The President’s Inbox

William Henagan, a research fellow at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the current state of U.S. foreign aid programs after President Donald Trump’s reforms.   Mentioned on the Episode:   William Henagan, “Reauthorizing DFC: A Primer for Policymakers,” CFR.org   William Henagan, “Sovereign Funds and American Investment Strategy: How to Responsibly Create a U.S. Strategic Investment Fund,” CFR.org   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/future-us-foreign-aid-william-henagan

Transcribed - Published: 15 July 2025

Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss ongoing efforts to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza and the war’s ripple effects across the Middle East.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Elliott Abrams, If You Will It: Rebuilding Jewish Peoplehood for the Twenty-First Century   Elliott Abrams, "Meanwhile, Hamas Is Killing Civilians Who Seek Food," CFR.org   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/elusive-ceasefire-gaza-elliott-abrams

Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2025

Erin Dumbacher, Stanton Nuclear Security Senior Fellow at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the U.S. attack on three Iranian nuclear facilities, what the strikes accomplished, and how the conflict might evolve.   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/answering-your-questions-us-airstrikes-iran-erin-dumbacher

Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2025

Sarang Shidore, director of the Global South Program at the Quincy Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss whether a return to great power spheres of influence is practical in the twenty-first century.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Sarang Shidore, “Spheres of Influence Are Not the Answer,” Foreign Policy   Sarang Shidore, “The Quiet Development Shaking America’s Power,” New York Times   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/new-us-grand-strategy-return-spheres-influence-sarang-shidore

Transcribed - Published: 24 June 2025

Steven Cook, Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Operation Rising Lion, Israel’s attacks on Iran’s senior military leadership and on its nuclear infrastructure.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Steven A. Cook, “Israel Is Going for the Death Blow on Iran,” Foreign Policy   Steven A. Cook, The End of Ambition: America's Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East   Steven A. Cook, “The World’s Criticism Doesn’t Bother Israel,” Foreign Policy   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/israel-strikes-iran-steven-cook

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2025

Edward Luce, U.S. national editor and a columnist for the Financial Times, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss what we can learn from the life, career, and writings of Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security advisor to President Jimmy Carter.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Edward Luce, In Spite of the Gods: The Strange Rise of Modern India   Edward Luce, Time to Start Thinking: America in the Age of Descent   Edward Luce, The Retreat of Western Liberalism   Edward Luce, Zbig, The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski: America's Great Power Prophet   Zbigniew Brzezinski, Out of Control: Global Turmoil on the Eve of the 21st Century   Zbigniew Brzezinski, The Fragile Blossom: Crisis and Change in Japan   Zbigniew Brzezinski, The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/zbigniew-brzezinski-edward-luce

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2025

Derek Grossman, senior defense analyst at RAND and professor of policy analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the confrontations between China and the Philippines over their competing claims in the South China Sea and the consequences for the United States. For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/china-philippines-standoff-derek-grossman

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2025

Reuben Brigety, President of Busara Advisors and U.S. Ambassador to South Africa from 2022 to 2025, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss relations between Washington and Pretoria in the wake of last week’s meeting between President Donald Trump and President Cyril Ramaphosa. For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/united-states-and-south-africa-reuben-brigety

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

Šumit Ganguly, senior fellow and director of the U.S.-India Program at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the origins and consequences of the recent military clash between nuclear powers India and Pakistan.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Šumit Ganguly, “What Is the Risk of a Conflict Spiral Between India and Pakistan?” Foreign Policy For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/india-pakistan-crisis-sumit-ganguly

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2025

Karim Sadjadpour, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the ongoing talks between the United States and Iran over Iran’s nuclear program.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Karim Sadjadpour, “Iran Wants to Avoid Both Peace and War With the United States. Trump Isn’t Having It," Emissary For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/iran-nuclear-talks-karim-sadjadpour

