Podcast appearances and mentions of Mark Montgomery

Israel and Iran are at war. To break down what's happening and what could come next, host Cliff May is joined by Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and Behnam Ben Taleblu.They dissect Israel's targeted strikes on IRGC assets, the strategic pause before a possible U.S. strike on Fordow, and why this war isn't just Israel vs. Iran. It's the free world vs. the axis of aggressors. And it's about finishing the job—or risking another historic failure.

Israel and Iran are at war. To break down what's happening and what could come next, host Cliff May is joined by Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and Behnam Ben Taleblu.They dissect Israel's targeted strikes on IRGC assets, the strategic pause before a possible U.S. strike on Fordow, and why this war isn't just Israel vs. Iran. It's the free world vs. the axis of aggressors. And it's about finishing the job—or risking another historic failure.

Hugh discusses the Iran-Israel war and the Big Beautiful Bill with Senator Steve Daines, Noah Rothman, David Drucker, Bret Baier, Byron York, Adm. Mark Montgomery, Bethany Mandel, and James Lileks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On "Forbes Newsroom," Mark Montgomery, Retired Rear Admiral and senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discussed the conflict between Israel and Iran, President Trump's response, and what outright hostility between the two nations means for the Middle East.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Israel has launched precision strikes against nuclear and military facilities in Iran — just days after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) formally declared Iran in violation of its nuclear nonproliferation commitments for the first time since 2005.The Islamic Republic — closer than ever to acquiring a nuclear weapon — had dismissed U.S. diplomatic overtures and accelerated its nuclear program in ways that clearly exceed any plausible civilian use.What are the implications for regional security and America's allies? How will these developments affect Iran's nuclear trajectory? And how might continued escalation shift the strategic balance across the Middle East and beyond?To deconstruct, Jonathan Schanzer hosts an all-star lineup of experts: RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus, Eyal Hulata, and Mark Dubowitz.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Dan opened up the second hour talking more about the Detroit Tigers and their farm system. We were then joined by Mark Montgomery who is the Head Coach of the Detroit Mercy Titans Men's Basketball team. He talked with Dan about how the team is doing in the off-season, talked about recruiting and some special guys who will be on the team, they gave their thought's on the NBA Playoffs, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We were joined by Mark Montgomery who is the Head Coach of the Detroit Mercy Titans Men's Basketball team. He talked with Dan about how the team is doing in the off-season, talked about recruiting and some special guys who will be on the team, they gave their thought's on the NBA Playoffs, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today the show is being hosted by the one and only Dan Hasty who is the voice of the West Michigan Whitecaps. Throughout the show, we were joined by some great guests to talk about the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Detroit Pistons, the NBA Playoffs, and more. During the entire first hour, Dan was joined by Chris Castellani from the "Chris and Company" podcast so they could break down our Detroit Tigers. Dan and Chris talked about the Tigers being the best team in Baseball, talked about what's really working for this team, gave their thoughts on weaknesses they see, gave their opinion on if Al Avila deserves any credit for this current team, talked about the prospects coming up through the Tigers farm system, and much more. Dan opened up the second hour talking more about the Detroit Tigers and their farm system. We were then joined by Mark Montgomery who is the Head Coach of the Detroit Mercy Titans Men's Basketball team. He talked with Dan about how the team is doing in the off-season, talked about recruiting and some special guys who will be on the team, they gave their thought's on the NBA Playoffs, and more. In our final hour, we were joined by Keith Langlois from DetroitPistons.com so he and Dan could talk about the Pistons in the off-season. They talked about the season as a whole for the Pistons and talked about their run in the playoffs, they discussed some of the storylines surrounding this team in the off-season, talked about the NBA Playoffs, and much more. We were then joined by Cody Stavenhagen from the Athletic so he and Dan could talk about the Tigers. He and Dan talked about the Tigers winning that Series against the Cubs, talked about the impact of Tarik Skubal, talked about the development of the young guys in the system, and much more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For malign actors seeking to undermine U.S. global leadership and economic prosperity, AI is the latest battleground. To learn how U.S. adversaries leverage AI to advance their military, cyber, and malign influence capabilities, join RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI); Matt Pottinger, chairman of FDD's China Program and CEO of Garnaut Global LLC; and Leah Siskind, AI research fellow and director of impact at FDD.This panel will discuss how the government and private sector innovation base can collaborate to combat national security threats, counter adversarial AI use, and expand the innovation capabilities of America and its allies around the world.For more, check out: https://www.fdd.org/events/2025/06/04/battleground-ai-us-national-security-and-adversarial-use-of-ai/

