it means to be in this not org chart that is unique to the Academy, and that's where the, that's where the adventure started for class president. I'm still, I haven't been fired yet, and I still proudly serve the Class of 2011 — Robin Olds' class — as their class president, and it's one of the best jobs that I have the privilege of doing. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 4:10 My goodness. I mean, just to unpack that a little bit, obviously, in basic cadet training, you did enough to impress your cadre, I'm sure that there was probably some sort of cadre selection to bring however many of them forth first. Would you say that you would you agree with that, or is that — am I way off? Col. Joe Bledsoe 4:28 Yeah, I would say —I think when I look back my time at basic training, like I wanted to come to the Academy since I was in your school, right? So, like, I thrived — I'm not saying it was easy by any means, right? We all know that, but I thrived in like this new adventure, right? And I took everything, I embraced everything. I think that may have been something they saw, right? Like I was clay to be molded, right? And I had some prior opportunities in basic to show that to my BCT cadre, and they picked up on it. It wasn't that I was trying, but I think looking back on that experience, there was moments of like my freshness, my eagerness, my like pride in that I made it to basic training, that I wanted to just try as hard as I could, and I think some of that probably shown through, and ultimately may have been why I was selected to go try that interview process, right? Col. Naviere Walkewicz 5:20 So that interview process, at the end of the day, you were elected by your peers, and you know it — to your point — you said in that unusual, the not normal org chart, right, the one that doesn't exist, but yet you have leadership of your class. What did that look like? How did that translate? Because not many of us are class president, I'm certainly not my class president, and so I'm not sure what that leadership role looks like. Can you share a little bit more about some examples? Col. Joe Bledsoe 5:46 Yeah, I think that that leadership role was very different each year, right? As a freshman and a sophomore, as a four-degree and a three-degree, before any official academy leadership position starts to present themselves, that they do for two-degrees and firsties, it was a lot of helping the class stay as a collective whole, right? So one of the first big things as freshmen was selecting our class exemplar, right? And running like — how do, who do we select? How do we come together and figure that process out? How do we then, once we have a name, once we selected Robin Olds, how do we have a formal dining in? Things that I had never even heard of, right? As well as on the other side, the shenanigans, right? So, the spirit missions, right? There was many times I've had to go to the commandant's office and say, I don't know where the class crest is, like, out of pure honesty, right? But, like, that is, that was like a way, as an underclassman, that we kind of got that informal leadership, but also you're the leader by default here, so we're gonna, we're gonna make you accountable for your class. So I got to see both sides, that transitioning a little bit more to two-degree and first a year was now taking a little bit step back in writing in the informal leadership position, so I looked as myself as like a supporting agent, supporting member to our cadet leadership, and I always presented that like, “Hey, if you need our class to do something, I will do that, but if militarily you own that, like, I'm not ever going to step on your toes or push back,” right? The other thing we got, I was able to do is also help provide, like, morale inputs, right? Like you kind of had the pulse of morale, I think, more as the class president sometimes than in the official leadership, so could help provide some inputs along those ways, and there are some, say more shenanigans or morale events that we get to help put forth and present those to the cadet leadership for official approval later on as we firsties. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 8:04 Gosh, well, that was, I mean, it's really insightful for us to understand some of the roles that a class president and class cabinet plays, and so understanding that it's — I like how you put it as a supporting agent to the formal leadership. And we're gonna touch on this a lot more, because I think there's going to be times when you'll share how you build that trust and credibility throughout, both when you're a cadet and as an officer. But before we jump there, I happen to find out, Joe, that you weren't coming to the Air Force Academy to become a fighter pilot, but to become a physician. Can we talk about that for a moment? Col. Joe Bledsoe 8:37 Absolutely, that's absolutely a — I came to the Air Force Academy, wanted to be a doctor. I knew I wanted to be a biology major. I declared, I think, the first day I could declare and went through the gauntlet of getting ready for med school applications, and I loved every second of it. It was awesome. Even my fellow classmates would say he was a huge nerd and studying all the time, because that was my goal, right? I came into the Academy, and I wanted to be a doctor, and I knew the gauntlet that is, that that is required to do such a thing. And I still love medicine, right? I still love — I think medicine is fascinating. Every time my probably get there someday, or in the conversation, but anytime my kids have to go to the ER, like I'm like, “Can I scrub in,” right? All that kind of stuff. Yeah, put me in. I love medicine, and it wasn't till the summer between my two-degree and firstie year did I have that midlife crisis at the age of 21 and then firstie year is when that crisis kind of came to a head, and new doors opened, and here we are today, right? So that, yes, you're absolutely right. Always wanted to be a doctor. I was still fascinated by medicine, but now I'm just a pilot. So, there we go. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 9:57 So, can we, can you expand a bit more on it? So, was it a decision you wanted to make or a decision you had to make? Col. Joe Bledsoe 10:03 Yeah, yeah, that's great. It was a decision I had to make, ultimately, myself. Right? No one, no one said, “Joe, you can't be a doctor.” So, the summer — there's two key things that really happened that helped influence that decision. The first one was the summer between two-degree in firstie year, I had the opportunity to deploy to the Middle East, and we've heard of Ops Air Force. You know Ops Air Force. Well, at that time we had a deployed Ops Air Force, so they sent cadets overseas to deployed locations to see what was, you know, to get the full experience in a deployed location. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 10:40 Wow. Col. Joe Bledsoe 10:40 So I had the opportunity to do that. Spent the summer in CENTCOM and kind of opened my eyes to… Col. Naviere Walkewicz 10:47 Oh, Central Command. Col. Joe Bledsoe 10:47 Yeah, sorry, Central Command, and got to experience — I got attached to a C-130 unit, right, and I got to see what flying looked like in a deployed environment, and I kind of opened my eyes, where I've been hyper focused on medicine, right? Like, you know, so focused on this is what it takes to be a doctor. I kind of like put my blinders on to what the rest of the Air Force did, right? So I was like, “This is pretty, this is, these guys and gals are doing awesome stuff, like this is this is the pointy end of what was going on.” And that planted a seed, that planted a seed. So it came back, firstie year was doing the med school applications, going through, I had some free time in my academic calendar, and I got to go down to the airfield and do the powered flight program. So, I got to see flying over the summer, and then I was blessed enough to have the opportunity to go fly an airplane, and I was like, “OK, the seed was planted, let's see if I get air sick, like, let's see if there's anything else here that might make me not want to do this.” And I loved it. Right, I fell in love with flying down at the airfield. I came back, and I was like, I'm gonna pause the med school applications and put my name in the hat for pilot training, and the rest was history, right? So, doors open, doors close, right? But that was my story, and I loved getting to talk to cadets about that, because so many can be — so many times we see some that are hyper focused, and like there's always other options out there, and it's OK to have a crisis we can talk you through. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 12:23 I think that's a fantastic lesson that you actually learned early, because you know it's interesting — had you not been sent to Ops Air Force at a deployed location, you might not have taken Alex flight, and so you know when you think about leadership opportunities and lessons, this is one of those moments where it actually steered you in a new direction. So, as we think about that, I'm curious, how your family responded to that, because, you know, you had come to the Air Force Academy to be a doctor. Were they happy for you? Were they surprised, a little nervous? Col. Joe Bledsoe 12:57 Yeah, there was a ton of mentorship there, right? Not just from my family, but from upperclassmen peers, permanent party, like, “What are you doing? Like, you came here telling us this was your goal. Where did this new goal come from?” So, there was a lot of time talking that through, and I needed that myself. It wasn't, as you know, in any decision, like, it wasn't a snap decision. So, a lot of time walking through that decision process and leaning on mentors and kind of asking the questions, like I knew what four years of med school, and then residency, but I knew what that like, what does pilot training look like? How long does that take, right? So, a lot of questions to help answer, or to find answers through, and ultimately, my family was super supportive, super supportive, and they still joke, like, “Hey, how come you're not doctor.” Well, because I fly F-15s now, right? But all supportive all throughout the process, right? And that's where you lean on others, right? Lean on others, because it very much felt like a crisis, like I still have scar tissue over it. But looking back on it, it wasn't just me making — I ultimately made the decision, but they helped me through it. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 14:08 That's fantastic. You know, I think about you as an officer, as a fighter pilot, and obviously there's a lot of steps you took to get there on the road was certainly not easy. Often, though, I think that there can be some misconceptions, or maybe this is accurate, that earlier in your pilot life or your aviator life, there's probably not a lot of leadership lessons where you're leading others. Maybe, maybe that's a misperception, and we'd love to talk about that. You know, how do you find the leadership opportunities then when you are, you know, you're party of one, right? You don't necessarily have any direct reports. What does leadership look like there? Col. Joe Bledsoe 14:43 Yeah, can we take that back to like some lessons I learned at the Academy?   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 14:46 Oh, absolutely.   Col. Joe Bledsoe 14:47 Right, I think, I think that's where I've leaned most heavily in, like, not in there's this difference between formal leadership and informal, positional versus informal, and I was blessed enough at a pretty young age to learn the plus — the how to succeed and how to fail in informal leadership. I've tried to carry that throughout my career. So when you say like the younger days of being a wingman in the F-15 community, it's a lot about credibility. It's a lot about that peer leadership. How do you build the credibility? How do you build the trust to be someone that others look up to in that informal system, right, in that informal system. When they look down their phone, like, “Who do I call? Who do I have to call? Who do I want to call?” Right? and I think that's where you have to balance some of that stuff, and I spent time thinking about that, and trying to lean on lessons that I learned from the Academy, and while formal leadership positions were never handed to me, that doesn't mean you're not a leader, right? Like, you can't beat it, doesn't mean you don't just get to sit back and not lead. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 16:02 Can you share an example of a time when you learned that about yourself, or what that looked like?   Col. Joe Bledsoe 16:09 In the flying world? Col. Naviere Walkewicz 16:11 Or as a cadet?   Col. Joe Bledsoe 16:12 Yeah, as a cadet, I think the biggest one was — I'll take it back to, like, freshman, sophomore year, where I learned one of the key pillars that I'm convinced the Air Force Academy teaches all us grads about is time management, right? And I thought I was pretty good at time management, and then when you're now the president of 1,000 other cadets, your inbox fills up very quickly, right? Or you're like, “I thought I was good at time management.” And I learned very quickly that you can't do it alone, right? You can't do it alone, and I had to learn to surround myself with people that I trusted and that I could delegate or hand tasks off to, and just say, “I need this accomplished,” and I did that to my friends that I knew would get the mission done, right? And I had to have that level of trust, and I think that is translated throughout my career, where I inherently trust people with a project, right? I think there's two versions of trust, inherent trust and earned trust. When I look at the graduate network, whether that's the Air Force Academy, Navy, West Point, and I see a class ring, I'm like, “I inherently trust you,” and I can, I believe, or I see some other veterans have on — like, “I inherently trust you,” and then in other cases where I've had to learn and work with people, it's now, “I'm earning your trust, and I hope you're earning mine as well,” and that is this unique balance of I inherently trust you, I learned that at the Academy. Now let's build on that as a foundation and get this earned trust to as high as we can. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 17:54 What does some of that earned trust or becoming more credible look like when young leaders don't have the benefit of time? Right, so I, the more time I work with you, the more I learn about you. You build that credibility, etc. How does one accomplish that, maybe either shorten the gap or do that a little quicker or impactfully earlier? Col. Joe Bledsoe 18:18 Yeah, time is always — like we always need more time, right? How often do you say, like, “I only have 24 hours, but I need more time,” right? So, if we're always fighting time, like, and everybody's fighting time, then, like, that's a constant. So, let's not worry about time. So, I look at it as, like, what traits do people bring to the table, or what traits can we can we sharpen? Honesty, right? Honesty is huge. You have to be honest, and that's a pillar of trust. Integrity, right? Integrity first and showing people that you display integrity is really important. Humility, I think, is also really important. Humility is really important. I was listening to a podcast the other day, and it really struck home to me, a sense of humility is — if a leader is able to say three things, they're gonna — I know I could, I can build that trust, no matter what that time gap is. “I'm sorry,” “I was wrong,” or one of the seven basic responses: “I don't know, but I'll find out,” right? I think that's really important with humility. The other one is presence, not with a T, like we're not giving presents, but presence. Being present is really important character trait in my mind, and the fifth one that I try to reflect on a lot is action. Right? I think defaulting to not doing something is not what we want. That doesn't help build trust. Taking action with what knowledge you have and making a decision is really important, and I think those are the traits that help build that credibility, help build that trust in that time gap, whatever that looks like. If you can hit those, the five that I try to hit home. If you can do that, hopefully you're building that relationship that is going to foster — have great fruition out of it. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 20:06 That's outstanding, and that's really helpful, I think. I love how you took out the constant of time being an excuse, right? Like, we don't always have the benefit of time, whether it's time and getting more experience or just time in general, I think those are outstanding examples of how you can build credibility. So, thank you for sharing that. You know, one of the things that I also would love to kind of dig into a little bit of your experiences, Joe — because they've been really vast, right? So, I don't believe that everyone has the same kind of path. How have you grown as a leader in these different experiences that really, again, aren't positional leadership roles? I'm just curious, how your growth has been in that space. Col. Joe Bledsoe 20:47 Think a lot of it's been through failure. I think a lot of it's been through failure. These might not be huge, like we lost a million dollars, or like, not through those kind of failures, but relationship failures, or conversation failure at the micro level, and how I've tried to handle that is surround myself with people that will tell me that the emperor — I'm gonna go back to the, I'm gonna go back to the old fairy tale, or fable, right? If you surround yourself with people that are able to come up to you, and you trust them, and you trust their feedback, that is something I've tried, that was Cadet Bledsoe, advice given to me is Cadet Bledsoe. Surround yourself with people that you will listen to and take their feedback honestly. And sometimes that means if I don't have that person in the room and I know I fumbled a conversation or I made a poor decision, it's going to that individual and saying, “I messed up, I'm sorry, I was wrong,” or “I don't know,” right. And that's how I try to use that to present humility, I think, and that's important, because we're all fallible, we all make mistakes, and if I can't admit that, then, like, we're off to the wrong foot right away. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 22:06 Do you think some of that that skill that you've developed over time has been something that you've learned in, and forgive me, I don't know if it's a fighter pilot community, specifically, or you know, I think about when you do your sorties and you have some sort of debrief, right? I feel what I've heard, I've not actually sat in one, but they're very real. Like, there's no, it's not about making you feel good about it, like it's about the safety and the mission, and so I'm curious, if that skill of humility, and you know, calling a spade a spade, and calling it I'm wrong and I'm wrong, did that come from some of that experience, and maybe you can talk through what that's like, because not everyone, I think, practices at that level of transparency. Col. Joe Bledsoe 22:46 Yeah, the fighter pilot debrief. I learned some of the importance of that through mentorship as a cadet, and then that was sharpened as a fighter pilot. And I learned the importance of that through the form, my formal job, right, the mission, the lives at stake, aircraft, that kind of stuff. And I think I've tried, I've only honed that skill through Air Force training, right? The Air Force has trained me to think like that, and I've tried to translate that into my personal life and leadership positions, because I think there's tons of value to that. There is tons of value in being willing to find a mistake, own up to that mistake with the knowledge and hope that it doesn't happen again, right? And if that is like, if you, if that's your north star, we don't do this again, like, why wouldn't you want to be on that team? Why wouldn't, why don't you want to be? That's how we get better, right? And I think that seed again was planted as a cadet. Like, let's, I tell cadets all the time, like, you're joining the A-team, so put in A effort, right? Like, if you're going to join the A-team, I don't want B-players, and this is what we got to get, like, let's go, right? It's a motivating factor in my mind. