Podcasts about under secretary

In this episode of Farm4Profit, we sit down with Richard Fordyce, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, for a timely conversation about federal policy and what it means for American producers.

In this episode, Michael Brown dives into the complexities of bureaucracy and the power of taking action. He shares a personal story about his experience as the Undersecretary, where he learned to break the rules and make tough decisions in the face of disaster. Michael also discusses the current situation in Iran, where the US has the technology to bring light to the darkness, but is held back by bureaucratic red tape. He argues that sometimes, all it takes is someone to "flip the switch" to make a difference.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How concerned should U.S. citizens be about Iranian sleeper cells? John Cohen, former undersecretary for intelligence and analysis and counterterrorism coordinator for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, explains national threats.

March 9 2026; 6pm; MS NOW's Ari Melber is joined by a panel of experts to discuss the latest developments in President Trump's war with Iran. Guests include former Under Secretary of State Rick Stengel, CNBC senior economics reporter Steve Liesman, and legendary Democratic strategist James Carville. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(0:00) The Besties welcome Under Secretary of War Emil Michael (2:30) US war with Iran: Bigger picture and why now? (13:16) Trump's new approach to warfare, AI, drones, rules of engagement (28:39) Israel's role in the conflict, relationship with the US, Iron Beam (37:24) Oil prices, Trump's maritime insurance play (41:19) Pentagon vs Anthropic: Why Anthropic was labeled a supply-chain risk (1:02:03) How to value Anthropic after its supply chain risk designation (1:11:14) State of the US defense supply chain, the defense tech industry, DARPA, and China's military Follow Emil Michael: https://x.com/USWREMichael https://x.com/emilmichael Follow the besties: https://x.com/chamath https://x.com/Jason https://x.com/DavidSacks https://x.com/friedberg Follow on X: https://x.com/theallinpod Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theallinpod Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theallinpod Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allinpod Intro Music Credit: https://rb.gy/tppkzl https://x.com/yung_spielburg Intro Video Credit: https://x.com/TheZachEffect Referenced in the show: https://x.com/chamath/status/2029584905831891069 https://polymarket.com/event/us-forces-enter-iran-by https://polymarket.com/event/will-the-iranian-regime-fall-by-the-end-of-2026 https://x.com/chamath/status/2029416079781736844 https://x.com/USWREMichael/status/2029539950962626734 https://x.com/addyosmani/status/2029372736267805081 https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli https://x.com/chamath/status/2029634071966666964 https://www.lloyds.com/about-lloyds/history/lloyds-buildings https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-05/pentagon-says-it-s-told-anthropic-the-firm-is-supply-chain-risk https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-03/anthropic-nears-20-billion-revenue-run-rate-amid-pentagon-feud

Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee asks Undersecretary of State about Biden Administration using tax dollars to make maps... gay? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frank Kendall served as the 26th Secretary of the Air Force from 2021 to 2025. Before that he was Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics under Obama. His new book, Lethal Autonomy: The Future of Warfare, comes out in June. Cohosting today is Bryan Clark of Hudson, JustinMc and Eric Robinson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frank Kendall served as the 26th Secretary of the Air Force from 2021 to 2025. Before that he was Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics under Obama. His new book, Lethal Autonomy: The Future of Warfare, comes out in June. Cohosting today is Bryan Clark of Hudson, JustinMc and Eric Robinson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby discusses the U.S. National Defense Strategy under the Donald Trump administration.   Background Reading: In this article, seven CFR experts consider the implications of the National Security Strategy document released on December 5, 2025, by the Trump administration.  Host: Michael Froman, President, Council on Foreign Relations   Guests: Elbridge A. Colby, Under Secretary of War for Policy, U.S. Department of War; CFR Member   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR's Daily News Brief newsletter. To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: A Conversation with Elbridge Colby

Thursday, March 2nd, 2023 In the Hot Notes; a showdown between the FBI and the DoJ over the surprise search of Mar-a-Lago; Matt Gaetz tries to gotcha Biden's Under Secretary of Defense by accidentally introducing propaganda from the People's Republic of China; an intelligence review finds the Havana Syndrome is not caused by an energy weapon or a foreign adversary; Congressional Dem leaders send a letter to Fox News following the Dominion lawsuit revelations; plus AG delivers your Good News. Dana is on a boat. Kat Calvin https://linktr.ee/Katcalvinla Project ID https://www.projectid.org/ American Identity in Crisis: Notes from an Accidental Activist Reminder - you can see the pod pics if you become a Patron. The good news pics are at the bottom of the show notes of each Patreon episode! That's just one of the perks of subscribing! patreon.com/muellershewrote Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:https://apple.co/3XNx7ckWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?https://patreon.com/thedailybeanshttps://dailybeans.supercast.com/https://apple.co/3UKzKt0 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pat Swanson, RMA Administrator Aubrey Bettencourt, NRCS Chief Bill Beam, FSA Richard Fordyce, Under Secretary, Farm Production and Conservation