Michael Allen welcomes back RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery to the podcast, where he explains why—even with a ceasefire—ending the war between Russia and Ukraine could be “impossible.” He discusses the recent shifts in military gains and losses on both sides, and what it could take to change the odds in favor of either Moscow or Kyiv.

Hugh discusses Trump getting tough on Putin, Israel-Gaza, Harvard funding, and the One Big Beautiful Bill with Noah Rothman, Dr. Michael Oren, David Drucker, Bret Baier, Vic Matus, Adm. Mark Montgomery, and Bethany Mandel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump's May 19 phone call with Vladimir Putin does not appear to be two hours well-spent. According to readouts, the Russian ruler agreed to continue talking about talking.Around the same time, Putin launched a massive drone strike against Ukrainian soldiers defending their country and civilians attempting to survive the long war waged against them by an enemy seeking to destroy their freedom and identity.Despite President Trump's multiple threats to impose “devastating” sanctions on Russia if Putin continues to refuse even a temporary ceasefire — to which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has agreed — Putin does not appear to be taking Trump's threats seriously.If Trump isn't bluffing, a new FDD Memo details exactly how the president can exert significant economic pain on Russia to give Putin pause — and maybe even pause the missiles strikes.Joining host Cliff May to discuss are memo co-author John Hardie and FDD's RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, who just returned from the frontline in Ukraine.

President Trump's May 19 phone call with Vladimir Putin does not appear to be two hours well-spent. According to readouts, the Russian ruler agreed to continue talking about talking.Around the same time, Putin launched a massive drone strike against Ukrainian soldiers defending their country and civilians attempting to survive the long war waged against them by an enemy seeking to destroy their freedom and identity.Despite President Trump's multiple threats to impose “devastating” sanctions on Russia if Putin continues to refuse even a temporary ceasefire — to which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has agreed — Putin does not appear to be taking Trump's threats seriously.If Trump isn't bluffing, a new FDD Memo details exactly how the president can exert significant economic pain on Russia to give Putin pause — and maybe even pause the missiles strikes.Joining host Cliff May to discuss are memo co-author John Hardie and FDD's RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, who just returned from the frontline in Ukraine.

Good evening: The show begins in Ukraine where the Kremlin assigns a new commander to carry the battle the remainder of the year... 1859 CBS Eye on the World with John Batchelor First Hour 9:00-9:15: #UKRAINE: NEW FRONT COMMANDER. COLONEL JEFF MCCAUSLAND, USA (RETIRED) @MCCAUSLJ @CBSNEWS @DICKINSONCOL 9:15-9:30: POTUS: GOLDEN DOME RISING. COLONEL JEFF MCCAUSLAND, USA (RETIRED) 9:30-9:45: 1/2: POTUS: VS SOUTH AFRICA IN THE OVAL OFFICE, MAX MAIZLISH, FDD 9:45-10:00: 2/2: POTUS: VS SOUTH AFRICA IN THE OVAL OFFICE, MAX MAIZLISH, FDD Second Hour 10:00-10:15: PRC: MANUFACTURING DECLINE. ANNE STEVENSON-YANG. @GORDONGCHANG, GATESTONE, NEWSWEEK, THE HILL 10:15-10:30: PRC: POTUS SELLS AI TO THE GULF AHEAD OF BEIJING. BRANDON WEICHERT 10:30-10:45: PRC: ATTACKING THE FIRST ISLAND CHAIN. JIM HOLMES, @GORDONGCHANG, GATESTONE, NEWSWEEK, THE HILL 10:45-11:00: USA: TRIAD UPGRADE. PETER HUESSY. @GORDONGCHANG, GATESTONE, NEWSWEEK, THE HILL Third Hour 11:00-11:15 (1/2): VATICAN: VS COMMUNISM FROM PIUS IX. JON MILTIMORE, AIER, CIVITAS INSTITUTE 11:15-11:30 (2/2): VATICAN: VS COMMUNISM FROM PIUS IX. JON MILTIMORE, AIER, CIVITAS INSTITUTE 11:30-11:45: POTUS: THE GOLDEN DOME. MARK MONTGOMERY, BRAD BOWMAN FDD 11:45-12:00: #RUSSIA: SANCTIONING THE SHADOW FLEET. MICHAEL BERNSTAM, HOOVER. Fourth Hour 12:00-12:15: FRANCE: NUCLEAR POWER FLEET. SIMON CONSTABLE 12:15-12:30: EU. DENMARK, NORWAY, SWEDEN RETHINKING NUKE POWER. SIMON CONSTABLE 12:30-12:45: Moon: ISPACE lander june 5. Bob Zimmerman BehindtheBlack.com 12:45-1:00 AM: MARS: CURIOSITY CLIMBING. BOB ZIMMERMAN BEHINDTHEBLACK.COM