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 24:08 What are some of the ways to approach that in a leadership conversation for someone who would be interested in taking on some of those, those learned lessons? Col. Joe Bledsoe 24:18 Yeah, I think the first thing is transparency and honesty right up front. Like this, Naviere, if we were flying together, right and you were my instructor, your job is not to degrade me as a human, but to prove to me that I made a mistake with the ultimate goal of making me better, right? Your job is to always, like — and the relationship you and I have as an instructor and a student is my — I'm gonna sit here in the debrief and go, and Naviere is here to make me better, right? Like, that's your, that's your job, right? Right. So, once you start that as the foundation, like, it can only get better if I know your job is to make me better, and your job is I'm supposed to make this guy better, right. And often we can, when feedback is provided, you're like, this could be a personal attack, or, like, that's all left out, that's all left outside the debrief room, right? Like, we're here to make everybody better, and I think that's where it starts: with that transparency and honesty up front of the expectation. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 25:15 So you'll actually say that. You would actually… Col. Joe Bledsoe 25:17 No, I think that's just a common, that's a common theme, right? That's the expectation in the community. And not just in the fighter community. I think it's throughout the Air Force, right? I think that's what makes us really, really unique. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 25:32 Because feedback is something that we, we do — although maybe some can do it better than others — I think that's a really fantastic way — before you're giving someone feedback, you're really clear on this is what we're hoping to accomplish by having this time together. And so, I think what you just said can make feedback so much more impactful, because it's not about the person, it's about what are we trying to accomplish and helping you, I guess. It is about you, but ultimately helping you. Col. Joe Bledsoe 25:59 Absolutely, right? Like the where every debrief starts is we had a mission objective and we had tactical objectives. Did we do them? If we didn't, let's figure out why, right? So translating to the business world or private sector, it's a root cause analysis, right? It's a root cause analysis, and we will get down to the nitty gritty of like, what type of error — did you make a decision error? Did you perceive the environment wrong? Did your actions cause the error, right? And we get down to that level, so that when the student, student Paveway walks away, Naviere, knows, Naviere, you gave me the exact, like, you decided wrong, because X, Y and Z; don't do that again. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 26:43 Right. Col. Joe Bledsoe 26:44 Here's your fix. You know, that debrief can take hours, and that's the beauty of it, right? “We're gonna sit there, and we're not gonna let anything not be uncovered, because we're gonna go do this again tomorrow, and we can't make the same mistake tomorrow,” right? “We can't make the same mistake.” Col. Naviere Walkewicz 27:01 No, that's, that's fantastic. I mean, to have it that clear, and to know it, like, OK, we're not gonna, we don't stay in that space. We've addressed it, we know we've identified a fix, and we move forward. Is that what you said? Col. Joe Bledsoe 27:12 Absolutely. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 27:13 There's no like, continue to revisit, like… Col. Joe Bledsoe 27:15 Yep, that's the point, right? Like, “I've learned something, I know, I've acknowledged my mistake. Let's move on. This wasn't personal, this was you making me better.” Iron sharpens iron, right? So, here we go, and then move on. And now that translates, as you asked kind of a couple minutes ago, right, that can translate to so many things in your life, right? And I try to do that sometimes, like my wife will tell me, I go too fighter pilot, but there's versions of that that translate as we are not in a fight or pilot debrief. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 27:50 You literally got in my head because I was gonna say, now I want to put you on the spot, because Joe, you are married to your high school sweetheart, you make a 2% club, right? Like, you actually started the Academy with a sweetheart and ended with the same sweetheart. And now you have three amazing, beautiful children. How do you translate that to, you know, feedback to your family or your personal life? And I love how your wife said too fighter pilot, but how about to your kids? Col. Joe Bledsoe 28:15 Yeah, married my high school sweetheart, Alicia. We started dating our sophomore year, and we've been together ever since. So she is not a grad, but she has a lot of Air Force in her blood, so that's great, and the kids, I would say there's a couple things when it comes to taking some things I've learned or been trained in the Air Force, translating on the home front. The first one goes to accountability, right? I think accountability is really important because in an aircraft, you have to be accountable for your actions, and I think that translates to being a parent, as well as trying to teach the kids some humility. Right, where to be humble, when to own up to your mistakes, and sometimes that works in the fighter pilot way, sometimes it doesn't, and I think that's leadership, right? You can have leadership skills and be consistent in some, in some ways, but other times adaptability is really important, especially with the kids, and each one of my kids is very unique, and we have to cater to each one of them and their unique skills. I will say about my wife, I love her with all my heart, but she knows the words “knock it off” as well, right, because that's a sacred word, not just in the military, but on our, in our homefront, and that usually means stop being a full fighter pilot, like go back to being Dad, right? So she knows, she knows the words and how to make that all go down. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 29:47 I love that it's another language, right? You have your, your fighter pilot language, and you have a home front language. I love that. Thank you for sharing that. You know, I'd like to switch gears a little bit to your time operationally, and maybe this translates into now your work at the Institute, or your most recent work at the Institute for Future Conflict and preparing cadets for the future fight. I'm curious, how all of these skills that you've learned, and these leadership traits that you've continued to develop in yourself, have translated in moments of, you know, like, real conflict, real distress, like when the stakes are high, and how you prepare cadets to think that way, even though maybe they've not experienced that. I'm just curious, what that looks like. Col. Joe Bledsoe 30:31 Yeah, it is hard to translate — like cadets love war stories, right? Like, “So there I was…” but it's hard to translate some of, like, the putting, having the cadets put themselves in the shoes of someone that has 15 years of flying under their belt, right? Like, that's hard for them to grasp, and I understand that, and that's not what I'm asking of them to do, but there are certain skills that I think are really important, and that I've got to experience and talk to cadets and research and spend time thinking about at the Institute for Future Conflict at the IFC. One is risk, right? How do we, how do we think about risk, right? Are we risk prone? We risk adverse? How do we think about risk, not just in this moment, but how does our decision today affect five days from now, a month, right? And, as you remember, because I know it happened to you as a cadet, like you're just in the, like, “What's my next problem,” right? What's my next — OK, how does, like, fixing this problem affect next week? Right. And I think that's what I've got had the opportunity to think a lot about the IFC, as well as try one thing I've learned being back here at the Academy was my experience as a cadet is not the same experience as the cadets now. And what do I mean by that is when I graduated, GWOT, Global War on Terror was the thing we knew what we were getting into. I very much knew flying, going to the Middle East. Now the cadets looked to me and other permanent party, and like, what's our fight going to look like? And right, the question mark is, I don't know, but let me tell you, think about this, and I could be wrong, and I think that is where I've had a lot of time to think about future conflict and what's problems, maybe not nations or adversaries, but like big meta level things they'll have to think about, information access, information sharing, trust, right? How do you, how do you help develop some of these skills in the cadets? And that's where I've spent a lot of time the last two years trying to think and spend, spend some brain bytes, like what does air power look like in this unknown environment? Col. Naviere Walkewicz 32:52 And as you're about to step back into it, I'm thoughtful of that, and so now you're taking what you've helped cadets start to hone in and think about. How are you different now as a leader going back into the cockpit than you were when you came to the Academy? Col. Joe Bledsoe 33:09 Yeah, let me get back to the cockpit, and everyone can tell me what, how I'm different. We'll use that as the test. But here's one thing I think — I've reflected on this recently, going back to the Strike Eagle community. One has been my exposure here in Colorado Springs and at the Air Force Academy, meaning I've learned a lot about what others do that I wasn't — I knew other jobs existed, I knew other AFSCs did things, but not being in a flying day-to-day ops tempo, I've had the opportunity to sit down and, like, “What do you say you do?” “Oh, that has some effects here, here, and here,” and I use a specific vignette would be, I've got to spend a lot of time in the management department and helped teach in the global logistics minor, and like, I knew there was logisticians in the Air Force, and like, that's yeah, right? That's how stuff got here, but like, understanding the importance of, like, that's how my bombs got here, this is how the b…, right, like, truly understanding their frustrations, I think will make me get less frustrated in my day to day, right, and I think that has been one thing that the Academy has given back to me the second time I've been here, is a little bit more exposure to the Air Force, as well as the Space Force, being here in Colorado Springs, like seeing what each team member, like each cog in the machine brings to the fight, right? And I think that's been a blessing here. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 34:42 So those that you will begin to get back working with — your men and women in your community — they won't have had that exposure, and so I'm now going back to our where we started with the sense of informal leadership. How do you help others gain that experience and thought, and maybe thought process informally, since they haven't really been exposed to that? How would you help them navigate it? Col. Joe Bledsoe 35:09 Naviere, I think the best way to do stuff like that is, like, you raised your hand when you said logistics officers, like Naviere, we're doing a podcast with my next squadron, you're coming to talk, right? Col. Naviere Walkewicz 35:19 Right, it's like that was like a long time ago, we need someone more recent. Col. Joe Bledsoe 35:24 But, OK, Naviere, it's not you, but you know people, that's how stuff gets done, right, that's how stuff gets done. And while I by no means want to stand up in front of everybody and say I'm the expert on logistics, but I, I'm not that person, but I trust Naviere, Naviere's contact here, and that's how, like, you create this network of knowledge and this network of trust and credibility. And to my, to the fighter pilots that I'll be flying with, it's somewhat like throwing mud at the wall sometimes, like we're gonna keep throwing mud and see what sticks, but at least they know it's there, right? Like, we're gonna, your job is still to go kill things and blow things up, but at the same time, you know there's this other network out there that you can lean into. But let me be a conduit to make that happen. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 36:15 That is awesome. That's fantastic. So I want to go into this period now, where we talk about you and your continued growth as a leader. What is something, Joe, that you're doing every day to be a better leader? Col. Joe Bledsoe 36:30 I have mentors, and I've tried to find mentees. I think that is where growth can happen, leaning on others for mentorship and mentees to try to talk through some things you've thought through and give experience and exposure to others, right? And that's that network we were just talking about, right? Other things I think are really important is reading and writing. Read a lot, write a lot, nobody writes good anymore, right? Thanks, ChatGPT. But being able to communicate in the written form is really important. So, writing and reading. And the other thing, too, is as a leader, just find an outlet, find something, find a hobby, find something that's fun to do, right. So, I got into running here at the Academy, because we're at high elevation, and I'm, why not, right? But find something that, like, rounds you out, right? It's fine, find an outlet that helps give you some relief from all the stresses that can happen in leadership. That's where I would say I spend a lot of time, or what I think about trying to sharpen my skills. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 37:34 Daily. So, what are you reading right now? Col. Joe Bledsoe 37:37 Oh, that's a great question. I have a couple books that are on the table. Mask of Command is one that I'm reading as I get ready to go back and potentially be in a leadership role. There's a couple other books that come to mind. I'm reading a baseball coaching book, because I coach my baseball, it's a basketball book by Coach K from Duke, as I go back to North Carolina, but it's a book, how to coach kids, right, Leadership on the Court, and it's fun to just think about training and coaching kids and how to keep them inspired. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 38:18 Oh, that's awesome. So, speaking of kids, if you were to go back in time, and talk to younger Joe Bledsoe, the third, what advice would you give him? Col. Joe Bledsoe 38:30 Yeah, if I had to go back, I would say it's worth it. Every second, work hard at the Academy, right? The doors that it opens, that's where my mind went when you asked the question, like, younger me at the Academy. Be good to Alicia, my wife, right? Be good, because she's going to be with you for a long time. So be good to her, as well as foster your, foster your friendships. They're going to mean a lot to you in the future, right? The relationships you build on that hill are going to come back in ways you have no idea years to come. So take time and prioritize the people that you meet. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 39:10 Those are really great reflections. Joe, is there anything that we haven't covered in our conversation that you would love to share with our Long Blue Leadership listeners and viewers? Col. Joe Bledsoe 39:24 Absolutely, be proud of this institution. I'm proud of it. I know you are too, Naviere. Proud of this Academy. Be proud of the cadets, be proud of the permanent party that work here. There's an A-team out there, and this is this is where it starts, right? And it's not just if you're serving in blue or in the Space Force, right? If you're out there doing awesome things for our country on the private, in the private sector, thank you. Keep doing what you're doing. There's no shade of blue in the Long Blue Line, that's my, my phrase for that one. There's no shade of blue. Serve your country, be proud. And that's — just be proud to be an Academy grad. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 40:07 That's fantastic. So, you know, in our time together, I have loved this, this, this leadership conversation, because we really span an area that I don't think a lot of people talk about, and it's, how do you demonstrate leadership in an informal way, you know, without titles and without necessarily key positions or in the hierarchical structure, and so some of the things that really stood with me, Joe, that you've covered, have been being credible, being present, and humble. I really like that, and you didn't say this in these words, but what I took from that was, you know, being honest and truthful is almost one of the most kind ways you can be right, because you're actually helping someone be better, and that really stuck with me, you know. I don't, we have an A-team, we don't need B-players, that I think you exactly said that, so definitely stuck with me. But watching the way that you have led, not with your class, not just the cadets, and, you know, certainly not the squadron that you will have here shortly as a director of operations, but I think you've continued to just be who you've always been, which is someone who leads with integrity through those pillars and certainly by example. So this has been an incredible conversation, and for anyone that is watching us and listening to this, for others that are in their leadership journeys, this is another one you're going to want to share, because it's not just about, you know, Lt. Col. Bledsoe's journey right now, it's been all of these moments and experiences and memories and they really do connect with anyone on a leadership journey. So, be sure to join in on longblueleadership.org or wherever you get your podcasts, not just to see this one, but all of our other conversations. So, Joe, thank you so much for joining us today. Col. Joe Bledsoe 41:46 Thank you Naviere. Go Air Force! Col. Naviere Walkewicz 41:48 Go Air Force!   Col. Joe Bledsoe 41:49 There we go. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 41:50 Absolutely, until next time, we'll see you on Long Blue Leadership. KEYWORDS informal leadership, peer leadership, Air Force Academy leadership, USAFA class president, fighter pilot debrief culture, building trust and credibility, leadership humility, future conflict and airpower, Long Blue Leadership podcast, military leadership lessons.     The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation          

