What's up everybody? My name is Demetra Caffeinus and you're listening to Hidden Forces,

a podcast that inspires investors, entrepreneurs and everyday citizens, the challenge consensus

narratives, and to learn how to think critically about the systems of power shaping our world.

Where you're about to hear are the contents of a call that I hosted on Twitter spaces

this past Tuesday evening, only hours. After Nancy Pelosi,

the U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives arrived in Taiwan.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Twitter spaces, it's basically a virtual town hall

where anyone can show up, listen in, and if the hosts allow it, ask questions, or participate in

the conversation directly. I did a formal introduction at the top of the call and there were

three speakers besides me who participated. Demetra AlParevich, Elbridge Colby, and Jamil Jaffer.

Jamil joined about 20 minutes in, he's the only one who hasn't been on the podcast before,

and he's someone with extensive experience working in government and national security,

including as an Associate Counsel, the former President George W. Bush, and his Chief Counsel

and Senior Advisor to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Before we get going,

I have a small request that I'd like to make that would really mean a lot to me personally,

and that would make a huge difference for the show's visibility. And that is if you would just

take 10 seconds, literally, that's all it takes to rate the Hidden Forces podcast on your Spotify

or Apple Podcast app. We're trying to reach new listeners with a show and both Spotify and Apple

rank podcasts based in part on the strength and volume of their ratings and reviews.

So if you love this show and you think it's a positive force in the world,

this is a super easy way to do your part and help get these types of discussions out

into the broader public conversation. And I would be so grateful if you took a moment to do that

...