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2025

Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Maurice R. Greenberg senior fellow for China studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss China’s response to President Donald Trump’s tariff hikes and what it means for the future of U.S.-China relations.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Zoe Liu, “How China Armed Itself for the Trade War,” Foreign Affairs For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/us-china-trade-war-zoe-liu

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2025

Carla Anne Robbins, senior fellow at the Council, and Matthias Matthijs, senior fellow for Europe at the Council, sit down with James M. Lindsay to answer questions from CFR’s audience about President Donald Trump’s foreign policy during his first one hundred days in office.    For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/trumps-first-100-days-carla-anne-robbins-matthias-matthijs

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025

Varun Sivaram, senior fellow for energy and climate and Director of the Climate Realism Initiative at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the state of the global environment and U.S. climate policies on the occasion of Earth Day 2025.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Varun Sivaram, Taming the Sun   Varun Sivaram, “We Need a Fresh Approach to Climate Policy. It’s Time for Climate Realism," CFR.org   “The Moral Assumptions Embedded in Economic Models of Climate Change,” The Economist For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/climate-change-realism-earth-day-2025-varun-sivaram

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2025

Will Freeman, fellow for Latin America studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss President Donald Trump’s calls for the United States to retake control of the Panama Canal.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Will Freeman, “A New Monroe Doctrine Is Unlikely to Work for the US in South America,” Financial Times   Will Freeman, “Securing the Panama Canal Requires Diplomacy,” Americas Quarterly   Donald J. Trump, “The Inaugural Address,” January 20, 2025   Donald J. Trump, “Truth Social Post,” December 21, 2024 For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/trumps-plan-panama-canal-will-freeman

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025

Dmitri Alperovitch, co-founder and chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator, co-founder and former chief technology officer of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, and author of World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the geopolitical rivalry between China and the United States, its impact on U.S. interests, and how the United States should respond.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Dmitri Alperovitch, World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century   Jeffrey Goldberg, "The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans," The Atlantic   Admiral Samuel Paparo, "USINDOPACOM Commander Adresses Honolulu Defense Forum," February 14, 2025.   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/confronting-china-challenge-dmitri-alperovitch

Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2025

Sophia Besch, a senior fellow in the Europe Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Germany’s ambitious rearmament plans amidst deepening concerns about the U.S. commitment to European security.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Sophia Besch, "A Zeitenwende for Germany's Defense Industry," U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute   Sophia Besch and Erik Brown, "Who's Going to United Europe on Defense?" Carnegie Endowment for International Peace   Sophia Besch and Tara Varma, “A New Transatlantic Alliance Threatens the EU,” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/germanys-rearmament-sophia-besch

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2025

Edward Fishman, senior research scholar and adjunct professor at Columbia University and author of Chokepoints: American Power in an Age of Economic Warfare, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the United States’ expanded use of financial and trade sanctions in recent years and whether they have enabled Washington to accomplish its foreign policy objectives.   Mentioned on the Episode:    Edward Fishman, Chokepoints: American Power in an Age of Economic Warfare For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/new-era-economic-warfare-edward-fishman

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2025

Mvemba Dizolele, senior fellow and director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the renewed fighting in the Eastern Congo that pits the M23 rebel group backed by Rwanda against the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.   Mentioned on the Episode:    Mvemba Dizolele, Into Africa, Center for Strategic and International Studies For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/conflict-eastern-congo-mvemba-dizolele

Transcribed - Published: 18 March 2025

Nina Armagno, retired United States Space Force lieutenant general, and Jane Harman, former congresswoman and president emerita of the Wilson Center, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the increasing importance of space as a commercial opportunity and strategic vulnerability for the United States.   Mentioned on the Episode:    Council on Foreign Relations, Securing Space: A Plan for U.S. Action  For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/us-space-policy-nina-armagno-jane-harman