Over the weekend the Mexican military killed a top cartel leader in a capture operation. Violence erupted after the news broke. To talk about how this will impact U.S. security is John Cohen, former undersecretary of intelligence and counter-terrorism coordinator for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Nathan Sheets, Global Chief Economist at Citi and former U.S. Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, to explore Japan's shifting economic landscape following a historic political moment.* Just over 100 days into her term, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called a snap election that delivered a rare supermajority for the Liberal Democratic Party. With such a decisive mandate, Japan enters 2026 with renewed political strength and major policy opportunities. Together, they discuss what Prime Minister Takaichi's victory means for economic policymaking, how the U.S.-Japan alliance is shaping the outlook, and the growing debate around possible U.S. intervention in the yen. Nathan offers insight into why intervention is being discussed now, what it would aim to accomplish, and whether it is truly likely given recent messaging from Washington. The conversation also examines the broader dollar debate, Japan's uniquely high debt levels, and the pressures facing both the U.S. and Japanese economies. Clay and Nathan conclude with a look at geopolitics, specifically the delicate triumvirate relationship between the U.S., Japan and China, and how this balance could impact the global economy in the year ahead. *Before jumping into Japan, Clay acknowledges the U.S. Supreme Court's decision striking down the administration's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping global tariffs. For more on IEEPA and its implications, check out Current Account episodes [134](https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6450/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-134--The-Best-of-Times-and-the-Worst-of-Times--A-Tale-of-Trump-s-Tariffs "https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6450/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-134--The-Best-of-Times-and-the-Worst-of-Times--A-Tale-of-Trump-s-Tariffs"), [126](https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6360/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-126--Stop--In-the-Name-of-Tariffs---The-Supremes--Court----IEEPA "https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6360/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-126--Stop--In-the-Name-of-Tariffs---The-Supremes--Court----IEEPA"), [109](https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6166/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-109--An-Eye-for-an-IEEPA--Trump-Tariffs---Where-Are-They-Now- "https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6166/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-109--An-Eye-for-an-IEEPA--Trump-Tariffs---Where-Are-They-Now-"), and [96](https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6026/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-96--Tariff-o-Rama--Explaining-U-S--Tariff-Implications "https://www.iif.com/Publications/ID/6026/Current-Account-with-Clay-Lowery---Episode-96--Tariff-o-Rama--Explaining-U-S--Tariff-Implications"). This IIF Podcast was hosted by Clay Lowery, Executive Vice President, Research and Policy, with production and research contributions from Christian Klein, Digital Graphics and Production Associate and Miranda Silverman, Senior Program Assistant.

Federal Chief Information Officer Greg Barbaccia will be adding two new titles — at least temporarily — to his work in government. The General Services Administration announced Thursday that Barbaccia will join the agency as the acting director of Technology Transformation Services. He'll be replacing Thomas Shedd, one of the few officials left at the agency who helped carry out the so-called Department of Government Efficiency's cost-cutting initiative last year. Shedd will remain at the agency as its senior advisor for fraud prevention, which the GSA said is “an area of increasing importance for the agency and the administration.” The federal CIO was also tapped as senior advisor to the GSA administrator, the agency said. In this role, advising former privacy equity executive Edward Forst, Barbaccia will focus on “emerging technologies, best practices in digital delivery, and cross-government collaboration.” The Pentagon will adhere to existing laws and regulations associated with surveillance, security and democratic processes as it fast-tracks the military's frontier AI adoption, but it won't permit companies supplying the technology to determine its rules for operation, Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael told DefenseScoop. His comments come as the Defense Department is locked in a high-stakes dispute with Anthropic about the U.S. military's use of the startup's Claude AI model in real-world operations. During a meeting with a small group of reporters on the sidelines of the annual Microelectronics Commons summit Thursday, Michael provided updates on the department's GenAI.mil rollout and pushed for the ethics-related rift between the Pentagon and Anthropic to be resolved. “I believe and hope that they will ‘cross the Rubicon' and say, ‘This is common sense. The military has certain use cases. There are laws and regulations that govern how those use cases can be done. We're willing to comply with them,'” he said. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

America is bringing freedom. A new website from the State Department is about to make freedom of speech great again, and the checks notes Europeans aren't happy? Well, maybe when Emmanuel Macron says freedom of speech is BS, they should be worried. A Transport for London Public Service Announcement has been banned because it's racist. Let's find out exactly how it's racist. Simu Liu, famous Asian Canadian, has opinions about things. And those opinions are trash. What a piece of sh*t. GUEST: Josh Firestine Link to today's sources: https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/sources-february-19-2026 Get your St. Patrick's Day apparel now at: https://crowdershop.com/collections/saint-patricks-day-apparel Download Rumble Wallet now and step away from the big banks — for good! https://rumblewallet.onelink.me/bJsX/crowder Foundation Daily is made up of premium ingredients to reduce inflammation and stress and promote clean energy and mental clarity. Subscribe now and receive 40% off for life. https://foundationdaily.com/ Check out Steven's interview with Undersecretary of State Sarah Rogers here: youtube.com/watch?v=fGP92yaP6nQ&feature=youtu.be DOWNLOAD THE RUMBLE APP TODAY: https://rumble.com/our-apps Join Rumble Premium to watch this show every day! http://louderwithcrowder.com/Premium Get your favorite LWC gear: https://crowdershop.com/ Bite-Sized Content: https://rumble.com/c/CrowderBits Subscribe to my podcast: https://feeds.libsyn.com/576250/rss FOLLOW ME: Website: https://louderwithcrowder.com/ X: https://x.com/scrowder Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/louderwithcrowder Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevencrowderofficial Music by @Pogo

At a time when Trump wages war against expertise, with scores of career ambassadors being recalled and a thinning of officers in the field, Undersecretary of State John Bass holds forth on why real estate and business experience, as well as AI, cannot substitute for diplomatic tradecraft.

Yesterday, a shooter opened fire at an ice skating rink in Rhode Island. We have the details and…well, let's just say they/them are starting to notice a trend. Undersecretary of State Sarah Rogers joins us today to discuss Secretary of State Marco Rubio's banger speech at the Munich Security Council. We pick her brain about all things foreign policy. GUEST: Josh Firestine | Undersecretary of State Sarah Rogers Link to today's sources: https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/sources-february-17-2026 Admonish Gerald every day! Get the Admonish shirt at Crowder Shop now! https://crowdershop.com/products/o-g-die-hard-is-a-christmas-movie-long-sleeve-copy Do not wait for another IRS letter or a frozen bank account. Call 1800 958 1000 or visit https://tnusa.com/CROWDER Download Rumble Wallet now and step away from the big banks — for good! https://rumblewallet.onelink.me/bJsX/crowder Foundation Daily is made up of premium ingredients to reduce inflammation and stress and promote clean energy and mental clarity. Subscribe now and receive 40% off for life. https://foundationdaily.com/ DOWNLOAD THE RUMBLE APP TODAY: https://rumble.com/our-apps Join Rumble Premium to watch this show every day! http://louderwithcrowder.com/Premium Get your favorite LWC gear: https://crowdershop.com/ Bite-Sized Content: https://rumble.com/c/CrowderBits Subscribe to my podcast: https://feeds.libsyn.com/576250/rss FOLLOW ME: Website: https://louderwithcrowder.com/ X: https://x.com/scrowder Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/louderwithcrowder Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevencrowderofficial Music by @Pogo