POTUS: THE GOLDEN DOME. MARK MONTGOMERY, BRAD BOWMAN FDD ROME

Message from Mark Montgomery on May 18, 2025

Hugh discusses the tariff deal with China, the release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, the tax bill, and gender in youth sports, with Olivia Beavers, Dr. Michael Oren, Sen. Tom Cotton, Vic Matus, Adm. Mark Montgomery, and Patrick McGee. Book: Apple in China by Patrick McGee.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Strategy Series, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Mark Montgomery, a retired US Navy rear admiral who is now the senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a senior adviser on the bipartisan Cyberspace Solarium Commission, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss reconciliation, the Trump administration's “skinny” $1 trillion defense budget request, prospects the measure will pass Congress given the White House's proposed $164 billion in proposed discretionary spending cuts, the importance of soft power investments including the Voice of America, Rafio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia in countering Russian and Chinese disinformation worldwide, aid programs to advance US interests, and an update on the Ukraine war.

To help protect the United States and its allies from the rising threat of missile and drone attacks, FDD is excited to inaugurate its new Air and Missile Defense Program, housed within the Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP).This state-of-the-art program conducts rigorous, timely research regarding the air and missile defense capabilities necessary to protect the United States, its forward-deployed forces, and its allies and partners from adversary missiles, aircraft, and drones. The development, procurement, and fielding of cutting-edge air and missile defense capabilities — in sufficient quantities — by the United States, its NATO allies, Israel, Taiwan, Ukraine, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and others can bolster deterrence and enhance collective defense against evolving threats.Join FDD for a kickoff discussion of the systems, policies, and infrastructure critical to empowering the United States and its allies to meet these challenges. The panel features program co-leaders Bradley Bowman, senior director of FDD's CMPP and RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI), as well as Lydia LaFavor, CMPP research fellow. The conversation will be moderated by Pentagon reporter at Politico, Paul McLeary.For more, check out: https://www.fdd.org/events/2025/04/22/fdds-air-and-missile-defense-program-launch/

According to host Cliff May, "Mark Montgomery is an admirable admiral. Another adjective I'd use to describe him: peripatetic. Which is a fancy way of saying he's on the road more than Willie Nelson—whom he does not otherwise resemble."Most recently the retired flag officer has been in Lithuania, which on the east shares a border with the Russian vassal state of Belarus, and on the southwest has a border with the Russian oblast of Kaliningrad, which was called Königsberg until Russia took it from Germany following World War II.You start a war and lose that war, you may lose territory. Which is a good segue to Israel, another country Mark has recently visited. Also on the list is Taiwan.And, perhaps most mysteriously, he very recently spent time in an elaborate private wine cellar in California. Which is odd because he's not much of a drinker. It had something to do with a cyber security conference and... The Godfather?So many mysteries, so little time. 