Transcribed - Published: 11 March 2025

Jane Perlez, a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center and a longtime foreign correspondent for the New York Times, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the decline of foreign reporting from Beijing and its consequences for U.S.-China relations.   Mentioned on the Episode:    Jane Perlez and Rana Mitter, with Lingling Wei, “Journalists in China,” Face-Off: The U.S. vs. China For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/reporting-china-jane-perlez

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2025

Liana Fix, CFR fellow for Europe, and Charles A. Kupchan, CFR senior fellow and professor of international affairs at Georgetown University, sit down with James M. Lindsay on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to discuss Trump's evolving policy toward Ukraine.   Mentioned on the Episode:    Scott Bessent, “Economic Partnership Will Protect the Ukrainian People and the US Taxpayer,” Financial Times   Heidi Crebo-Rediker, “The Art of a Good Deal: Ukraine’s Strategic Economic Opportunity for the United States,” CFR.org   Rush Doshi, “The Trump Administration’s China Challenge,” Foreign Affairs   Liana Fix, “Partners in Peacemaking: How the United States and Europe Can End the War in Ukraine," CFR.org    Michael Froman and Charles A. Kupchan, “Supporting Ukraine Is in Trump’s Interest,” Project Syndicate  For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/trumps-peace-plan-ukraine-liana-fix-charles-kupchan

Transcribed - Published: 25 February 2025

Tanvi Madan, senior fellow in the Center for Asia Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the White House meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump and what it says about current and future state of U.S.-India relations.   Mentioned on the Episode:    Tanvi Madan, Fateful Triangle: How China Shaped US-India Relations During the Cold War   Tanvi Madan, “India Is Hoping for a Trump Bump,” Foreign Affairs For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/modi-meets-trump-tanvi-madan

Transcribed - Published: 18 February 2025

Emerging technologies are transforming international relations and our country’s economy. So how do we connect science and engineering labs with Washington and the world of business?    The Interconnect, a new podcast series from the Council on Foreign Relations and the Stanford Emerging Technology Review, brings together leading minds in cutting-edge technology and foreign policy to explore recent ground-breaking developments, what's coming over the horizon, and the implications for U.S. innovation leadership.   In this featured episode, Stanford Emerging Technology Review Faculty Council Member Mark Horowitz and CFR’s technologist-in-residence Sebastian Elbaum discuss where chip manufacturing is heading, how hardware advances are powering the new artificial intelligence (AI) era, and what the United States should prioritize in order to sustain its leadership in this crucial domain.   Host   Martin Giles, Managing Editor of the Stanford Emerging Technology Review   Guests   Mark Horowitz, chair of the Electrical Engineering Department at Stanford University   Sebastian Elbaum, the Technologist in Residence at the Council on Foreign Relations

Transcribed - Published: 14 February 2025

Robert Kaplan, acclaimed journalist and author of Waste Land: A World in Permanent Crisis, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the world’s growing interconnectedness is likely to produce greater conflict and chaos. This episode is the sixth in a continuing TPI series on U.S. grand strategy.   Mentioned on the Episode:    Robert Kaplan, Waste Land: A World in Permanent Crisis   Robert F. Worth, “Narendra Modi’s Populist Facade Is Cracking,” The Atlantic   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at:  https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/world-permanent-crisis-robert-kaplan

Transcribed - Published: 11 February 2025

Adam Segal, the Ira A. Lipman chair in emerging technologies and national security at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the Chinese company DeepSeek's new artificial intelligence (AI) program has challenged the conventional wisdom that the United States leads the AI race and raised critical questions about U.S. policy on AI.   Mentioned on the Episode:   Adam Segal, The Hacked World Order: How Nations Fight, Trade, Maneuver, and Manipulate in the Digital Age   Adam Segal and Sebastian Elbaum, "Artificial Intelligence Priorities for the Next Administration," CFR.org   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/deepseek-upends-ai-competition-adam-segal