Canada's top trade envoy in Taipei, Marie-Louise Hannan, reflects on four decades of Canada-Taiwan ties, growing LNG and offshore wind cooperation, and why Prime Minister Mark Carney's case for middle-power democracies resonates with Taiwan's own search for agency in a fractured world.Episode highlights:00:00 Launching a new diplomat interview series02:44 Arriving in China in 1989, before the Tiananmen incident09:31 Dr. Mackay and the roots of Canada-Taiwan ties12:26 Taiwan as a top Indo-Pacific trade partner15:05 Energy dependence and the case for Canadian LNG20:37 Inside Canada's first ever Indo-Pacific Strategy26:59 Carney's Davos speech and middle-power democracies31:00 Life in Taipei: food, family, and safetyHost: Kwangyin Liu, Deputy Managing Editor, CommonWealth MagazineGuest: Marie-Louise Hannan, Executive Director of Canadian Trade Office in Taipei Producers: Yayuan Chang, Weiru Wang＊Read more：https://english.cw.com.tw＊Share your thoughts：bill@cw.com.tw Powered by Firstory Hosting

Washington is engaging plenty with its Indo-Pacific allies these days … just not always on the things they want, and too often on things they don't. So how do savvy allies steer that relationship when the world's most powerful partner feels less predictable than ever?To find out, Ray Powell and Jim Carouso sit down with Marise Payne, Australia's former Defence Minister and Foreign Minister. Marise helped launch AUKUS and grow the Quad, and navigated the first Trump administration from both chairs. Now a distinguished visiting fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, Payne brings rare insider perspective on how middle powers keep America engaged and what they must build for themselves when it drifts.In a wide-ranging conversation, Payne unpacks:Why "fewer Shangri-Las, more submarines" sets up a false choice, and why showing up still mattersThe AUKUS reality check: what the shift from the "optimal pathway" means, and the social license challenge facing CanberraWhether Pillar One is now on a "suboptimal pathway," and the case for driving Pillar Two harderHow the Quad found its feet again after COVID, and why the New Delhi foreign ministers' meeting mattersReassuring a skeptical ASEAN on nuclear submarines, and the relationship-first diplomacy that made it workChina's "do as I say, not as I do" stance on Japan's remilitarizationThe contrast between leading Defence and Foreign Affairs: "straight lines" versus "grasping at wisps of smoke"It's a practitioner's masterclass in alliance management for an era of strategic uncertainty. Essential listening for anyone tracking US-China competition, AUKUS, national defense, diplomacy and the future of the Indo-Pacific.Follow Marise Payne on Facebook Follow us on X, @IndoPacPodcast, LinkedIn, or FacebookFollow Ray Powell on X, @GordianKnotRay, or LinkedIn, or check out his maritime transparency work at SeaLightFollow Jim Carouso on LinkedInSponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific

In this episode, Dr. Charlie Faint hosts Lieutenant Colonel Tiane Garner, commander of the Multi-Domain Effects Battalion (MDEB) in the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, to discuss the Army's evolving approach to operations in the Indo-Pacific. Drawing on nearly two decades of service that began as a transportation officer running convoy security missions in Iraq before transitioning to military intelligence, Tiane explains how the MDEB integrates intelligence, cyber, electronic warfare, space, and unmanned systems to provide long-range reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting capabilities in support of the joint force. She also details lessons learned from Pacific Pathways exercises in the Philippines, the challenges of innovation and rapid acquisition, the battalion's upcoming transition into the newly established Multi-Domain Command–Pacific, and the importance of developing disciplined soldiers who can adapt to emerging technologies and changing battlefield conditions. Throughout the conversation, Tiane emphasizes that while technology continues to evolve, success in future conflicts will ultimately depend on leaders and soldiers who have mastered the fundamentals, remain committed to continuous learning, and are prepared to operate effectively in dispersed, complex environments. Chapters (00:00:02) - The Story of the Profession of Arms(00:00:33) - Battalion Command Officer's Background(00:02:18) - Platoon Sergeant on His First Deployment to Iraq(00:05:40) - Transportation Officer Gets the Boot(00:06:36) - FIRST INTEL JOB(00:07:50) - Battalion Commander: Multi-Domain Effectives(00:10:00) - How Long Has the Battalion Been Around?(00:11:06) - How do you measure your impact? How do we measure success in(00:13:05) - Military Training in the Philippines(00:15:33) - Deployment to the Philippines(00:18:02) - Marines on Pathways: Command and Control(00:21:42) - Is the MDTF selective?(00:22:33) - Army Procurement: Innovation and Best Practices(00:27:43) - Strengths of Cyber and EW(00:29:25) - Post-Bacc commander: What prepared you for the job you(00:31:30) - Battalion Commander's Top Lessons(00:33:11) - Multi-Domain Command Pacific(00:36:19) - Commanding Officer's last year(00:37:40) - Basic Training and Career Broadening(00:41:08) - Commanding General Dunford on West Point Cadets(00:42:32) - MTMBTF Lecture(00:44:09) - The Spear

00:00 Intro1:24 Japan, U.S. Reaffirm Indo-Pacific Partnership at G73:20 S. Korea Asks Trump to Tackle N. Korea Nuclear Threat4:28 S. Korea Narrows Civilian Restricted Zone Near Border4:52 G7 Leaders Support Taiwan Strait Status Quo5:25 Taiwan Detects 6 Chinese Naval Vessels Near Island6:12 President Trump Invokes Act to Boost Weapons Supply7:04 Senate Resolution Condemns CCP Leader Xi Jinping9:13 Missouri AG Sues Baby Monitor Firm Over CCP Ties11:03 Taiwan Protests Scholar Ban, Cites CCP Pressure12:27 Taiwan on Standby for Possible Call From Trump13:12 EU Says China Trained Russian Troops to Fight in Ukraine14:40 G7 Summit Highlights China Concerns in France15:04 G7 Unites on China Security, Economic Concerns16:09 G7 Seeks Supply Chain Shift Away From China17:26 G7 Pushes to Cut Reliance on Chinese Minerals19:06 G7 Signals Security-First Approach on China Talks

On this Land Warfare episode, sponsored by American Rheinmetall, Franz-Stefan Gady, a defense analyst and consultant in Vienna who is also an adjunct fellow with Center for a New American Security think tank and author of several books including his newest, “Surprise Attack: When War Comes to Us” available in German and “How the United States Would Fight China,” joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the latest on the Ukraine war; why it's hard to judge progress or advantage in the conflict; lessons European powers should be learning from the conflict as they seek to bolster their land forces; how the war will change the design land vehicles and how they are employed in concert with unmanned air capabilities; why Russia remains a threat to Europe despite the bloodying it's taken in Ukraine; and the applicability of Ukraine lessons to the Indo-Pacific;

Rush Doshi helped shape U.S. strategy toward China from inside the White House, and led negotiations on AUKUS – the Australia-U.K.-U.S. security partnership that redefined geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific. He joined Rep. Crenshaw to talk about the rise of China as a superpower, why America misread China's intentions for decades, and the strategic thinking behind their ambitious moves across the globe. They also discuss trade wars, rare earth minerals, industrial policy, AUKUS, Taiwan, India, what a China-led world could look like – and why America still has the advantages needed to compete and win.   Rush Doshi is an Assistant Professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University and the director of the China Strategy Initiative at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the author of "The Long Game: China's Grand Strategy to Displace American Order." Find him on X at @RushDoshi.