Michael Klein reports from a packed USA Rice Farm Policy Fly-In in D.C., where growers discussed rising input costs, trade pressures, emergency assistance, world rice stocks, planting intentions, and more. USA Rice members Paul T. Combs and Fred Zaunbrecher talked planting strategy and rice's reception on Capitol Hill. USDA senior leaders shared their thoughts on the ag economy, and then recently retired USDA ag economist Nathan Childs was honored and sat down to share his uncensored thoughts on applied economics, agriculture, the PIK years, market instability and how to counteract it, and learning from history. With special guests: Nathan Childs, USDA-ERS (Retired) Paul T. Combs, Sunrise Land Company Fred Zaunbrecher, Chair, USA Rice Farmers Board of Directors Richard Fordyce, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, USDA Stephen Vaden, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, USDA Hosted by: Michael Klein

In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Chris Padilla, Senior Advisor at Brunswick Group and former U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, to revisit U.S. trade policy. After a turbulent 2025 marked by sweeping tariffs, new negotiation frameworks, and significant legal uncertainty, trade may feel quieter entering 2026, but remains a central priority for the Trump administration. Drawing on his years of government and corporate experience, Chris offers perspective on the issues likely to dominate trade policy this year, from the durability of recent agreements with China, the EU, Japan, and Korea to the broader geopolitical shifts driven by tariff realignments and new partnerships. The conversation also covers the ongoing U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) review, an area of heightened uncertainty as political tensions rise among member countries. Clay and Chris discuss how the process could unfold, whether renewal or restructuring is more realistic, and what the implications may be for North American supply chains. They also examine the pending Supreme Court decision on the Trump administration's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs - an outcome with major consequences for U.S. trade strategy. This IIF Podcast was hosted by Clay Lowery, Executive Vice President, Research and Policy, with production and research contributions from Christian Klein, Digital Graphics and Production Associate and Miranda Silverman, Senior Program Assistant.

Eric and Eliot begin with a buffet of administration jackassery before pivoting to a preview of the Munich Security Conference. They discuss Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Bridge Colby's remarks, as well as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's speech highlighting the importance of transatlantic ties. They also examine the New START treaty's recent lapse and the future of arms control, the prospect for additional U.S. strikes on Iran, and the apparent shutdown of Russian Starlink terminals. They conclude with a discussion of the ongoing international fallout from the Epstein affair and his many unexplained Russian connections.Eric and Frank Miller's Latest on New START:https://thedispatch.com/article/new-start-expiration-russia-united-states-nuclear-program/Eric and Frank Miller on NATO:https://www.nationalreview.com/2026/01/natos-not-dead/Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Last Thursday, the last Cold War-era nuclear treaty between the US and Russia came to an end. Erin Dumbacher from the Council on Foreign Relations joins to help us understand the global nuclear situation. Then, the New York governor signs the Medical Aid in Dying Act into law, legalizing assisted suicide. Russell Moore and Mike Cosper consider the implications. Finally, CT's Bonnie Kristian stops by to discuss the overemphasis on gender on both sides of the political aisle. REFERENCED IN THE EPISODE: We Are Obsessed with Gender - Bonnie Kristian ABOUT THE GUESTS: Erin Dumbacher is an international security and technology policy researcher and advisor. She is the Stanton nuclear security senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Previously, she served in the U.S. Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy and worked as a director at In-Q-Tel and senior program officer at the Nuclear Threat Initiative. Bonnie Kristian is the deputy editor at Christianity Today. She is the author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today. Her writing has been published at outlets including The New York Times, The Week, USA Today, CNN, Politico, and others. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more. The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more. “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today Producer: Clarissa Moll Associate Producer: Alexa Burke Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps Executive Producer: Erik Petrik Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, experts discuss the new Council Special Report, America Revived: A Grand Strategy of Resolute Global Leadership, which defines U.S. vital national interests, summarizes the history of U.S. grand strategy, and proposes an alternative that combines military strength with international legitimacy.   Background Reading: This report outlines the conceptual pillars of five grand strategy schools and proposes a sixth based around resolute global leadership.    Host: Suzanne Nossel, Lester Crown Senior Fellow on U.S. Foreign Policy and International Order, Chicago Council on Global Affairs   Guests: Robert D. Blackwill, Henry A. Kissinger Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy, Council on Foreign Relations; Author, Council Special Report, America Revived: A Grand Strategy of Resolute Global Leadership   Thomas A. Shannon, Jr., Senior International Policy Advisor, Arnold & Porter; Former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (2016–18)   Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR's Daily News Brief newsletter.   To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: A Grand Strategy of Resolute Global Leadership

Under Secretary of State for Arms Control Thomas DiNanno recently revealed that the Chinese Communist Party has covertly explosively tested nuclear weapons creating yields of “hundreds of tons” of dynamite. By so doing, the CCP has validated that the state-of-the-art arms they are putting on an astonishing array of new missiles and bomber aircraft actually work.  That amounts to Chinese cheating on an international ban on such testing. It also demands that that the United States – which hasn't conducted such a test since 1992 and, unlike China, has no treaty obligation to refrain from doing so, must validate that the obsolescing weapons in its arsenal are actually still safe, reliable and effective, too.   President Trump says he wants to test our nuclear weapons as others have done. Our national security and deterrence requires we do just that now.   This is Frank Gaffney.