The U.S. military has a vested interest in the security of the nation's critical transportation infrastructure. During a conflict, America's adversaries are likely to attack U.S. critical infrastructure in an attempt to constrain Washington's policy options, including its capacity to mobilize the armed forces. Over the past year, the intelligence community has revealed how deeply Chinese hackers known as Volt Typhoon penetrated U.S. transportation, energy, and water systems. Meanwhile, other Chinese Communist Party (CCP) malicious cyber operations, including Flax Typhoon, hijacked cameras and routers. Salt Typhoon burrowed deep into U.S. telecommunications networks; Silk Typhoon compromised U.S. Treasury networks.These hacks have uncovered a dangerous truth: the cybersecurity of the critical air, rail, and maritime infrastructure that underpins U.S. military mobility is insufficient. In addition to enabling disruption, compromising critical infrastructure would allow U.S. adversaries to amass information about the movement of goods and military equipment – and impede America's ability to deploy, supply, and sustain large forces.To explore these themes and more, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies hosts Gen. (Ret.) Mike Minihan, former commander, Air Mobility Command; RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director, FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation; and Annie Fixler, director and research fellow, FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation. The conversation is moderated by Bradley Bowman, senior director, FDD's Center on Military and Political Power.For more, check out: https://www.fdd.org/events/2025/04/17/persistent-access-persistent-threat-ensuring-military-mobility-against-malicious-cyber-actors/

According to host Cliff May, "Mark Montgomery is an admirable admiral. Another adjective I'd use to describe him: peripatetic. Which is a fancy way of saying he's on the road more than Willie Nelson—whom he does not otherwise resemble."Most recently the retired flag officer has been in Lithuania, which on the east shares a border with the Russian vassal state of Belarus, and on the southwest has a border with the Russian oblast of Kaliningrad, which was called Königsberg until Russia took it from Germany following World War II.You start a war and lose that war, you may lose territory. Which is a good segue to Israel, another country Mark has recently visited. Also on the list is Taiwan.And, perhaps most mysteriously, he very recently spent time in an elaborate private wine cellar in California. Which is odd because he's not much of a drinker. It had something to do with a cyber security conference and... The Godfather?So many mysteries, so little time. 

Mark Montgomery, head men's basketball coach at Detroit Mercy and former assistant at Michigan State, joins the show to talk about the impact of NIL on mid-majors in college sports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Message from Mark Montgomery on April 3, 2025

On "Forbes Newsroom," Mark Montgomery, Senior Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, explained what a limited ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine would entail, the impact it would make on day-to-day life in Ukraine, and the likelihood of Russian President Vladimir Putin adhering to its terms.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Townhall Review – March 15, 2025

Cyber threats are evolving – but U.S. cyber policy coordination is still lagging behind. Four years after the establishment of the Office of the National Cyber Director, the Trump administration has a unique opportunity to establish stronger central coordination and drive meaningful improvements in how the federal government secures and defends cyberspace. How should the administration clarify and reinforce the role of the National Cyber Director? How can the administration create a more structured and accountable interagency cyber community? How can these structures set clearer national priorities and achieve the goals of deterring adversaries and advancing national resilience in cyberspace?To discuss these issues and more, FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI) hosts a virtual conversation with former National Cyber Director Chris Inglis and John Costello, senior advisor to CSC 2.0, an initiative housed at FDD to continue the work of the congressionally mandated Cyberspace Solarium Commission. The conversation is moderated by RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of CCTI and former executive director of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission with introductions by Dr. Samantha Ravich, Chair of FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation.For more, check out: https://www.fdd.org/events/2025/03/12/coaching-thecyberteam-the-future-of-the-office-of-the-national-cyber-director-and-cyber-governance/

On today's Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Mark Montgomery, a retired US Navy rear admiral who is the senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and Cyber Solarium 2.0 executive director, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the best way for the Trump administration to redirect between 6 and 8 percent of finding a year for five years to new priorities; what the administration should be prioritizing and where it can take more risk, for example, in Air Force nuclear-tipped cruise missiles and free-fall weapons; the continued need for manned combat aircraft and adding the Army and Navy to the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft program; the wisdom of erecting a “Golden Dome” air and missile defense system over the United States; the problematic nature of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's order that the National Security Agency stop planning and executing offensive cyber operations against Russia; the Trump administration's betrayal of Ukraine and drive to end the war on Russia's terms; whether Kyiv can continue to fight when Washington cuts aid and Moscow ramps up military pressure; prospect that Taiwan may be part of a “grand bargain” Trump seeks with China and how increasing defense spending to 3 percent of GDP could give Taipei a reprieve; the impact of the firings of top officers and who might replace Adm. Lisa Franchetti as Chief of Naval Operations after the service's first female leader was recently sacked.