A U.S.-China war over Taiwan would be catastrophic for all sides and the world. Preventing such a war requires understanding how it might unfold—from start to finish—including worst-case scenarios.  How much warning would there be? Where might China strike first? Which countries join the fight? Can Taiwan defend its coasts? Would nuclear threats determine the outcome?  Charles Hooper is a retired U.S. general who served as one of the Pentagon's top China strategists and spent years living in the country. He joined Jon Bateman on The World Unpacked to give a step-by-step scenario for the war that no one wants. Find the episode transcript, and get the show direct to your inbox, here: https://carnegieendowment.org/podcasts/the-world-unpacked/how-a-us-china-war-would-unfold  Host:  Follow Jon on X: https://x.com/JonKBateman  Guest:  Lieutenant General (Ret.) Charles “Hoop” Hooper: https://x.com/LTG_CHooper  00:00 Introduction  01:42 Understanding China Through Military Engagement  09:54 How a Taiwan Conflict Could Begin  20:27 U.S. and Allied Responses  35:04 Global Economic Impact  39:03 Taiwan's Defense Prospects  47:14 Nuclear Escalation Risks  52:28 Avoiding Conflict and Looking Ahead

Is Vietnam quietly drifting into China's orbit, and what does that mean for the United States and the future of Southeast Asia? Dr. Nguyễn Khắc Giang explains why Hanoi is hedging harder than ever because, as the Vietnamese saying goes, "when the buffaloes and oxen lock horns, the mosquitoes and flies suffer."In this episode, Ray Powell and Jim Carouso sit down with Dr. Giang, Visiting Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, to unpack his provocative Carnegie essay, "Why Vietnam Is Swinging in China's Direction." Giang argues that Vietnam isn't becoming pro-China, it's hedging in a world where US policy feels unpredictable and China is offering concrete benefits: market access, infrastructure, technology, and political reassurance.The conversation moves from geopolitics to economics: US tariffs, transshipment concerns, Vietnam's export boom, and the risk of being crushed between Washington and Beijing. Giang explains Vietnam's delicate formula: stay close enough to China to manage the relationship, but distant enough to preserve its independence.Ray and Jim also dig into Vietnam's defense strategy and its slow move beyond Russian weapons, then go inside Vietnamese politics under General Secretary Tô Lâm, whose consolidation of power is making foreign policy faster, more personal, and more ambitious.In this episode:Why Vietnam is one of Asia's most important "swing states"US tariffs, transshipment, and Vietnam's export boomChina's high-speed rail and technology offerVietnam's arms diversification beyond RussiaTô Lâm's consolidation of power and the "Blazing Furnace" anti-corruption campaignVietnam's reaction to the Trump-Xi summitSubscribe for weekly Indo-Pacific analysis from a former US military officer and a former US diplomat who've spent their careers in the region.Follow Dr. Nguyễn Khắc Giang on LinkedIn or on X, @khacgiangFollow us on X, @IndoPacPodcast, LinkedIn, or FacebookFollow Ray Powell on X, @GordianKnotRay, or LinkedIn, or check out his maritime transparency work at SeaLightFollow Jim Carouso on LinkedInSponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific

Robert Ward speaks with Japan's Minister of Defense, Koizumi Shinjiro, on the sidelines of the 23rd IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. In this special episode of Japan Memo, Minister Koizumi discusses his impressions of the Dialogue and reflects on what Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's speech means for Japan and for the US—Japan Alliance.Together, they explore:● Minister Koizumi's impressions of the Shangri-La Dialogue;● the highlights of Secretary Hegseth's address and its implications for Japan;● Japan's defence-industrial cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners.We hope you enjoy the episode. Please follow, rate and subscribe to Japan Memo on your preferred podcast platform. If you have any comments or questions, please contact us at japanchair@iiss.org.Date recorded: 30 May 2026Japan Memo is recorded and produced at the IISS in London. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can Trump and Xi’s new ‘constructive’ framework bring stability to the US-China dynamic? Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. In this episode, host Ravi Velloor speaks with Wang Xiangwei, the eminent Hongkong-based China scholar and former editor-in-chief of South China Morning Post. Wang, who is soon heading to the Harvard Kennedy School of Government as a Senior Visiting Fellow, offers a Chinese perspective on the changing dynamics of the US-China relationship, with Beijing now treated as a near-peer by Washington, and increasingly able to set the agenda. US President Donald Trump, he says, is the most China-friendly person in his Cabinet and the days when even Chinese garlic was treated as a national security risk are long over. In an odd way, China does not wish to see the US retrench from Asia entirely. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:26 How things have changed in US-China ties 5:20 ‘G-2’ is in place now, and China a peer equal 8:55 Goodbye, Indo-Pacific 13:20 Up ahead, long period of stability 16:17 For the first time, China sets the agenda 20:36 Boards of trade, investment 26:22 Surprise, Surprise…China wants US to stay in Asia! Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz Host: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can Trump and Xi’s new ‘constructive’ framework bring stability to the US-China dynamic? Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. In this episode, host Ravi Velloor speaks with Wang Xiangwei, the eminent Hongkong-based China scholar and former editor-in-chief of South China Morning Post. Wang, who is soon heading to the Harvard Kennedy School of Government as a Senior Visiting Fellow, offers a Chinese perspective on the changing dynamics of the US-China relationship, with Beijing now treated as a near-peer by Washington, and increasingly able to set the agenda. US President Donald Trump, he says, is the most China-friendly person in his Cabinet and the days when even Chinese garlic was treated as a national security risk are long over. In an odd way, China does not wish to see the US retrench from Asia entirely. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:26 How things have changed in US-China ties 5:20 ‘G-2’ is in place now, and China a peer equal 8:55 Goodbye, Indo-Pacific 13:20 Up ahead, long period of stability 16:17 For the first time, China sets the agenda 20:36 Boards of trade, investment 26:22 Surprise, Surprise…China wants US to stay in Asia! Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz Host: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many critics often describe Australia's glaring lack of industrial and economic complexity as a major national security challenge, while others see it as a glass jaw impacting our ability to sustain ourselves in a fight or crisis. So, what is needed? This glaring gap in our national resilience and survivability has increasingly figured in commentary and analysis as the Indo-Pacific emerges as the epicentre of the 21st century's great game between great powers. Increasingly, this issue has also figured strongly in our broader conversations with allies, most notably the United States, which is demanding that allies lift their defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP. Of that total, 3.5 per cent should be spent on military capabilities and the remaining 1.5 per cent on "enabling capabilities", including industrial capacity and infrastructure. With Australia's defence spending in the crosshairs in more ways than one, shadow minister for industry and sovereign capability Andrew Hastie has ramped up his advocacy for Australia to reindustrialise to better enhance its national resilience and long-term economic and industrial capability and competitiveness. Following his recent Anzac oration address to the University of Melbourne's Robert Menzies Institute, Hastie spoke with host Steve Kuper. The pair unpack the unique and intimate relationship between the US and Australia from the perspective of a special forces operator and how that relates to what the United States is now asking of us. As part of this conversation, they discuss the need for a more considered industrial policy, unpacking the key hurdles that are limiting our industrial and economic competitiveness on the global stage and the pressures being faced by the allied industrial base. The pair also unpack the economic and political opportunities that come from being a nation that, as Hastie describes, "makes things again" and how successive Australian governments have failed to capitalise on these opportunities to boost productivity, competitiveness and industrial capacity. Additionally, they examine models of success, what Australia can learn from friends and foes alike, and embracing serious, considered and agile economic reform, including building and rewarding a more risk-accepting culture as a means of propelling the nation forward and finally breaking the shackles of the cultural dominance of tall poppy syndrome. Finally, they also discuss an important and often overlooked question, with Hastie asking: "What sort of country do we want to be?" Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

How do we inspire the next generation of aerospace innovators and connect them with the global space industry? Today we speak with Lisa Vitaris, Strategic Advisor for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in the Indo-Pacific, and Dr. Paddy Neumann, Chief Scientist at Neumann Space, to find out! We dive into how students can showcase their research on a global stage, why the regional space economy is booming, and everything you need to know about the upcoming 2026 AIAA Region VII Student Conference in Adelaide. About Lisa VitarisLisa is a prominent leader in the aerospace sector, dedicated to elevating and growing the space industry across the Indo-Pacific region. As the Founder and CEO of Indo-Pacific Space, she provides high-level advisory and business consulting services to expand the region's footprint. Lisa brings a wealth of governance and major project expertise to the table, currently serving as a Board Director for Engineers Australia—the peak professional body representing over 130,000 members globally. Additionally, she acts as a strategic advisor for the AIAA and is leading the United States' bid to host the prestigious International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Houston for 2029.https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisavitaris/ About Dr. Paddy NeumannPaddy is a pioneer in aerospace propulsion technology and a passionate advocate for student development. He is the Chief Scientist and co-founder of Neumann Space, an Australian company developing cutting-edge electric propulsion systems for spacecraft. Deeply involved in the aerospace community, Paddy also serves as the Chair of the Adelaide Section Council for the AIAA, working to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial space operations.https://www.linkedin.com/in/paddy-neumann-b7b6aa40/ About the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)AIAA is the world’s largest aerospace technical society, dedicated to igniting the imagination, advancing engineering excellence, and fostering a global community of aerospace professionals and students.https://aiaa.org/https://aiaa.org/get-involved/ Spotlight: 2026 Region VII Student ConferenceThere are massive opportunities waiting for students at the 2026 AIAA Region VII Student Conference. Hosted by the Adelaide University Student Branch, this hybrid event welcomes high schoolers (grades 9–12), undergraduate, and graduate students of all majors from around the world (excluding Canada and Mexico, which participate in North American regions). When30 November – 1 December 2026 WhereAdelaide University, Adelaide, Australia & Online (Hybrid format) WhatA technical paper and oral presentation competition where students can pitch their work, win cash prizes, receive expert industry feedback, and network with leading aerospace professionals. Abstract Deadline: 31 July 2026 Registration Opens: August 2026 Submit Your Abstract & RegisterVisit the official AIAA events page to get involved and review eligibility guidelines.https://aiaa.org/events/2026-region-vii-student-conference/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As AUKUS implementation accelerates, questions remain around Australia's role in the Indo-Pacific and how the nation should balance capability development with regional strategic priorities. In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, Stephen Kuper, Robert Dougherty and Bethany Alvaro discuss a busy week across Australia's defence landscape, including the establishment of a new US Navy support activity in Perth to support personnel involved in Submarine Rotational Force-West under AUKUS. The discussion explores the significance of the new naval support activity and what it means for the growing American military and defence industry presence in Western Australia. The team also assesses $72 million of investment in a new large-calibre artillery forging facility in Queensland and the importance of expanding domestic ammunition production capacity. Attention then turns to the delivery and testing of the AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzer and the increasing importance of mobile artillery systems. On defence exports, the team discusses Thales' accelerated delivery of Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles to the Netherlands and considers the future evolution of the iconic Australian platform. Rounding out the episode, the panel dives into Australia's ongoing support for Ukraine through Operation Kudu and the debate surrounding Australia's role in maintaining security and stability across the Indo-Pacific. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team  