Jonathan has the latest on the Canadian mass school shooting, that left 9 dead including the suspected shooter and 2 family members, with 25+ more injured. He also updates stories on Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby attending a NATO summit in Belgium, and a Ukrainian Olympian being banned from competition.

The Nancy Guthrie case has highlighted how rare adult kidnappings are and how technology has made this easier. John Cohen, Former Undersecretary of Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism Coordinator for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security joins to talk about it.

Today’s guest is Luke Lindberg. He is the Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Affairs with [...]

In this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast, Martha Dorris sat down with Dr. Paul Lawrence, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Dr. Lawrence previously served as the Under Secretary for Benefits during his first term at VA and was named the 2019 Service to the Citizen Government Executive of the Year.As Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Lawrence oversees VA operations and supports the Secretary in delivering on the Department's priorities. Throughout the conversation, he reiterated his commitment to veterans and to ensuring they have a positive experience when accessing VA health care and benefits.Dr. Lawrence highlighted several key achievements, including progress in housing homeless veterans, expanding access through the opening of new clinics, and improving the speed and accuracy of benefits processing — all while working with fewer resources. He emphasized the importance of engaging directly with veterans, listening to their feedback, and using metrics to identify the areas that matter most.Additional topics discussed included:VA's ongoing rollout of the Electronic Health Record, a major transformation effort aimed at improving both the health care experience and operational efficiency, for which Dr. Lawrence serves as executive champion.Enhancements to the overall veteran experience beyond medical care, including small but meaningful changes that demonstrate respect and compassion.The value of hearing veterans' concerns firsthand through in-person visits, and how even minor adjustments can make a significant difference.The importance of aligning technology investments with clear outcomes and managing change carefully to ensure successful adoption.VA's responsibility to serve veterans across generations, from their late teens to over 100 years old, requiring excellence across all service delivery channels.The conversation concluded with a focus on VA's plans to continue improving benefits processing, simplifying forms, streamlining processes, and enhancing the end-to-end health care experience. Dr. Lawrence noted that veteran trust in VA has increased significantly over the past nine years, underscoring the impact of these efforts.Thank you for listening to this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast! If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing, rating, and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners! Stay Connected: Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: @DorrisConsultingInternational Twitter: @DorrisConsultng Facebook: @DCInternational Resources Mentioned: Citizen Services Newsletter 2024 Service to the Citizen Awards Nomination Form

Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dudley Hoskins discusses some of the potential innovations to combat New World Screwworm that could come out of a recently announced USDA sponsored Grand Challenge. USDA Radio NewslineSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do new UAP sightings mean alien contact is imminent? Lue Elizondo is a former U.S. Army counterintelligence special agent and a former senior intelligence officer for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. With decades of experience in national security, he conducted and supervised clandestine operations worldwide, specializing in counterterrorism, espionage, and advanced aerospace threats. He is best known for his role as the former head of the Pentagon's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), where he investigated unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) and pushed for greater transparency on non-human intelligence (NHI). In this show, Elizondo reveals the existence of a decades-long “Legacy Program”—a covert operation investigating unidentified aerial phenomena that operated without congressional oversight for more than 80 years. This isn't about blurry lights in the sky. It's about crash retrievals, exotic materials, and physical craft allegedly in U.S. possession dating back to Roswell and beyond, quietly studied by the military-industrial complex while the public was fed weather balloon and swamp gas cover stories. He describes the Cold War you never learned about—not just a race to the moon, but a race to reverse-engineer technology so advanced it makes nuclear weapons look primitive. Then comes the phrase that changed everything: “non-human biologics.” The conversation shifted from metal to flesh. Not drones—occupants. Craft that were piloted. Pilots that didn't survive. The science is even more unsettling. These UAPs demonstrate capabilities that defy known physics: instantaneous acceleration, hypersonic speed without sonic booms, and right-angle turns that would liquefy a human body. The implication? They may not be “traveling” at all—but warping space-time itself, moving inside a gravitational bubble. And what if they aren't coming from far away? Elizondo weighs theories that these entities may be interdimensional, not extraterrestrial—originating not light-years away, but right here, just beyond our perceptual bandwidth. While we smash particles at CERN to glimpse the fabric of reality, these craft appear to move through it. From the Tic Tac incident, to swarms over Langley Air Force Base, to a recent triangle-shaped craft sighting over Area 51, the phenomenon is becoming more visible, more aggressive, and harder to dismiss. Elizondo's message—echoed in the title of his book, Imminent—is clear: the clock is ticking. If contact is coming, the real question isn't whether we're ready technologically—but whether we're ready socially, psychologically, and spiritually. A relationship with a non-human intelligence wouldn't mean trade agreements. Elizondo explains what it could mean for a fundamental rewrite of physics, religion, power, and humanity's place in the universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Dr. Arun Seraphin and Dr. Jae Yu for a conversation that explores new data on Pentagon senior civilian leadership, illuminating the backgrounds of individuals serving in STEM leadership roles focused on Emerging Technologies. This discussion draws on the NDIA ETI report published by Dr. Yu, “Mapping Government Officials in Emerging Technologies Roles,” which examines how STEM education and prior STEM experience shape career pathways within the Pentagon.The report and conversation analyze leadership backgrounds across the 14 critical technology areas identified by the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)), highlighting where STEM expertise is concentrated and where gaps remain in the Pentagon's Emerging Technologies workforce. The discussion concludes with data-driven recommendations to strengthen the Pentagon's senior civilian STEM workforce.Be sure to follow us on social media for updates, inside scoops, & more:LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4htROo0Twitter: https://bit.ly/48LHAx3Facebook: https://bit.ly/47vlht8 And for more podcasts, articles, & publications all things emerging tech, check out our website at: https://bit.ly/47oA5K1#EmergingTech #EmergingTechETI #USDR&E #Pentagon #STEM