Message from Mark Montgomery on February 20, 2025

Michael Allen speaks with retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, Senior Director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He shares insights on the Ukraine war, examining Russia's tactical advantage, the challenges Ukraine faces amid inconsistent aid, and the vital role of international alliances. He also explores geopolitical tensions in the Pacific and strategies for sustaining U.S. influence on the global stage.

Mark Montgomery, senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at FDD and retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, joins the show to discuss how prepared (or ill-prepared) the U.S. is for cyber warfare. ▪️ Times      •      03:24 Introduction     •      04:20 America: A Target Rich Environment     •     05:59 Cyber and mobilization       •      08:35 What actually happens?      •      11:36 Automation        •      16:18 Salt and volt typhoon     •      22:04 Continuity of the economy       •      28:33 Offense         •      35:05 Cyber responses     •      38:43 Public opinion      •      41:43 Defense of the homeland     •      49:30 A new kind of leader Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today's episode on our School of War Substack

In this episode, Hugh Hewitt and Admiral Mark Montgomery discuss China’s growing naval power, highlighting the launch of its new aircraft carrier and the J-35 fighter, while emphasizing the U.S.'s lagging shipbuilding capacity. Montgomery warns about the U.S. submarine shortfall and stresses the need for increased defense spending and workforce development to maintain undersea dominance and deter China.

Message from Mark Montgomery on February 9, 2025

Dr. Jim Lewis, the director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Mark Montgomery, a retired US Navy rear admiral who is the senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and Cyber Solarium 2.0 executive director, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the implications of the R1 Model by Chinese AI firm DeepSeek that sparked a market sell off on Wall Street; what makes it different from other AI models; how China used talent, technology and savvy thinking to compensate for technology restriction imposed on Beijing by Washington and its allies; why Chinese technology or military developments continue to surprise Western experts and what it says about US overconfidence; how better to control the flow of technology to China and whether there are lessons in the Cold War mechanisms like the Wassenaar Arrangement; whether President Trump's $500 billion “Stargate” public private AI partnership is the right approach to better compete against China and advance American capabilities; the impact of Elon Musk's drive to reorganize the US government at home and whether Trump's muscular international rhetoric; and how the “grand bargain” Trump seeks with China could include handing Taiwan to Beijing.

Mark Montgomery shares his entrepreneurial journey, from his first lawn care business as a teenager to building and selling companies in the music and technology industries. Montgomery sits down with EC CEO Sam Davidson to share how he pivoted from pursuing music to entrepreneurship, co-founding Echo, a digital music distribution company, which he sold in 2007. Personal challenges, including his wife's cancer diagnosis, led him to reassess his path, eventually exploring the cannabis industry and launching the non-alcoholic beverage brand Better Than Booze. Reflecting on his successes and setbacks, Montgomery discusses perseverance, work-life balance, and the deeper purpose behind entrepreneurship.

RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation, fills in for Jon Schanzer on the FDD Morning Brief. He delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with retired U.S. Air Force General Mike Minihan.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Message from Mark Montgomery on January 26, 2025

China has prepositioned destructive cyber capabilities in U.S. energy and transportation infrastructure. Russia has capabilities to disrupt undersea cables and industrial control systems. Iran has exploited unprotected networks to deface machines monitoring water systems. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) at the Department of Homeland Security is charged with collaborating with the private sector to secure critical systems. Since its creation in 2018, CISA has led federal efforts to understand and mitigate systemic cyber risk. How vulnerable is America in cyberspace? How has public-private cyber collaboration changed over the past six years? And, as U.S. adversaries become more aggressive in cyberspace, how can CISA bolster national cyber resilience?FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation hosts a fireside chat with CISA Director Jen Easterly on protecting critical infrastructure in the cyber age. The conversation will be moderated by RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, CCTI senior director and former executive director of the congressionally mandated Cyberspace Solarium Commission.For more, check out: https://www.fdd.org/events/2024/01/15/infrastructure-security-in-the-cyber-age-a-conversation-with-cisa-director-jen-easterly/

RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of FDD's Center on Cyber Technology and Innovation (CCTI), fills in for Jon Schanzer on the FDD Morning Brief. He delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Isaac 'Ike' Harris, adjunct fellow at CCTI and retired commander in the U.S. Navy.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week…in preparation for the upcoming Surface Navy Association national symposium, retired flag officer Mark Montgomery is back with us for his take on upcoming naval priorities.