Stephen Dziedzic of the ABC joins Darren to catch up on something besides Iran and the (still-closed) Strait of Hormuz. The conversation begins with the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where Stephen was on the ground. They discuss the mood in the room, the relative absence of Iran from the public discussion despite its obvious relevance to maritime security, and the broader regional anxiety about escalation, sea lanes, chokepoints, ports, subsea cables and the physical infrastructure that underpins the Indo-Pacific order. They also examine Vietnamese President Tô Lâm's keynote speech, Pete Hegseth's address on US engagement in Asia, and the significance of China again not sending its defence minister. The conversation then turns to DPM Richard Marles' Shangri-La speech and its focus on subsea cables and maritime infrastructure. Darren sees a reframing of the “rules-based order” towards a physical system that must be monitored, protected and defended. They also discuss the AUKUS announcements made in Singapore, including the Pillar II underwater drone project and the shift in Australia's planned Virginia-class submarine acquisition from a mix of new and used boats to three in-service submarines. The second half of the episode covers several other major stories: Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale's visit to Canberra and the possibility of a “reset” in Australia–Solomon Islands relations; Beijing's decision to ban four New Zealand MPs after a visit to Taiwan; the Trump administration's proposed tariff on Australian goods; and the Quad foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi, which produced unexpectedly concrete outcomes on maritime awareness, infrastructure, critical minerals and energy security. Australia in the World is written, hosted, and produced by Darren Lim, with research and editing this episode by Hannah Nelson and theme music composed by Rory Stenning. Relevant links IISS Shangri-La Dialogue 2026: https://www.iiss.org/events/shangri-la-dialogue/shangri-la-dialogue-2026/ Joint Statement, AUKUS Defence Ministers' Meeting, 30 May 2026: https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/statements/2026-05-30/joint-statement-aukus-defence-ministers-meeting Australia–Solomon Islands Leaders' Meeting, Joint statement, 3 June 2026: https://www.pm.gov.au/media/australia-solomon-islands-leaders-meeting-0 Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting Joint Statement, 26 May 2026: https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/media-release/quad-foreign-ministers-meeting-joint-statement Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, Freedom at Midnight (1975): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_at_Midnight Carl Hendrick, “The Death of the University Degree”, The Learning Dispatch (Substack), 24 May 2026: https://carlhendrick.substack.com/p/the-death-of-the-university-degree

Japan sits just 68 miles from Taiwan, while the Philippines is even closer at 61. As one guest puts it, “You can't invade Taiwan if you don't control the northern Philippines.” That geography is exactly why three countries - the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines - are quietly building what may become the backbone of deterrence in the Western Pacific.In this episode, co-hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso sit down with Lisa Curtis, Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), and research assistant Ryan Claffey to discuss their report: “U.S.-Japan-Philippines Trilateral Cooperation: The Bedrock of a New U.S. Indo-Pacific Deterrence Strategy.”The conversation covers:Why the First Island Chain, from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines, is the most strategically consequential geography in the world todayHow a bankrupt Subic Bay shipyard nearly fell into Chinese hands and is now being transformed into a military-commercial hub central to U.S. forward postureThe expansion of the U.S.-Philippine Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in northern Luzon and what permanent missile deployments in Batanes would mean for deterrence across the Luzon StraitWhether Trump's transactional approach to Beijing and the prospect of a trade-focused summit could undermine allied solidarityPhilippine political risks, including the Sara Duterte faction and what a change in Manila's leadership could mean for the allianceJapan's growing security role under Prime Minister Takaichi, from record defense spending to missile deployments across the Southwest IslandsThe race for critical minerals, the Luzon Economic Corridor, and how economic resilience underpins the security architectureWhy this trilateral could become the foundation for a broader networked deterrence strategy across the Indo-PacificWhether you're following the South China Sea, Taiwan, U.S.-China competition, Japan's security pivot, or the future of Indo-Pacific alliances, this episode breaks down why the U.S.-Japan-Philippines triangle may become one of the region's most important strategic partnerships.

Japan has repeatedly hyped up the so-called "China threat" narrative in recent years in an attempt to justify its expanding military agenda, experts said, warning that portraying neighboring countries as "threats" has historically been a recurring tactic of Japanese militarism.专家称，近年来日本频频炒作所谓“中国威胁论”，以此为自身扩充军备的计划找借口。专家提醒，把邻国塑造成威胁，向来是日本军国主义屡用的手段。They said the latest round of alarmist rhetoric once again reveals the ambitions of Japan's right-wing forces to loosen postwar constraints, expand military capabilities and advance a broader transformation of the country's security posture.专家表示，这一轮危言耸听的论调，再次暴露日本右翼势力想要挣脱战后束缚、扩充军力、全面转变安保体制的野心。Japanese media outlets on Wednesday disclosed an outline of the government's 2026 defense white paper, which continues to portray the regional security environment as "increasingly severe" while introducing a new section on "emerging modes of warfare", calling for enhanced development in unmanned systems and artificial intelligence.日本多家媒体于周三披露日本政府2026年度防卫白皮书纲要。白皮书依旧渲染地区安全环境日趋严峻，新增新型作战形态相关内容，主张加大无人装备与人工智能的研发力度。According to the Asahi Shimbun, the upcoming annual defense report largely follows the narrative of the 2025 edition, arguing that the international community has entered a "new era of crisis", characterizing the security environment in the "Indo-Pacific region" as "increasingly severe", and hyping up the so-called "China threat" theory.据《朝日新闻》报道，这份即将发布的防卫白皮书论调大体沿袭2025年版本，宣称世界步入危机新时代，渲染印太地区安全局势恶化，大肆鼓吹所谓中国威胁论。The white paper states that defense production and technological capabilities are directly linked to defense strength. It advocates creating an "environment of mutual support" by deploying the same defense equipment as allies and other "like-minded" countries, the newspaper said.报道称，白皮书提出军工生产与技术水平直接关乎国防实力，提议与盟友及理念相近国家统一列装武器，构建防务互助环境。Liu Shuliang, an associate researcher at the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, said Japan is moving beyond the bounds of its postwar defense posture and accelerating a broader remilitarization process associated with "new militarism", through measures such as revising its national security framework, enhancing offensive combat capabilities and integrating intelligence systems.天津社科院副研究员刘树良指出，日本通过修订安保体系、强化进攻性战力、整合情报系统等方式，突破战后防卫定位限制，加速迈向新军国主义的再军事化进程。Through sustained lobbying by defense-related companies and capital groups, Japan's military-industrial complex has pushed for higher defense spending and fewer restrictions on arms exports, he said.他表示，在军工企业与资本集团不断游说下，日本军工联合体持续推动防卫预算上涨、放宽武器出口管控。"These developments are contributing to the country's accelerating remilitarization and reinforcing concerns over its shift toward a 'new militarism'," Liu said.刘树良称，上述变化加快了日本再军事化步伐，各界愈发担忧日本滑向新军国主义。He said that in early May, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi outlined Japan's revamped "free and open Indo-Pacific" vision during her visit to Vietnam. The policy line was later reaffirmed by Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi at the recent Shangri-La Dialogue, a major defense forum held in Singapore.他介绍，五月上旬日本首相高市早苗访越期间，推出改版后的自由开放印太构想，防卫大臣小泉进次郎随后在新加坡香格里拉对话会上重申了这一方针。Geopolitical ambitions地缘政治图谋"By advancing a revised 'free and open Indo-Pacific' vision and redefining its regional role, Japan is moving to expand its military reach while enhancing its influence in regional affairs. The strategy reflects Tokyo's growing ambition to play a larger role in shaping the regional security order, a move that carries clear geopolitical implications and has raised concerns over its impact on regional stability," he added.他补充道，日本借新版印太战略重新定位自身地区角色，向外拓展军事辐射范围、提升地区事务话语权，谋求主导区域安全秩序，地缘图谋明显，不利于地区安稳。Chen Hong, director of the Asia-Pacific Studies Centre at East China Normal University in Shanghai, said Japan's continued hype surrounding tensions in the so-called "Indo-Pacific region" is aimed at fueling bloc confrontation and creating exclusive groupings that run counter to the region's need for openness, cooperation and stability.华东师范大学亚太研究中心主任陈弘表示，日本不断渲染印太紧张氛围，意在制造阵营对立、组建排他性小圈子，违背地区开放合作、谋求稳定的发展需求。By deepening economic and security ties with Quad members, the Philippines and other so-called allies or "quasi-allies", Japan has increasingly pushed regional countries to choose sides, aggravating bloc confrontation and adding to tensions in the region, he said.他表示，日本不断深化同四边机制成员国、菲律宾等盟友及准盟友的经贸与防务合作，逼迫周边国家选边站队，加剧阵营对立与区域紧张。Chen said Japan's strategy is centered on the "security" agenda. Through intensified military drills and closer defense cooperation with Quad members, the Philippines and other partners, Tokyo is accelerating efforts to enhance its overseas military projection capabilities and expand its regional military presence.陈弘表示，日本整体布局围绕安全议题展开，通过高频军演、深化防务合作，加紧提升远洋兵力投送能力，扩充在亚太的军事部署。Liu from Tianjin also said Japan and the Philippines — a victim of Japanese militarism and invasion during World War II — have stepped up military collaborations in early May, exploring the transfer of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels, including used destroyer escorts.刘树良提到，菲律宾在二战曾遭日本军国主义入侵，今年五月初，日菲加紧军事合作，日方商议向菲转让老旧护航驱逐舰等海自舰艇。"Through intensified military cooperation and joint defense activities with regional partners, Japan is increasing its military presence across the Asia-Pacific region, raising concerns that such actions could aggravate tensions and undermine regional stability," he said.他称，日本借助和地区伙伴深化防务合作、联合军演，持续扩张亚太军力部署，极易激化矛盾、破坏地区稳定。"The provision of secondhand escorts to the Philippines reflects Japan's deepening involvement in regional security affairs and signals a further loosening of its long-standing postwar defense constraints," Chen said.陈弘表示，向日方交付二手护航舰，标志着日本更深介入地区安全事务，进一步突破战后长期以来的防务限制。He said the move could heighten tensions in the South China Sea, contribute to regional military competition and place additional pressure on the region's security environment.该做法或将加剧南海紧张局势，催生地区军备竞赛，恶化区域安全环境。Japan's shift toward remilitarization is likely to prompt heightened vigilance and potential countermeasures from other countries in the region, Liu said.刘树良认为，日本持续推进再军事化，势必引发周边国家高度警惕并出台相应反制举措。aggravate /ˈæɡrəveɪt/ 加剧，激化（紧张局势）undermine /ˌʌndəˈmaɪn/ 破坏，损害（地区稳定）vigilance /ˈvɪdʒɪləns/ 警惕，警觉countermeasure /ˈkaʊntəmeʒə(r)/ 反制措施，对策exclusive /ɪkˈskluːsɪv/ 排他性的projection /prəˈdʒekʃn/ （兵力）投送

(1) Scott Harold discusses the unprecedented question from Japan's Defense Minister at the Shangri-La Dialogueregarding America's Indo-Pacific commitment. He notes the omission of Taiwan in Secretary Hegseth's speech compared to last year. Japan remains a hawkish front-line ally, despite regional concerns over shifting US national defense priorities.