Transcribed - Published: 4 February 2025

Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the Israel-Hamas cease-fire over Gaza came together, what the agreement requires each side to do, and what will come next.     Mentioned on the Episode   Steven Cook, “Israel and Hamas Reach Cease-Fire, but Will the War End?” CFR.org   Steven Cook,  “Israelis and Palestinians Both Lost Their Futures,” Foreign Policy   Steven Cook, The End of Ambition: America's Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/gaza-ceasefire-steven-cook

Transcribed - Published: 28 January 2025

Hal Brands, Henry A. Kissinger distinguished professor of Global Affairs at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and author of The Eurasian Century: Hot Wars, Cold Wars, and the Making of the Modern World, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how and why control of Eurasia affects U.S. national security. This episode is the fifth in a continuing TPI series on U.S. grand strategy.   Mentioned on the Episode   Hal Brands, The Eurasian Century: Hot Wars, Cold Wars, and the Making of the Modern World   H. J. Mackinder, “The Geographical Pivot of History,” The Geographical Journal   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/eurasia-challenge-hal-brands

Transcribed - Published: 21 January 2025

Edward Alden, senior fellow at CFR and co-author of When the World Closed Its Doors: The Covid-19 Tragedy and the Future of Borders, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Trump's proposed immigration policies and their likely effects on the economy. This episode is the ninth and final episode in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2025 presidential transition and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Enter the CFR book giveaway by January 28, 2025, for the chance to win one of ten free copies of When the World Closed Its Doors by Edward Alden and Laurie Trautman. You can read the terms and conditions of the offer here.   Mentioned on the Episode   Edward Alden, The Closing of the American Border: Terrorism, Immigration, and Security Since 9/11   Edward Alden and Laurie Trautman, When the World Closed Its Doors: The COVID-19 Tragedy and the Future of Borders   Alessandro Caiumi and Giovanni Peri, "Immigration's Effect on US Wages and Employment Redux," National Bureau of Economic Research   Council on Foreign Relations, The Work Ahead: Machines, Skills, and U.S. Leadership in the Twenty-First Century   Robert O. Keohane and Joseph S. Nye, Power and Interdependence: World Politics in Transition   Anna Maria Mayda, Francesc Ortega, Giovanni Peri, Kevin Shih and Chad Sparber, "The Effect of the H-1B Quota on Employment and Selection of Foreign-Born Labor," National Bureau of Economic Research   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/trumps-immigration-policy-edward-alden-transition-2025-episode-9

Transcribed - Published: 14 January 2025

Ray Takeyh, the Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how Trump’s victory is being viewed in Iran and whether a return to “maximum pressure” will force Tehran to agree to limit its nuclear program. This episode is the eighth in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2025 presidential transition and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode   Reuel Marc Gerecht and Ray Takeyh, “Tehran May Tempt Trump With Talks,” Wall Street Journal   Mike Pompeo, “After the Deal: A New Iran Strategy,” Speech at the Heritage Foundation   Ray Takeyh, The Last Shah: America, Iran and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty   Ray Takeyh, “The Untold Story of Jimmy Carter’s Hawkish Stand on Iran,” Wall Street Journal   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/iran-reacts-trumps-victory-ray-takeyh-transition-2025-episode-8

Transcribed - Published: 7 January 2025

Stephen Heintz, president and CEO of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the United States should adapt to an era of renewed great power competition and domestic disagreement over what it should seek to achieve abroad. This episode is the fourth in a special TPI series on U.S. grand strategy.   This episode first aired: August 20, 2024   Mentioned on the Episode    Stephen Heintz, “A Logic for the Future: International Relations in the Age of Turbulence,” Rockefeller Brothers Fund   John F. Kennedy, “Commencement Address at American University,” June 10, 1963   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/case-multipolar-pluralism-stephen-heintz