On today's program, sponsored by Lockheed Martin, Mark Montgomery, a retired US Navy rear admiral who is now the senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the executive director of the Cyber Solarium 2.0 project, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian discuss China's recent hack of the US Treasury Department on heels of Beijing's penetration of major US telecommunications companies, what the Flax, Volt and Salt Typhoon attacks mean, what the attacks mean as China becomes increasingly risk tolerant in the nature and scope of its cyber operations, what has to happen to stop the attacks and reestablish deterrence, Beijing's increasingly aggressive behavior as Russia adopts increasingly hybrid warfare techniques against the United States and Western nations, how to counter such hybrid tactics like destroying undersea infrastructure, jeopardizing air cargo carriers and targeted assassinations, the global implications of the incoming Trump administration's approach to the Ukraine war and Taiwan, and what to expect at next week's Surface Navy Association's national symposium.

Four years ago, Congress created the Office of the National Cyber Director to serve as the president's senior advisor on cybersecurity, implementing national strategy, supporting whole-of-nation cyber resilience, and working with the Office of Management and Budget to align federal resourcing to growing cyber threats from criminals and nation states including China, Russia, and Iran. The office led the charge developing a new national cybersecurity strategy and executed dozens of technical, governance, workforce, and policy solutions to implement the strategy. Has this implementation bolstered national cyber resilience? Has the government developed a whole-of-nation response to cyber incidents? Are federal resources aligned to thwart and deter U.S. adversaries in cyberspace?FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation hosts remarks and a fireside chat with National Cyber Director Harry Coker, Jr. on the role of the Office of the National Cyber Director, its past successes, and lessons learned for the future. The conversation will be moderated by RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, CCTI senior director and former executive director of the congressionally mandated Cyberspace Solarium Commission.For more, check out: fdd.org/events/2025/01/07/cyber-strategies-and-successes-a-conversation-with-national-cyber-director-harry-coker-jr/

We listen back on more than a dozen guests from conversations across 2024.  Guests (in order): Fabian Hinz, research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies; Bruce Hoffman, senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations, and co-author of "God, Guns, and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America"; Karolina Hird, analyst and Russia Deputy Team Lead at the Institute for the Study of War; Elliot Ackerman, co-author of "2054: A Novel"; Mackenzie Eaglen, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she works on defense strategy, defense budgets, and military readiness; Ankit Panda, Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Chris Blattman, economist, political scientist, and Ramalee E. Pearson Professor of Global Conflict Studies at the University of Chicago, and author of the 2022 book, "Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace"; Mick Ryan, retired Australian Army major general, strategist, and author of “White Sun War: The Campaign for Taiwan"; Dmitri Alperovitch, chairman of the Silverado Policy Accelerator, a geopolitics think-tank in Washington, and author of “World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century"; Sam Skove, former Defense One staff writer; Mark Montgomery, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington and senior director of FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation; Peter Tamte, founder and CEO of Victura; And Brent Sadler, retired Navy captain and senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

Last week, President Biden finally (belatedly) allowed Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike military targets in Russia. This made Vladimir Putin very angry.Some argue that we should be careful not to anger or provoke Putin and that if he issues threats, then we had better back down. But such weakness only emboldens Putin and his axis of aggressors in Tehran, Beijing, and Pyongyang who are helping him wage his illegal war in Ukraine.In exchange for Russian weapons that can be used to target commercial shipping and U.S. Navy vessels, Tehran-backed Houthi rebels helped Putin recruit hundreds of Yemenis to fight in Ukraine; North Korea has provided Putin some 10,000 soldiers; and China's communist rulers in Beijing are also supporting Putin's illegal war in Ukraine.Despite a bleak reality, FDD's Mark Montgomery says in a new essay for a report published by the Vandenberg Coalition and the McCain Institute that “there is much the incoming administration can do to improve U.S. military capabilities to deter and, if necessary, defeat potential threats.”He joins host Cliff May to discuss.