SCHEDULE THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 6-3-2026.1907 TOJO(1) Scott Harold discusses the unprecedented question from Japan's Defense Minister at the Shangri-La Dialogueregarding America's Indo-Pacific commitment. He notes the omission of Taiwan in Secretary Hegseth's speech compared to last year. Japan remains a hawkish front-line ally, despite regional concerns over shifting US national defense priorities.(2) Rebecca Grant describes the proposed Trump class battleship, a nuclear-powered "missile truck" designed for standoff strikes. Unlike traditional battleships, it emphasizes hypersonic attack and laser weaponry. The ship would be highly survivable, defended by Space Force overwatch and advanced electromagnetic warfare techniques.(3) Steve Yates examines the KMT leader's visit to Washington following meetings with Xi Jinping. He expresses concern over the KMT cutting Taiwan's indigenous defense budget. Yates also analyzes Taiwan's "inverted triangle" demographics, where older voters remain more sympathetic to traditional KMT narratives than younger generations.(4) Steve Yates argues the "Thucydides trap" is a manufactured academic concept used by Beijing to suggest inevitable US decline. He emphasizes that the US is not a classical empire and remains globally influential. China uses this rhetoric for political warfare while remaining sensitive to American strength.(5) Michael Bernstam analyzes the humiliating Ukrainian strike on a St. Petersburg oil terminal during Putin's flagship economic forum. Russia's energy sector faces a crisis, forcing a ban on refined exports like gasoline due to refinery damage. Consequently, Russia must increase crude exports to China and India.(6) Michael Bernstam notes the OECD's warning of global recession if the Gulf energy crisis persists. While the US is depleting strategic reserves to maintain supply, it is also increasing domestic production. High prices are triggering "demand destruction," where consumers shift to public transport to mitigate energy costs.(7) Bob Zimmerman reports that Blue Origin's CEO expects to resume launches this year despite a recent launchpad explosion. Meanwhile, SpaceX secured $6 billion in Space Force contracts for tracking and communication satellites. China continues rapid development with its Long March 12B, a Falcon 9-style reusable rocket copycat.(8) Bob Zimmerman highlights Curiosity rover data confirming Gale Crater's shifting climate, which once supported warm water. The James Webb Space Telescope detected high methane levels on the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas, suggesting a unique chemical composition. Webb also captured a spectacular infrared image of the galaxy M77.(9) Jonathan Schanzer describes the "ceasefire war" in the Middle East, where Iran continues attacks despite diplomatic efforts. He argues Iran aims to detach Gulf allies like Kuwait from the West. Schanzer advocates for maximum economic pressure on Tehran and increased IDF activity against Iranian proxies.(10) Jonathan Schanzer reports that Israeli forces have reduced Hamas control in Gaza to roughly 40%, aiming for 30%. Hamas is currently trapped in an Israeli "yellow zone" kill zone, making rearmament or offensive operations nearly impossible. Schanzer believes systematic military pressure is creating a viable theory of victory.(11) Titus Techera critiques the evolution of Animal Farm films, noting the newest version depicts Silicon Valley and AI as villains. He argues this shift denatures Orwell's original anti-totalitarian message for modern ideological purposes. The 1954 version remains the most effective educational tool regarding the dangers of tyranny.(12) Gordon Chang asserts that China is a declining power facing economic stagnation and a massive demographic collapse. He notes that the US economy remains superior, particularly in energy and AI. China's youth unemployment is estimated at 35-40%, forcing university graduates into menial roles like shepherding.(13) Jack Burnham discusses how Nvidia chips reach the Chinese military through loopholes in export controls and subsidiaries. He notes bureaucratic confusion over the "AI diffusion rule" allowed Chinese firms to stockpile high-end hardware. Burnham recommends stricter Commerce Department guidance to prevent further military modernization.(14) Jack Burnham explains that Volvo, though manufacturing in the US, is owned by Geely and must comply with Chinese data-sharing laws. He also warns of China's dominance in the biotechnology supply chain. Through state subsidies and "dumping," China threatens the security of US pharmaceutical and generic drug stockpiles.(15) Ryan Streeter honors economist Ed Phelps, who defined dynamism as a culture of grassroots tinkering and indigenous innovation. He explains that growth is driven by experimental mindsets rather than just scientific labs. Streeter notes that dynamic cultures, like Austin or California, naturally attract global risk-takers.(16) Ryan Streeter discusses human flourishing, defining it as the fulfillment of potential through purpose and upward mobility. He argues that dynamic societies improve job satisfaction for hourly workers by providing more options. Conversely, stagnation in Europe results from heavy regulation and a declining cultural valuation of entrepreneurs.One naming consistency flag: segment (15) uses "Ed Phelps" while your earlier preview blurb and outreach email today used "Edmund Phelps." Both are correct—Ed is the informal—but if you want consistency across the day's broadcast, I can swap to Edmund Phelps.

In this episode of the Social Inclusion Series*, we explore how social protection systems can support greater inclusion for persons with disabilities across the Asia-Pacific region. Most of them face multiple and interconnected barriers, ranging from inaccessible environments and social stigma to the high costs of healthcare, assistive technologies, and care. When these needs go unmet, they can lead to increased risk of poverty, reduced participation in education and employment, and diminished well-being for individuals and their families. This episode examines how governments and communities are working to address these challenges. We unpack “cash-plus” approaches that combine income support with health coverage, assistive devices, and care services, and look at how countries, especially in Southeast Asia, are designing more inclusive and responsive forms of support.. Meet our guests:  Abner Manlapaz, Senior Associate of Center for Inclusive Policy (CIP) Charles Knox-Vydmanov, Social Policy Specialist (Inclusive Social Protection – Disability), UNICEF For our Quick Wins segment, we spoke with Sam Drummond, the host of the podcast ‘Building Inclusion', a limited podcast series that highlights the voices shaping the future of disability inclusion in Australia. *The Social Inclusion Series, produced by socialprotection.org in partnership with Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), is a three-part series that explores how social protection systems can advance the economic and social inclusion of vulnerable populations across the Indo-Pacific, in line with GEDSI principles, addressing key themes such as gender equality, demographic shifts, and disability inclusion.   Resources: Multimedia | Building Inclusion: Australia's Disability Strategy Publication | Global Disability Inclusion Report Publication | Methodological Guidelines on Assessing Household Disability-Related Costs and Their Implication for Participation Publication | Building an inclusive future: Social protection as a catalyst for disability empowerment in Viet Nam Publication| Bridging the information gap towards inclusive governance

India's relations with Europe are often viewed through the lens of Brussels, Paris, Berlin, or London. But in recent years, India has also been deepening its ties with another important set of partners: the Nordic countries. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled to Oslo for the third India-Nordic Summit, bringing together India and the five Nordic countries—Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark.  The agenda for the six countries was wide-ranging, covering trade, investment, green technology, maritime cooperation, the Arctic, and the Indo-Pacific.  The visit also marked the first official trip by an Indian prime minister to Norway in more than four decades. As a result of the summit, Norway and India have elevated their bilateral relationship with new agreements on climate, technology, science, and the blue economy. To discuss what all of this means for India, Norway, and the changing global order, Milan is joined this week by May-Elin Stener, who serves as Ambassador of Norway to India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives. Prior to taking up this position, Ambassador Stener was the Deputy Director General of the Regional department in the foreign ministry. She has served as Norway's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York as well as Deputy Head of the Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. She has been a member of the Norwegian Foreign Service since 1995. Milan and Ambassador Stener discuss the outcomes of the India-Nordic summit, the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), and the green technology partnership Norway envisions with India. Plus, the two discussed linkages between the Arctic and the Indo-Pacific and the controversy over a Norwegian journalist's questioning of Indian officials in Oslo.  Episode notes: Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, “India-Norway Joint Statement,” May 18, 2026. Government of Sweden, “Joint Statement: 3rd India-Nordic Summit, Oslo, 19 May 2026,” May 19, 2026. Priyanka Shankar, “India-Nordic summit: Why is Modi wooing Northern Europe?” Al Jazeera, May 19, 2026. “The India-Nordic Summit: What It Is and What Has Now Been Set in Motion,” India's World, May 20, 2026. Suhasini Haidar, “Commitment to democracy makes India, Nordic nations natural partners: Modi,” Hindu, May 20, 2026.

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu covers remarks given by US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at this year's Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, and what his statements reveal about the current objectives of US defense strategy in the Indo-Pacific. Next, Miles reviews China's decision to impose significant penalties on several brokerage firms over alleged trading infractions, and how this move fits into China's global economic coercion apparatus. Finally, Miles unpacks KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun's planned visit to the US, what we can expect from this tour, and the potential impact her visit may have on current cross-strait tensions. 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. 

First, we speak to The Indian Express' Chief of National Bureau Sandeep Singh and investigative journalist Ritu Sarin about a global investigation into VFS Global, the visa services giant that processes millions of Schengen visa applications, and the concerns raised over optional paid services, privacy, and data protection practices.Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Diplomatic Affairs Editor Shubhajit Roy about the Quad's latest initiatives on maritime surveillance, critical minerals, energy security, and port infrastructure, and how the grouping is seeking to reduce dependence on China while strengthening coordination in the Indo-Pacific. (13:40)And in the end, we look at K Annamalai's decision to step down from the BJP, and what his exit could mean for Tamil Nadu politics at a time when actor-turned-politician Vijay is reshaping the opposition landscape. (24:10)Hosted by Ichha SharmaProduced and written by Shashank Bhargava and Ichha SharmaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

Today, John, Amy, Algene, and Andy break down Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's address at the Shangri-La Dialogue, where he outlined the administration's strategy for the Indo-Pacific. Hegseth struck a softer tone than last year, framing U.S. alliances around shared interests rather than shared values, emphasizing hard power deterrence along the island chain, and calling for greater burden sharing among partners, while declining to mention Taiwan by name. Does the speech signal a potentially dramatic shift in how Washington approaches Beijing, with some analysts warning it cedes significant ground after years of a tougher posture?Does reframing alliances around interests rather than values weaken the credibility of U.S. commitments in the region? Is Japan's nascent domestic intelligence agency an indication that the burden-sharing message is landing with partners? With a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan reportedly being used as a bargaining chip with Xi, what does Hegseth's emphasis on hard power and ally burden sharing fall flat? Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.@johnclipsey@andykeiser@amykmitchell@algenesajeryLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @faultlines_pod and @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube; watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/pfnnvW3T0mA Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on America in the MorningUS-Iran Trade Messages After a weekend of contemplation, President Trump continues to ponder the peace deal negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials and whether to give it his stamp of approval.  John Stolnis has the latest from Washington. Protests Continue At Newark, NJ ICE Center In New Jersey, Delaney Hall is located just 9 miles from the World Cup venue Met Life Stadium and a 9 minute drive to Newark Airport, but it's become the hotbed for protests against the Trump administration's immigration policies.  Correspondent Julie Walker reports on a curfew around the immigration detention center after clashes between protesters and ICE, and New Jersey Senator Andy Kim, speaking on CNN's State of the Union who was able to inspect the facility, says part of the problem is the for-profit status of the detention center.   Criminal Charges In VA Bus Crash A Massachusetts family of four was among the five killed in a crash involving a bus on Interstate 95 in Stafford County, Virginia south of Washington, DC.  Correspondent Clayton Neville reports the driver of a bus involved in the crash is facing criminal charges.   US Strikes Another Drug Boat The United States military has carried out another attack on vessels it accuses of running drugs.  Correspondent Donna Warder reports the latest strike happened in the Pacific Ocean, the fourth such assault in the past 7 days.   Virginia Deputy Killed The man police in Virginia believe is responsible for shooting two sheriff's deputies and killing one of them was tracked down to North Carolina.    Less People Smoking Cigarette smoking rates have hit an all-time low in the US, with just one-in-11 adults now saying they are smokers.  Lisa Dwyer reports on a drop in smoking rates, and what's leading to less people lighting up.   Salute To Israel Parade There was both pageantry and controversy in New York City on Sunday – the pageantry coming with the city's annual Salute to Israel parade amid unprecedented security measures, and the controversy coming as Mayor Zohran Mamdani did not participate, a mayoral first in over 60 years.  Correspondent Julie Walker reports.   Focus On Maine & Texas Senate Races America is playing close attention to two highly contested Senate races that could shift the balance of power in Congress in November's midterm elections.  Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.   Hegseth's Message To Asia Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was in Asia over the weekend attending an Indo-Pacific forum where he stressed his Asian counterparts to have their nations increase their defense spending, but toning down China threat comments at the defense forum.  Correspondent Haya Panjwani reports.   Hawaii Triple Murder Authorities in Hawaii have charged a 36-year-old man with murder in the killings of three men in a remote island community known for its eclectic, communal lifestyle.  All Recovered From Washington Implosion Officials in Longview, Washington have confirmed over the weekend that the bodies of all of the missing after a chemical tank at a paper mill imploded have been recovered.    Tech News We used to get it for free, but now there will be paid tiers for Meta's social media sites Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.  Chuck Palm has this story in his new segment, the New Old Tech Guy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Protests outside the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, continued on May 30. Multiple arrests have been made throughout the protests, and concerns are growing over violence directed at federal officers.Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned that China must not dominate the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking at a defense summit in Singapore, Hegseth also emphasized U.S. commitment to regional security as concerns grow over China's increasing military buildup in the region.