It was a speech heard around the world. In front of global leaders, Prime Minister Mark Carney laid bare Canada's new foreign policy vision: Middle powers need to team up — or they'll be on the menu for hegemons like Russia, China and the United States.Two former diplomats — American Ambassador Tom Shannon, who at one point held the third-highest rank in the U.S. foreign service, and Canadian Senator Peter Boehm, who has served as a G7 sherpa — discuss the significance of the Carney doctrine and whether Canada will pay a price for standing up to Donald Trump. Then, former Republican Senator Jeff Flake talks to The House about what it will take for some members of his party to stand up to Trump and whether Carney's speech is resonating in the United States. Plus, Germany's ambassador to Canada Tjorven Bellmann explains what her country thinks about Carney's call to action.There's also a question of what actions Carney will take to match his words. Catherine Cullen asks International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu what the government plans to do next and how its trade diversification efforts are going.Finally, after turning heads in Davos, Prime Minister Carney gave a second, Canadian-focused speech at the cabinet retreat in Quebec City — which has furrowed some brows at home. CBC's Aaron Wherry lays out the domestic reverberations of Carney's two speeches.This episode features the voices of:Tom Shannon, former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.Peter Boehm, Canadian senator and former G7 sherpaJeff Flake, former Republican senator for ArizonaTjorven Bellmann, Germany's ambassador to CanadaManinder Sidhu, Minister of International TradeAaron Wherry, senior writer for CBC Politics

For Career Education Report's 100th episode, host Jason Altmire is joined by Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent for an in-depth conversation on the direction of higher education and what it means for students, institutions, and taxpayers. A first-generation college student himself, Under Secretary Kent reflects on how his personal experience shapes his approach to higher education policy and the nation's student loan portfolio.  The discussion explores how the Department of Education is balancing affordability, accountability, and accessibility while working to bring greater stability to a regulatory environment long defined by uncertainty. The Under Secretary shares insights on how consensus was reached at the last three negotiated rulemakings, addresses the FAFSA lower-earnings indicator, discusses enforcement actions, and highlights how federal policy can better connect education with workforce demand. This episode offers a candid look at the priorities and policy choices defining the next chapter of higher education. To learn more about Career Education Colleges & Universities, visit our website.

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

Sarah Rogers, the State Department's undersecretary for public diplomacy, joins Mixed Signals for a wide-ranging conversation about free speech, tech regulation, and why she's been rattling the patience of some European governments. Max and Ben press her on confronting Europe over X, the Digital Services Act, and online speech — including accusations that she's carrying water for Elon Musk and the far right. Rogers traces her worldview back to the early internet, Gawker comment sections, and First Amendment litigation, and explains why she sees today's speech rules as potentially dangerous.And, don't miss this week's bonus episode of Mixed Signals: Max turns the tables on Ben and brings on Semafor CEO Justin Smith to ask the two about their big media news.

Today's arms race looks a little different from those of the past. Under the Trump administration, the US Department of War (DoW) is deploying generative AI to millions of employees in order to maintain a strategic edge over our global adversaries. Sarah Guo and Elad Gil sit down with Emil Michael, the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering of the United States, to discuss the radical technological transformation of the US military. Emil outlines the architecture and launch of GenAI.mil, a DoW internal AI platform powered by Gemini and Grok that reached over one million unique users in its first 30 days. He also highlights critical technology priorities for national security, including hypersonics, direct energy, and autonomous drone swarms. Together, they also explore the urgent need to rebuild the American defense industrial base and end dependency on foreign supply chains for critical materials, as well as how Emil is recruiting the next generation of “fixer-builder” workers to serve their country in government.  Sign up for new podcasts every week. Email feedback to show@no-priors.com Follow us on Twitter: @NoPriorsPod | @Saranormous | @EladGil | @USWREMichael | @DoWCTO Chapters: 00:00 – Cold Open 00:00 – Emil Michael Introduction 00:58 – Emil's Role at the Department of War 05:22 – Innovation Priorities for the DoW 08:27 – Shift Toward Autonomous Defense Technologies 10:41 – Identifying Common Needs Across the DoW 12:02 – Architecting GenAI.mil 13:48 – Applied AI Initiatives at the DoW 15:57 – The Future of Warfare 17:55 – Recruiting for DoW 19:33 – Arsenal of Freedom Tour 22:25 – Opportunities for Entrepreneurs at DoW 25:49 – Speeding Up and Scaling DoW Initiatives 28:37 – Innovation in Defense Tech 30:00 – Change Management in Government 32:09 – Rebuilding the Defense Industrial Base 37:27 – Initiatives and Opportunities at the Office of Strategic Capital 41:41 – Lessons from Emil's Government Experience 44:30 – Conclusion