Guests: Matthew Paxton, president of the Shipbuilders Council of America; Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va.; Ret. Navy Capt. Brent Sadler, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation; And Ret. Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Sources and additional reading: Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress (PDF); U.S. Navy budget materials; "Navy adds $1B to unconventional effort to boost sub production," by Lauren Williams, reporting Sept. 2024; Defense Department's 2024 Defense Industrial Base strategy; And "Restoring Our Maritime Strength: An agenda for the next president's first hundred days," by Brent Sadler and Jerry Hendrix, writing in the National Review in late October.

Hugh covers the news of the morning and talks with Vic Matus, Salena Zito, Adm. Mark Montgomery, Bethany Mandel, Jim Geraghty, Haviv Rettig Gur, and Peggy Noonan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#PRC:No rule of law for foreign investors. Mark Montgomery FDD 1930 Hong Kong

1/2 #TAIWAN: What must be done in Taipei and Washington to deter the PLA attack. Mark Montgomery, Brad Bowman, FDD.  1875 Taiwan fisherman

GOOD EVENING: The show begins inUkraine with a report of a wrecked F-16 -- one of six given to Kyiv... 1890 Russia bank run CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR FIRST HOUR 9-915 1/2: UKRAINE: F-16 DOWN, KURSK SALIENT UNANSWERED. ANATOL LIEVEN, QUINCY INSTITUTE 915-930 2/2: UKRAINE: F-16 DOWN, KURSK SALIENT UNANSWERED. ANATOL LIEVEN, QUINCY INSTITUTE 930-945 CYBERCRIME: Ransomware and rural hospitals. Annie Fixler, FDD 945-1000 #SCALAREPORT: Chris Riegel CEO, Scala.com @Stratacache. REPORT: AI marketing, AI promise. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 1/2 #TAIWAN: What must be done in Taipei and Washington to deter the PLA attack. Mark Montgomery, Brad Bowman, FDD.  1015-1030 2/2 #TAIWAN: What must be done in Taipei and Washington to deter the PLA attack. Mark Montgomery, Brad Bowman, FDD.  1030-1045 RUSSIA: Treasury shows up and beats the sanctions busters on the head. Michael Bernstam, Hoover Institution 1045-1100 #IRAN: What about that threat? Cliff May, FDD THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 1/2: #OCEANIA: Hot mic at the Pacific Island Forum on Tonga. Cleo Paskal. FDD 1115-1130 2/2: #OCEANIA: Hot mic at the Pacific Island Forum on Tonga. Cleo Paskal. FDD 1130-1145 DNC: What about the "Freedom" theme at the DNC? Veronique De Rugy, Mercatus Center. 1145-1200 #CANADA: Freedom of Dissent punished. Conrad Black. National Post FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 1/4: Prepping for the Apollo-Soyuz Mission 1974. Secret Soviet Military Mission, 1974. Anatoly Zak, RussianSpaceWeb.com David Livingston, SpaceShow.com 1215-1230 2/4: Prepping for the Apollo-Soyuz Mission 1974. Secret Soviet Military Mission, 1974. Anatoly Zak, RussianSpaceWeb.com David Livingston, SpaceShow.com 1230-1245 3/4: Prepping for the Apollo-Soyuz Mission 1974. Secret Soviet Military Mission, 1974. Anatoly Zak, RussianSpaceWeb.com David Livingston, SpaceShow.com 1245-100 am 4/4: Prepping for the Apollo-Soyuz Mission 1974. Secret Soviet Military Mission, 1974. Anatoly Zak, RussianSpaceWeb.com David Livingston, SpaceShow.com

2/2 #TAIWAN: What must be done in Taipei and Washington to deter the PLA attack. Mark Montgomery, Brad Bowman, FDD.  1925 Taiwan