Indonesia's former trade minister Gita Wirjawan - Stanford visiting scholar and host of the Endgame podcast - joins Ray Powell and Jim Carouso to unpack what the closure of the Strait of Hormuz means for Southeast Asia and why it is more than just an oil shock.With a significant share of the region's energy flowing through this narrow chokepoint, the disruption is exposing how vulnerable Southeast Asia really is. Most countries hold only weeks to a couple of months of fuel reserves, and governments like Indonesia - already facing higher-than-expected oil prices - are being forced into difficult tradeoffs between subsidies, social programs, and fiscal stability.Gita explains why countries like the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia are particularly exposed, and why switching energy suppliers is far more complicated than it sounds. He also walks through how rising fuel costs ripple quickly into everyday life, especially in archipelagic economies where higher transport costs can drive up food prices and strain household budgets.The conversation goes beyond the immediate crisis to explore deeper structural challenges, including limited fiscal space, reliance on foreign investment, weak regulatory environments, and gaps in technical capacity. Gita argues that these factors make it harder for Southeast Asia to attract the capital needed to strengthen its energy security and long-term resilience.Looking ahead, the discussion turns to whether this crisis could become a turning point. While renewable energy is becoming cheaper and more viable, scaling it across the region will require massive investment and stronger governance. The episode closes by asking whether Southeast Asia can use this moment to assert greater agency, or whether it will remain dependent on forces beyond its control.

Realignment Newsletter: https://therealignment.substack.com/ Realignment Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/therealignment Email the Show: realignmentpod@gmail.com After President Trump's visit to China with his summit with President Xi Jinping, Eyck Freymann, Hoover Fellow at Stanford University and author of Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China, joins The Realignment. Eyck and Marshall to unpack the Taiwan question, America's interests in the island's fate, the One China policy, and the future of U.S.-China competition. They discuss Taiwan's domestic politics, deterrence, semiconductors, gray-zone conflict, and what the coming years could mean for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Adam Farrar, who previously served as Special Advisor to the Vice President for the Indo-Pacific, Space, and Intelligence as well as Director for the Korean Peninsula and Mongolia at the White House National Security Council. Adam is currently a Senior Geoeconomics Analyst at Bloomberg and Non-Resident Senior Associate with the CSIS Korea Chair. As Xi Jinping prepares for a rare trip to Pyongyang, Henrietta and Adam unpack China's complex relationship with North Korea. They discuss what the Trump-Xi summit revealed about Beijing's position on denuclearization, how much leverage China actually has over Pyongyang, and why Kim Jong Un keeps creating problems for Xi. The conversation also explores how Beijing balances its desire for stability on the Korean Peninsula with Moscow's growing influence there, and what all of this means for U.S. strategy in Asia.

Mike sits down with Justin Bassi, Executive Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, to examine Australia's latest 2026 National Defence Strategy and what it reveals about Canberra's evolving strategic outlook. They examine how the strategy aims to address Australia's most pressing security challenges, how it differs from previous defense planning approaches, and explore emerging opportunities and considerations ahead as Canberra seeks to implement its objectives. Mike and Justin also explore the role of Australia's broader policy community in shaping national defence debates, and how think tanks and other expert networks influence Canberra's choices as it navigates an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific security environment.

00:00 Intro01:00 US $14 Billion Arms Sale to Taiwan on Hold Over Iran War06:17 Trump's Possible Call to Taiwan's President Is a 'Card'07:00 Taiwan to Arrest 3 for Nvidia AI Chip Smuggling08:04 China Tightens Fentanyl Precursor Exports to US09:17 Leaked Database Reveals How China Tracks Foreigners10:45 Philippine President to Visit Japan, Boosting Security Ties11:46 China Still Restricting Critical Rare Earths to Japan13:05 Wall Street Helped Chinese Military Companies Launch IPO14:45 China Has Been on 6-Month Losing Streak: Former NSC Official15:05 Back-to-Back Beijing Trips Expose Russia's Weakness16:07 US Should Shift Focus to Indo-Pacific: Former NSC Official20:35 US Policy Focus: Countering China in Indo-Pacific

While U.S. attention has been consumed by wars in the Middle East and Europe, North Korea's Kim Jong Un is expanding his nuclear arsenal, testing missiles from land and sea, and locking in a new strategic partnership with Russia. In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso sit down with Ankit Panda - Stanton Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, co‑host of the Asia Geopolitics podcast at The Diplomat, and one of the world's leading experts on North Korea's nuclear and missile forces - to unpack what's really going on in Pyongyang and why it matters far beyond the Korean Peninsula.Ankit explains why North Korea is now America's “third nuclear adversary,” with intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach the U.S. homeland and the lowest threshold for nuclear use of any nuclear‑armed state on Earth. He traces how Kim's testing program shifted from cautious development to high‑tempo nuclear war exercises, including tactical nuclear weapons aimed squarely at U.S. and South Korean forces in the region.The conversation digs into the deepening Russia-North Korea military partnership, the implications of the new Choe Hyon‑class destroyer and submarine programs, and the stability‑instability paradox that could make conventional clashes more likely as Pyongyang's deterrent matures. Ankit also lays out his argument for a U.S. policy shift from denuclearization to “stable coexistence,” explains why Washington already treats Kim as a nuclear peer in practice, and warns of the growing risk that South Korea could break from the Non‑Proliferation Treaty and pursue its own bomb.If you care about U.S. extended deterrence, the future of the Indo‑Pacific security order, North Korea-Russia cooperation, the South Korea nuclear debate, or the rising risk of nuclear crisis in Northeast Asia, this is a conversation you need to hear!

Canada’s ability to grow agricultural exports and strengthen trade relationships in Indo-Pacific markets depends on addressing critical transportation bottlenecks, says Fertilizer Canada president and CEO Michael Bourque. In this conversation with RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney, Bourque discussed a coalition letter sent to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Transport Minister Steve MacKinnon urging federal leadership on long-term... Read More

This episode unpacks the key discussion points from the U.S.-China summit, including Taiwan, the Iran war, AI regulation, and the future of U.S.-China relations.   Host: James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, CFR   Guest: Nicholas Burns, Roy and Barbara Goodman Family Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations, Harvard University Kennedy School of Government; Former U.S. Ambassador to the People's Republic of China (2021–2025) We Discuss: Whether the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing represented a genuine diplomatic breakthrough or merely a cooling of tensions without resolving underlying conflicts. What the dueling U.S. and Chinese post-summit statements reveal about each country's divergent priorities and negotiating strategies. How significant the summit's economic deliverables—agricultural sales commitments, Boeing aircraft sales, and a potential tariff truce—actually are. How Xi Jinping's early and deliberate warning about Taiwan set the tone for the summit, and what his decision to leak that statement mid-meeting signals about Chinese tactics. Whether President Trump's equivocation about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and the One China policy constitutes a major strategic mistake and what it means for American credibility with allies in the Indo-Pacific. What the presence of Putin in Beijing immediately after Trump's visit reveals about Chinese strategic alignments. Why an emerging U.S.-China dialogue on artificial intelligence regulation could prove to be the most consequential and underappreciated outcome of the Beijing summit. What concrete benchmarks—from tariff agreements to arms sales to Chinese follow-through on commitments—will determine whether this summit actually put U.S.-China relations on a more stable footing. Mentioned on the Episode: "Joint Statement Following Discussions with Leaders of the People's Republic of China (Shanghai Communiqué)" U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian   "President Reagan's Six Assurances to Taiwan" Congressional Research Service   "Readout of President Joe Biden's Meeting with President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China" The White House   "Taiwan Relations Act" Pub. L. 96–8, enacted April 10, 1979   "United States-China Joint Communiqué on United States Arms Sales to Taiwan" Ronald Reagan Presidential Library   "U.S.-PRC Joint Communiqué (1979)" U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President's Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/what-trump-and-xi-didnt-settle-in-beijing   Opinions expressed on The President's Inbox are solely those of the host or guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso sit down with retired U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, who led America's embassy in Manila from July 2022 to January 2026, one of the most consequential periods in the modern history of the U.S.-Philippine alliance.Ambassador Carlson takes us inside the alliance at a moment of dramatic transformation: the 75th anniversary of the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea, and the Philippines' year as ASEAN Chair under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.. She walks us through the most dangerous flashpoints in the West Philippine Sea: the June 2024 ramming at Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin) that cost a Filipino sailor his thumb, and the August 2025 Scarborough Shoal incident in which a Chinese Coast Guard cutter collided with its own PLA Navy destroyer while chasing a Philippine vessel.We dig into the strategic geography that makes the Philippines irreplaceable to America's Indo-Pacific strategy; the largest Balikatan exercise in history; the expansion of EDCA sites; the new $2.5 billion Philippine Enhanced Resilience Act; the new Luzon Economic Corridor (with Japan); the U.S.-Philippines 123 civil nuclear agreement; and the 19% Trump tariff Carlson openly wishes had been much lower. She offers a candid read on China's Ambassador Huang Xilian's successor, Jing Quan, the limits of the ASEAN Code of Conduct, and what actually deters Beijing's gray-zone aggression in the South China Sea.If you follow U.S.-China competition, the U.S.-Philippines alliance, ASEAN, Philippine politics, the Marcos administration, Indo-Pacific strategy, the South China Sea, or U.S. foreign policy under the second Trump administration, this is essential listening from someone who lived it up close.

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Nigel Inkster, a former director of operations and intelligence at Britain's Secret Intelligence Service who is now a senior adviser for Cyber Security and China at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to review President Trump's summit meeting with Xi Jinping last week and what to expect from the Chinese leader's meeting with Vladimir Putin this week in Beijing; the implications of Trump executing his “grand bargain” that trades Taiwan for stability in the Indo-Pacific; whether Washington's mixed messages and depleted arsenal increases the prospect of conflict; the lessons Beijing has taken from US actions in Venezuela and Iran; how Beijing is capitalizing on the Washington's focused efforts to shatter the rules-based order created in the wake of World War II to prevent another global conflict; the dissolution of that rules-based order and whether Beijing has the will use its vast resources to enact a new order that supplants the United States; and the impact of AI on cybersecurity.

Send us Fan MailPeaches is back for the May 18 Daily Drop, and this one goes everywhere—from bayonet charges and Indo-Pacific deterrence… to carrier deployments, combat rescue upgrades, shady investigations, and why artificial intelligence still can't replace grit.The United States Army is bringing bayonet assaults back to Ranger School, the USS Gerald R. Ford returns from an 11-month combat deployment, the United States Marine Corps is rehearsing island seizures across the Philippines, and the United States Air Force is finally buying new combat rescue radios after real-world recoveries proved the old gear isn't enough.Then Peaches goes off-script—breaking down the Monica Witt manhunt, telling a brutally honest OSI story, reacting to a midair collision in Idaho, praising the United States Coast Guard for making admirals take PT tests first, and calling out the Pentagon's chances of ever passing a clean audit.Bottom line: technology matters… but purpose, leadership, and people willing to keep going still win. ⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 Purpose Over Motivation 01:00 Tasty Gains & San Diego OTS 02:00 Bayonets Return to Ranger School 03:30 Why Air Defense Suddenly Matters 04:45 Indo-Pacific Burden Sharing 05:30 4,000 Soldiers Not Going to Poland 06:30 Army's Smart Scope vs Drones 07:20 USS Gerald R. Ford Returns After 11 Months 09:15 Long Deployments & Family Reintegration 10:15 Navy's Future Carrier Delayed 11:00 Navy Recruiting Through Gaming 12:00 Marines Prepare to Seize Islands 14:00 Air Force Finally Buys New Rescue Radios 16:00 Why Combat Rescue Was an Afterthought 17:30 Monica Witt and the $200K Bounty 18:30 Peaches Goes Off on OSI 23:00 GAO Calls Out Air Force Readiness 24:00 Idaho Midair Collision 25:30 United States Space Force Wants Longer Tours 27:00 Coast Guard Makes Admirals PT First 29:00 Three Cocaine Boats in One Day 30:00 Pete Hegseth Reviews Pentagon Legal System 31:30 Why the Pentagon Will Never Pass Audit 33:00 Donald Trump vs Iran 34:00 Strait of Hormuz Is Heating Up 35:00 Xi Jinping Warns the U.S. 36:00 Russia's Massive Drone Barrage 37:00 Final Thoughts