After leaving her role performing the duties of the chief information officer for the Department of Defense last month, Katie Arrington has taken a new position as CIO at quantum computing company IonQ. Arrington will step into the role Jan. 19, reporting to the company's COO and CFO Inder Singh, IonQ announced Wednesday. Kirsten Davies was nominated by President Donald Trump in May 2025 to be the Defense Department CIO, and it took most of the remainder of 2025 for the Senate to confirm her into the role. She was sworn in just before the Christmas holiday, at which point Arrington stepped away from her service to the Pentagon. In joining IonQ, Arrington will serve on the company's executive team. As CIO, Arrington will continue to support the U.S. military from a different vantage, leading modernization and security of IonQ's enterprise systems in support of its mission to deliver quantum capabilities to American warfighters. Before rejoining the Pentagon a year ago, then as deputy CIO for cybersecurity, Arrington had a previous stint as CISO in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, where she was largely responsible for the development of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program. Now: President Donald Trump re-nominated Sean Plankey to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Tuesday, after Plankey's bid for the position ended last year stuck in the Senate. It's not clear whether or how Plankey's resubmitted nomination will overcome the hurdles that left many observers convinced his chance of becoming CISA director had likely ended, but it does definitively signal that the Trump administration still wants Plankey to have the job. Plankey's nomination was included in a batch sent to the Senate announced on Tuesday. CISA spent all of 2025 under Trump without a permanent director. Trump nominated Plankey, who held a couple cybersecurity roles in the first Trump administration, to lead CISA in March. He got a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing in July, then won approval from that panel that same month. But Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., had placed a hold on Plankey's nomination over a Coast Guard contract that the Homeland Security Department had canceled in part. While he awaited confirmation, Plankey had been serving as a senior adviser to the secretary for the Coast Guard. A spokesperson for Scott did not immediately respond to a request for comment. North Carolina's GOP Senate delegation also had placed holds on DHS nominees related to disaster aid to their state. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said last week that the holds would remain until Secretary Kristi Noem appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee. A White House official had denied reports that Plankey's nomination was all but over last year. “President Trump has been clear that he wants all of his nominees confirmed as quickly as possible, including Sean Plankey, who will play a key role in ensuring a strong cyber defense infrastructure,” the official told CyberScoop. Asked Wednesday at the Surface Navy Association national symposium about what he was doing to convince senators to lift their holds, Plankey answered, “The administration, the White House has to say that this is a priority of us.” The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared his team's long-awaited new plans to outpace U.S. adversaries by rapidly advancing the military's arsenal of AI, drones, hypersonics and other disruptive technologies — and drastically reshaping the Pentagon's approaches for safely deploying them. Speaking onstage at SpaceX's Starbase launch site in Texas, during a tour hosted by its billionaire CEO Elon Musk, Hegseth said: “In short, when it comes to our current threat environment, we are playing a dangerous game with potentially fatal consequences. We need innovation to come from anywhere and evolve with speed and purpose.” Hegseth's speech and three accompanying memorandums released Monday reveal the Trump administration's latest, fast-moving and multifaceted vision to overhaul the Defense Department's technology enterprise and dismantle perpetual barriers that have historically slowed the military's commercial capability adoption. Hegseth said that old era ends today, and that the department is done running what he called a peacetime science fair while our potential adversaries are running a wartime arms race. The revamped structure notably aims to anchor a “unified innovation ecosystem built around six execution organizations” that will now collectively operate under the purview of DOD Chief Technology Officer and Undersecretary for Research and Engineering Emil Michael. Those newer and more legacy entities include: the Pentagon's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO); Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA); Defense Innovation Unit (DIU); Office of Strategic Capital (OSC); Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO); and Test Resource Management Center (TRMC). Senate and House appropriators are eyeing White House work on IT, artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure — and a continued presence for DOGE — as part of their fiscal year 2026 bill to fund Financial Services and General Government. On the executive branch funding released Sunday for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, lawmakers agreed on $124.3 million for salaries and expenses in the White House's Office of Administration, with up to $12.8 million used for IT modernization. No more than $10 million of that IT pie should be spent for security and continuity of operations improvements. The Information Technology Oversight and Reform (ITOR) bucket, which historically has supported the Office of the Federal CIO and the now-defunct U.S. Digital Service, would receive $8 million under the new budget. House Appropriations Republicans said in their press release that that money would be used to fund the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which has replaced USDS as the U.S. DOGE Service. That $8 million figure is a fraction of the Trump administration's initial ask. In its June 2025 budget proposal, the White House requested $45 million in funding for DOGE, the Elon Musk-created group that led the decimation of the federal workforce in the early days of the Trump administration under the auspices of rooting out waste, fraud and abuse of agencies, but ended up raising government spending. The White House also sought $19 million for the ITOR account. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

NEWS: Ex-DPWH undersecretary Bernardo not qualified to be state witness, cause-oriented group says | Jan. 14, 2026Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribeVisit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcherTune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein#TheManilaTimes#KeepUpWithTheTimes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This has been a week of high-stakes political moves, viral chaos, and moments of raw emotion. From a tragic shooting in Minneapolis to a horse taking a lap through Target, we're breaking down the stories that actually matter.  Here is your guide to this week's episode:The Lead: Tragedy and Policy• ICE in Minneapolis: We dive into the heartbreaking and controversial shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good. With local officials and the Trump administration at odds over whether it was self-defense or an overreach of power, we look at the footage and the fallout in the Twin Cities.  • The "Under" Secretary? Why the White House Press Briefing came to a screeching halt. Did Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt leave to hit the under?• "People Live in Homes, Not Corporations": Trump's latest populist play is a ban on institutional investors buying single-family homes. Is this a win for the American Dream or a drop in the bucket for the housing crisis?  Pop Culture & Viral Madness• Tony Dokoupil's Breaking Point: The CBS Evening News anchor had a rocky debut week.• Cher vs. Dax Shepard: Cher didn't hold back on the Armchair Expert podcast, telling Dax Shepard to his face that she still doesn't see what Kristen Bell sees in him. We dissect the most awkward (and hilarious) celebrity interview of the year.  • Clean Up in Aisle 4: A TikToker rode a horse through Target, and—to no one's surprise—the horse left more than just hoofprints. We talk about the viral stunt that has retail workers everywhere reconsidering their career choices.  The Deep Dive & Final Word• The Hilarious Dating Exchange: Hilarious Screenshot of the planning of a date gone wrong • QOD (Question of the Day): We answer your most pressing question about the week's news cycle.• Nuclear Opinion of the Day: Our hosts wrap up with a take so hot it might be radioactive—this week, we're looking at the future of the housing market.Tap into Episode 674 of the Productive Conversations Podcast—available now on all podcast platforms and YouTube.ICE gets tragic in Minneapolis (3:45)White House Press Brief Ends Because of the Under? (22:50)Trump stopping corporations from buying homes (35:43)Getting lit at the club (41:12)CBS Anchor Goes Through It (48:23)Horse in Target (54:20)Cher to Dak Sheppard (56:13)Hilarious Dating Exchange (1:06:50)QOD: (1:19:23)Nuclear Opinion (1:28:35)------#trending #sports #news #entertainment #culture #popculture #podcast Best way to contact our host is by emailing him at productiveconversationspodcast@gmail.com or mbrown3212@gmail.comThis show has been brought to you by Magic Mind!Right now you can get your Magic Mind at WWW.MAGICMIND.COM/ PCLT20 to get 20% off a one-time purchase or up to 48% off a subscription using that code PCJUNE. Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/productive-conversations-with-matt-brown/id1535871441 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7qCsxuzYYoeqALrWu4x4Kb YouTube: @Productive_Conversations  Linktree:https://linktr.ee/productiveconversations

Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg discusses the emphasis on improved buyer-seller relationships in ag trade, and in turn, increased product sales for U.S. ag exports. USDA Radio NewslineSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UFO & #NHI Breaking News - #Nazca Mummies, David #Grusch, #Bledsoe & #3IATLASPatrick from VETTED interviewed Gonzalo Chavez and he confirmed a team of Archeologists along with paleontologist  Klaus Honninger saw a UFO land and a tridactyl like Maria came out of the UFO they had an interaction 3-Years priot to Maria being found. Since then, others have heard music and encountered live trydactyls.Vetted -  The Nazca Mummies Are Still ALIVE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyF_HYBY5kgTimothy TaylorFormer CIA & NASA officials studied UFO "super experiencer" Chris Bledsoe for years. They tested him with exotic metals, toured restricted Kennedy Space Center areas, and relayed his contact message to President Obama.

UFO & #NHI Breaking News - #Nazca Mummies, David #Grusch, #Bledsoe & #3IATLASPatrick from VETTED interviewed Gonzalo Chavez and he confirmed a team of Archeologists along with paleontologist  Klaus Honninger saw a UFO land and a tridactyl like Maria came out of the UFO they had an interaction 3-Years priot to Maria being found. Since then, others have heard music and encountered live trydactyls.Vetted -  The Nazca Mummies Are Still ALIVE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyF_HYBY5kgTimothy TaylorFormer CIA & NASA officials studied UFO "super experiencer" Chris Bledsoe for years. They tested him with exotic metals, toured restricted Kennedy Space Center areas, and relayed his contact message to President Obama.

Patrick J Murphy, First Iraq War Veteran Elected to Congress and Former Under Secretary of the Army — Patrick J Murphy was the first Iraq War veteran elected to the United States Congress and later served as Under Secretary of the Army. He joins Choose the Hard Way creator Andrew Vontz for a wide-ranging conversation on service, leadership and responsibility. — This episode explores what it means to engage seriously with people who hold different points of view and why stepping outside an echo chamber is a necessary discipline, not a political stance. — This is a conversation about leadership without performance, curiosity without defensiveness and the work required to stay human in complex systems. — Follow along here for new episodes and reflections and to support this work please become a paid subscriber of https://alwaysthehardway.substack.com/. — The media landscape has changed. Scripted is out. Real is in. Being a great podcast guest or host and being able to operate in dynamic unscripted contexts isn't optional. It's now a mandatory skill for senior leaders and doing it well isn't easy. — That's why Andrew Vontz started https://www.onerealvoice.com/ to help industry leaders thrive on podcasts, panels and the internal and external high-stakes open-ended conversations where reputations are built and business is won. — When you're ready to be great, DM https://www.instagram.com/hardwaypod or reach out to hello@onerealvoice.com. — With over $1 trillion in transactions to date, Blockchain.com is your trusted partner on your crypto journey. Go to Blockchain.com to get started today no experience required. — Lauf is the Apple of bike design and they make elegant products that just work better than everything else. Check them out at www.laufcycles.com. — Patrick J. Murphy: https://patrickmurphypa.substack.com/ — Patrick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrickmurphypa/ — More about Patrick: www.patrickjmurphy.com  — Andrew Vontz's Choose the Hard Way newsletter: https://alwaysthehardway.substack.com/ — One Real Voice – narrative, strategy and coaching for podcasts and high-stakes conversations: http://www.onerealvoice.com — Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/hardwaypod — Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewvontz/ —  

Operation Absolute Resolve was deemed a success. The long term impacts of capturing and indicting Nicholas Maduro are not fully known yet. John Cohen, former counterterrorism coordinator, discusses known and potiential impacts of the weekend operation.

From Naval Academy to Acting Secretary: Colleague Thomas Modly discusses his memoir Vectors, detailing his journey from the Naval Academy class of 1983 to becoming an aviator and Pentagon official, reflecting on his family's immigrant history, working under Donald Rumsfeld on defense reform, and accepting the role of Under Secretary of the Navy. 1888

Today's episode of STEM-Talk features a timely and wide-ranging discussion with Drs. Michael Griffin and Lisa Porter about NASA's plans to return humans to the Moon, the history of lunar missions, and how China's advances in space technology pose a serious threat to U.S. national security. IHMC founder and CEO Emeritus Ken Ford's interview with Griffin and Porter came 10 days before Griffin appeared before the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology to give testimony on China's advancements in space and the risks it poses for the United States. “We have squandered a 60-year head start on pioneering the space frontier to a nation that, without reason or provocation on our part, has chosen to become our nation's adversary,” said Griffin in his opening comments to Congress. In this episode, Griffin and Porter explain why it is critical for the U.S. to return to the Moon before China. They also argue that NASA's Artemis III mission to return to the lunar surface and establish a permanent base on the Moon is seriously flawed and should be scrapped. Griffin and Porter are co-founders and co-presidents of LogiQ Inc., a company providing high-end management, scientific and technical consulting services. Griffin's background includes roles as the former Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the Administrator of NASA, the Space Department Head at the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory as well as Chairman and CEO of Schafer Corporation. Porter's background includes roles as the former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the founding Director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Associate Administrator for Aeronautics at NASA. Show notes: [00:04:44] Ken opens the interview by welcoming Mike back to STEM-Talk, who was a guest on Episodes 23 and 134. He also welcomes Lisa to her first appearance on STEM-Talk and asks her to talk about her decision to major in nuclear engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. [00:08:50] Ken asks Lisa why she went to Stanford for a Ph.D. in physics. [00:10:43] Ken explains that Lisa was the founding director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), a department within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Ken asks about some of the challenges the American intelligence community faced that she addressed as director of IARPA. [00:16:15] Ken asks about Lisa's time working for Mike as Associate Administrator for Aeronautics at NASA, and how she came to accept that role. [00:18:07] Ken explains that when Mike became Undersecretary for Defense for Research and Engineering in 2018, he invited Lisa to become the Deputy Undersecretary for Defense for Research and Engineering. Ken asks Mike why Lisa was ideal for that role. [00:21:07] Ken explains that Mike and Lisa are working together again as co-founders and co-presidents of LogiQ Inc., a company that provides scientific consulting services. Ken asks Mike to give a brief overview of LogiQ's work. [00:24:44] Ken shifts the discussion to space exploration, noting that he wants to talk about Mike's 2024 congressional testimony on returning to the Moon, and a paper that he and Lisa published titled “A system architecture for human lunar return.” To begin the discussion, Ken asks why it is so important for us to return to the Moon. [00:29:11] Ken asks Mike and Lisa to explain why it is important for the US to be the first to return to the Moon in the context of China's ambition to send humans to the Moon and establish a permanent lunar presence. [00:33:24] Ken asks Mike and Lisa if they see the cancellation of the Apollo program as a mistake. [00:35:36] Ken asks Mike and Lisa to give an overview of the Artemis program. [00:41:45] Ken mentions the centrality of the Gateway in the Artemis plan, and the problem with making something that is already hard even harder for no good reason. [00:43:28] Ken mentions his concern that the focus on a Mars-forward approach might impede our success with the current Moon missions. [00:46:40] In Mike and Lisa's aforementioned paper, they propose a dual-launch lunar landing architecture, which is simpler than the current NASA architecture and presents lower risks to the crew. Ken asks Mike and Lisa to elaborate on this idea. [00:48:41] Ken asks Mike and Lisa what they think are some of the other technical and programmatic problems with the current Artemis plan. [00:52:31] Ken asks Mike and Lisa what NASA's response has been, as well as the response of others in the human space flight community, to their paper and recommendations for the Artemis mission architecture. [00:54:25] Ken explains that Sean Duffy, the Secretary of Transportation and acting NASA administrator, has opened the door to some additional lander ideas in light of concerns that the two current contractors, Space X and Blue Origin, may not be ready in time for the current Artemis schedule. Ken asks if Lisa and Mike think this is a good idea or if they think it would further complicate matters. [00:59:25] NASA's current budget is around $24.9 billion dollars, approximately 0.4 percent of total federal spending. Ken notes at a time when China is increasing their investment in their space programs and launching several missions, NASA is facing a proposal to cut its funding by 24 percent to $18.8 billion. Ken asks Mike and Lisa for their thoughts on this. [01:03:13] Ken and Lisa continue Mike's discussion on the core purpose of NASA beyond science. [01:08:55] Ken and Mike reflect on Ken's observation that the U.S. is not as serious about space and the Moon as it was during the Apollo years, years that attracted the nation's best and brightest. [01:09:39] Ken asks Mike and Lisa their thoughts on the way that NASA is contracting more services in the development of Artemis, rather than funding a development program. [01:15:55] Ken wraps up the interview by commenting that he believes listeners will very much enjoy today's conversation. Links: Michael Griffin bio Griffin's Dec. 4 2025 Congressional testimony Griffin's 2024 Congressional testimony Lida Porter bio Ken Ford bio Ken Ford Wikipedia page Learn more about IHMC STEM-Talk homepage  

Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce provides some of the information producers should know about the recently announced Farmer Bridge Assistance program. USDA Radio NewslineSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join host Arun Seraphin for a discussion into the complexities of tracking Pentagon funding for emerging technologies with experts Bess Dopkeen, founder of Keen Edge Strategies and former senior advisor to former Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu, and Andy Vanlandingham, Director of Strategic Outreach at Draper and former Senate Appropriations Committee Professional Staff Member. This conversation covers the full lifecycle of defense funding, from the President's budget request, through congressional appropriations, all the way to contract execution and outcomes. Bess and Andy share firsthand insights from the Pentagon, Congress, and industry, illustrating the challenges of following the flow of money, ensuring transparency, and maintaining flexibility in budgeting and acquisition processes. The dialogue explores the tension between fiscal oversight and speed of technology development, highlighting opportunities for reform, improved data sharing, and innovative tools to help government and industry collaborate more effectively in advancing national defense technology.Be sure to follow us on social media for updates, inside scoops, & more:LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4htROo0Twitter: https://bit.ly/48LHAx3Facebook: https://bit.ly/47vlht8And for more podcasts, articles, & publications all things emerging tech, check out our website at: https://bit.ly/47oA5K1

In honor of Veterans Day, we bring you a special three-part masterclass celebrating the power of service, courage, and communication. Each guest — a distinguished leader shaped by the military experience — reveals a different side of what it means to lead and connect in complex times. Dr. Heiss Gibson explores humility and trust in the age of artificial intelligence, showing why the best leaders never stop learning. Michèle Flournoy takes us inside the rooms where history was made, from the Bin Laden raid to the cultural transformation of the Pentagon, revealing how strategy and empathy coexist under pressure. Finally, Brian Ahearn shares a deeply personal journey of reconciliation with his father, a Vietnam veteran, proving that influence and healing often begin with one honest conversation. Together, these stories remind us that true leadership isn't about rank or power — it's about service, humanity, and the conversations that move us forward. The One Thing Smart Leaders Miss About AI: Professor Hise Gibson — Retired U.S. Army Colonel & Professor at Harvard Business School High Stakes Negotiation: How to Win With Persuasion with Michèle Flournoy -Former U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Brian Ahearn: The Hard Talks We Avoid—And Why We Need Them Brian Ahearn — Chief Influence Officer at Influence PEOPLE & Author of His Story, My Story, Our Story