Blockades, 11-month deployments, the Vietnam War, shipbuilding plans, and some love for our friends from The Philippines…a full plate for a Midrats Free for All.SummaryThis episode covers the recent return of the USS Gerald Ford after a 326-day deployment, the significance of naval operations, shipbuilding plans, and geopolitical considerations in the Indo-Pacific region. The hosts analyze naval readiness, technological advancements, and strategic challenges facing the US Navy.Show LinksFORD Carrier Strike Group receives Presidential Unit Citation.USS Mahan (DDG-72) returns from deploymentUSS Midway (CV-41) off Vietnam 1973Easter Offensive of 1972Hong Kong's Mary SooExecutive Orders:141921426514269Latest Shipbuilding PlanDecades-long requirement for a nuclear powered escortMobilize: How to Reboot the American Industrial Base and Stop World War III,by Shyam Sankar and Madeline HartEpisode 393: Building the right carrier; heavy, medium, or light with Tal ManvelBalikatan 2026China, the unwanted guestChapters00:00: Introduction and Overview of the USS Gerald Ford's Deployment10:01: Lessons Learned from the USS Gerald Ford's Deployment14:24: Historical Context of Carrier Deployments22:29: Life on Deployment: Experiences and Morale30:27: Current Naval Operations and Future Considerations33:02: The Ongoing Naval Operations in the Persian Gulf38:55: Challenges in Aircraft Carrier Deployment44:47: The Future of Shipbuilding and Naval Assets50:54: The Role of Nuclear Power in Modern Naval Warfare56:52: International Naval Cooperation and Exercises

SHOW SCHEDULE THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 5-15-26.1900 MT LOWE IN LA COUNTY.FActor Spencer Pratt uses "guerrilla marketing" and viral Lego ads to challenge Mayor Karen Bass over homelessness and slow fire recovery, while Portland faces similar urban decay from expanding tent encampments and addiction. (1/16)High-profile candidates like Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer navigate a crowded field to replace Gavin Newsom, while outsider Steve Hilton gains traction as voters express frustration with rising costs and failing infrastructure. (2/16)Political rhetoric increasingly targets the Supreme Court's legitimacy, moving away from historic "comity" toward venomous attacks on nominees, as seen in the treatment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and recent term-limit legislative proposals. (3/16)President Trump's visit to Beijing reveals a global landscape in "shambles," with China facing internal military and economic troubles while the U.S. struggles to project a consistent and strong foreign policy. (4/16)Lancaster County exhibits a "K-shaped" economy where wealthy boomers continue spending despite high gasoline prices, while lower-income families struggle with inflation and a general slowdown in retail foot traffic and department stores. (5/16)Rome celebrates its 2,779th birthday as the Ministry of Culture plans museum expansions to handle over-tourism, while the Italian Navy deploys a new, multi-purpose combat ship to the Indo-Pacific region. (6/16)The upcoming Starship launch tests revolutionary Raptor 3 engines and heat shield tiles, as SpaceX explores new launch sites in Louisiana and negotiates with Google to place data centers in orbit. (7/16)Probes Europa Clipper and Juice provide a 360-degree view of an interstellar comet, while the Curiosity rover accidentally uncovers unique "brain terrain" and fluted rock formations after a drilling mishap on Mars. (8/16)Facing a total oil collapse, Cuba considers a U.S. aid offer for internet access while the state maintains Chinese listening stations and a tenuous military relationship with a distracted and entangled Russia. (9/16)The Rodriguez regime leverages lifted sanctions to stabilize power while slow-walking democratic transitions, frustrating an opposition that remains sidelined as new oil money potentially strengthens the existing repressive and criminal state apparatus. (10/16)Bolivian miners clash with police demanding President Paz's resignation, while Peru faces a high-stakes runoff between Keiko Fujimori and a leftist candidate, and Colombia grapples with worsening security under President Petro. (11/16)Prime Minister Philip Davis secures a landslide victory in the Bahamas, while Argentina sees a significant drop in monthly inflation under Javier Milei, leading major investment houses to lower the country's risk. (12/16)Prime Minister Mark Carney shifts toward increasing defense spending to 5%, acquiring sophisticated submarines to protect Arctic interests, and navigating "overwhelming contiguity" with the U.S. while maintaining a firm stance on Ukraine. (13/16)Successful private sector figures joining the Trump administration struggle with the rigid rules of government, finding it far more difficult to cut spending or fire employees than in the private sector. (14/16)Despite Javier Milei's free-market reforms, his decision not to dollarize leaves the peso unstable, creating investor skepticism about whether his policies will survive past the next election cycle against the Peronists. (15/16)The proposed Golden Dome missile shield could cost $1.2 trillion, sparking debate over whether the U.S. should prioritize space-based interceptors or address the immediate, low-cost threat of locally launched drones. (16/16)Note: corrected "gorilla marketing" → "guerrilla marketing" in 1/16.

LORENZO FIORE: Rome celebrates its 2,779th birthday as the Ministry of Culture plans museum expansions to handle over-tourism, while the Italian Navy deploys a new, multi-purpose combat ship to the Indo-Pacific region. (6/16)1920

What if China could take Taiwan without firing a single missile? In this episode, Dr. Eyck Freymann explains how Beijing's primary strategy isn't a cross-strait invasion - it's a gray-zone "quarantine" that could leave Taipei and Washington with no good options.Dr. Freymann, a Hoover Institution Fellow and author of Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China, joins hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso to break down why Taiwan is the central strategic question of our era, and why the United States still doesn't have a plan to deter Xi Jinping's ambitions to take the island.Freymann argues that Taiwan's importance rests on three pillars: its production of 90% of the world's advanced semiconductors powering AI, its position anchoring the First Island Chain that constrains China's navy, and its role in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific economic order.In this episode, we talk to Eyck about:•⁠ ⁠The quarantine scenario: why Beijing might simply declare that all ships and aircraft entering Taiwan must clear Chinese customs first.•⁠ ⁠Why TSMC's Arizona and Japan fabs are generations behind and can't replace what's in Taiwan.•⁠ ⁠Xi Jinping's “national rejuvenation” project and why Taiwan is the keystone in the arch.•⁠ ⁠Structured ambiguity: Freymann's original concept for countering China's gray-zone salami slicing.•⁠ ⁠Avalanche decoupling: a realistic plan to reduce dangerous economic dependencies on China before a crisis hits.If you care about US-China competition, AI, semiconductors, or whether war can still be prevented - this is essential listening.

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: First up — officially, Project Freedom was paused to give negotiations with Iran a chance. Unofficially? New reporting suggests key Gulf allies may have pushed back hard against the operation behind closed doors, raising questions about fractures inside the coalition confronting Tehran. Later in the show — the IDF says it killed a top Hezbollah Radwan commander in a precision strike on Beirut, marking Israel's first attack on the Lebanese capital in weeks. Also later in the show — Ukraine launches a massive drone assault ahead of Russia's Victory Day celebrations, reportedly striking a logistics hub near Moscow and targeting a Russian missile warship capable of launching Kalibr cruise missiles. And in today's Back of the Brief — Japan fires an anti-ship missile during joint military drills with the United States and regional allies near the South China Sea, as tensions with China continue simmering across the Indo-Pacific. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Tax Relief Advocates: End your tax nightmare today by visiting us online at https://TRA.com or call 800-583-6515 QUO: Make this the season where no opportunity slips away. Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to https://Quo.com/PDB Chapter: Compare every medicare plan call 915-671-5252 today! Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan's contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don't directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact https://Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meet my friends, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton! If you love Verdict, the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show might also be in your audio wheelhouse. Politics, news analysis, and some pop culture and comedy thrown in too. Here’s a sample episode recapping four takeaways. Give the guys a listen and then follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Carrots and Sticks Clay Travis and Buck Sexton analyze Vance’s public comments emphasizing U.S. military leverage, sanctions relief as a bargaining tool, and the central American demand that Iran permanently abandon any path toward a nuclear weapon. A recurring theme throughout this hour is “trust but verify,” with Clay repeatedly stressing that the real test of Iranian sincerity is tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Ship movement, oil prices, and stock market reactions are presented as concrete indicators of whether the ceasefire is holding, rather than press statements or leaked talking points. The hosts also explore parallel regional developments, including reports of possible Israeli–Lebanese negotiations and efforts to de-escalate conflict involving Hezbollah, which they argue is contributing to a strong stock market surge and falling oil prices. Clay characterizes the Trump–Vance relationship as a strategic “good cop, bad cop” dynamic in negotiations, with Trump maintaining maximum pressure while Vance plays a more diplomatic role. Both hosts agree that the most likely outcome is extended negotiations rather than a rapid, definitive deal, predicting a cycle of short-term extensions as talks continue into the summer. Black Lives Mattered to Trump Clay notes the sustained optimism in the stock market, which remains within a few percentage points of all-time highs, framing this as evidence that investors believe the ceasefire is holding for now. From there, the focus shifts decisively to crime, law enforcement policy, and what the hosts argue is definitive proof that aggressive pro-police strategies save lives. Clay highlights a staggering statistic: murders in Washington, D.C. are down roughly 68% year-over-year, with just 12 murders recorded so far, putting the city on pace for the lowest homicide rate in modern history. He pairs this with similar dramatic declines in cities like Memphis and argues that 2025 was the safest year for violent crime in the United States since record-keeping began. The positive crime data is contrasted with a horrifying case in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a Ukrainian refugee was murdered on public transit by a repeat offender who had been arrested more than a dozen times. Clay and Buck argue this tragedy exposes the moral and policy failures of progressive prosecutors and city leaders who refuse to incarcerate violent offenders, even as evidence shows that targeted federal-state cooperation works. Buck explains that federal law enforcement is coordinating with local police, using federal sentencing standards with no parole, and focusing narrowly on violent repeat offenders—producing rapid, measurable results. Both hosts stress that these policies disproportionately save Black lives in high-crime neighborhoods, directly challenging claims from progressive activists and media outlets that law-and-order policies are racist. Proof of Life in Iran An extensive interview with Steve Yates, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and former White House national security official, joining live from Seoul, South Korea. Yates provides a sober assessment of the Iran ceasefire negotiations, warning that U.S. policy must move beyond “trust but verify” to strictly “verify,” especially when it comes to freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. He argues that the United States must clearly demonstrate control of key waterways, maintain the credible threat of renewed targeted strikes, and enlist reliable allies such as the UAE, Japan, and South Korea to share enforcement and security burdens. Yates frames the negotiations as surrender terms, not talks between equals, while emphasizing the urgent need to eventually pivot the national focus back to domestic priorities ahead of the midterms. The discussion expands to Israel’s role, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the lack of clarity around who is actually making decisions inside Iran following the decapitation of much of the regime’s command structure. Yates casts doubt on whether Iran’s nominal leadership even has centralized control, describing competing factions between clergy, military, and internal security forces. He also provides an Asia-Pacific perspective, explaining how China, Japan, South Korea, and other energy-dependent economies are closely watching Middle East developments because of oil supply risks, while simultaneously testing U.S. resolve in the Indo-Pacific. He notes that North Korea fired short-range missiles during his visit, underscoring how adversaries probe American focus during moments of global tension. Yates highlights improving conditions in Venezuela, sees cautious promise for peaceful evolution in Cuba, and argues these Western Hemisphere shifts strengthen U.S. leverage against China by improving supply chain resilience. The Dignidad Act Congressman Brandon Gill of Texas, who strongly opposes the bipartisan “Dignity Act," joins the show to argue that the bill is amnesty in disguise, would grant legal status to roughly 12 million illegal immigrants, undermine mass deportation efforts, and directly betray the platform voters supported in the last election. He warns that the legislation would suppress wages, reward lawbreaking, and fracture the Republican Party internally, emphasizing that border enforcement and deportations—not legalization—were core promises of the Trump coalition. Gill also criticizes House scheduling dysfunction, saying lawmakers should be in session funding DHS and advancing conservative priorities instead of advancing immigration compromises. The segment closes with political analysis of upcoming Texas races, where Gill dismisses progressive challengers as out of touch with voters. Make sure you never miss a second of the show by subscribing to the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton show podcast wherever you get your podcasts! ihr.fm/3InlkL8 For the latest updates from Clay and Buck: https://www.clayandbuck.com/ Connect with Clay Travis and Buck Sexton on Social Media: X - https://x.com/clayandbuck FB - https://www.facebook.com/ClayandBuck/ IG - https://www.instagram.com/clayandbuck/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuck Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/ClayandBuck TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@clayandbuck YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.