Transcribed - Published: 31 December 2024

Charles A. Kupchan, a senior fellow at CFR and a professor of international affairs at Georgetown University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the United States should adapt to an era of renewed great power competition and domestic disagreement over what it should seek to achieve abroad. This episode is the third in a special TPI series on U.S. grand strategy.   This episode first aired: July 30, 2024   Mentioned on the Episode    “A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for Liberal Internationalism, With John Ikenberry,” The President’s Inbox   Richard Haass, Foreign Policy Begins at Home: The Case for Putting America’s House in Order   Charles A. Kupchan, Isolationism: A History of America’s Efforts to Shield Itself From the World   Jake Sullivan, “Renewing American Economic Leadership”   Jake Sullivan, “The Sources of American Power: A Foreign Policy for a Changed World,” Foreign Affairs For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/new-us-grand-strategy-case-liberal-realism-charles-kupchan

Transcribed - Published: 24 December 2024

Zoe Liu, the Maurice R. Greenberg Senior Fellow for China Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how Trump’s victory is being viewed in China and what his presidency will mean for the future of U.S.-China economic relations. This episode is the seventh in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2025 presidential transition and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode   Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Sovereign Funds: How the Communist Party of China Finances Its Global Ambitions   Zongyuan Zoe Liu, “Why China Won't Give Up on a Failing Economic Model,” Foreign Affairs    For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/china-reacts-trumps-election-zoe-liu-transition-2025-episode-7

Transcribed - Published: 17 December 2024

Sheila Smith, the John E. Merow senior fellow for Asia-Pacific studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how Trump’s victory is being viewed in Japan and what his presidency will mean for U.S.-Japanese relations and the security situation in northeast Asia. This episode is the sixth in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2025 presidential transition and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode   Sheila Smith, Japan Rearmed: The Politics of Military Power    Sheila Smith, "Governing from Weakness: The LDP Under Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru," The Diplomat   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/japan-reacts-trumps-victory-sheila-smith-transition-2025-episode-6

Transcribed - Published: 10 December 2024

Will Freeman, a fellow for Latin America studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how Trump’s victory is being viewed in Latin America and what his policies toward the region might be. This episode is the fifth in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2025 presidential transition and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode   Will Freeman and Javier Corrales, “How Organized Crime Threatens Latin America,” Journal of Democracy   Claudia Sheinbaum, “Claudia Sheinbaum’s Defiant Letter to Donald Trump: A Blueprint for a New Era in US-Mexico Relations,” Pressenza International Press Agency For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/latin-america-reacts-trumps-election-will-freeman-transition-2025-episode-5

Transcribed - Published: 3 December 2024

Liana Fix, a fellow for Europe at CFR and adjunct professor at Georgetown University, and Matthias Matthijs, a senior fellow for Europe at CFR and associate professor of international political economy at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how governments across Europe are preparing for a second Trump administration. This episode is the fourth in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2025 presidential transition and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode   “A Second China Shock, With Brad Setser,” The President’s Inbox   Liana Fix, “NATO and Ukraine: The Peril of Indecision,” Survival   Liana Fix and Michael Kimmage, “The Ukraine Scenarios,” Foreign Affairs   Matthias Matthijs, “Europe’s Leadership Void,” Survival For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/europe-reacts-trumps-victory-liana-fix-and-matthias-matthijs-transition-2025-episode-4

Transcribed - Published: 26 November 2024

Christopher M. Tuttle, a senior fellow at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the people that President-Elect Donald Trump has nominated for foreign policy and national security positions. This episode is the third in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2025 presidential transition and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode   “Trump and the Middle East, With Steven A. Cook (Transition 2025, Episode 2),” The President’s Inbox   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/trumps-national-security-appointees-christopher-m-tuttle-transition-2025-episode-3

Transcribed - Published: 19 November 2024

Steven A. Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how Middle Eastern countries are reacting to former President Donald Trump’s election victory and his potential policy for the region. This episode is the second in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2025 presidential transition and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode   Steven A. Cook, The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East   Ivo H. Daalder and James M. Lindsay, The Empty Throne: America's Abdication of Global Leadership   Jared Kushner, Breaking History: A White House Memoir For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/trump-and-middle-east-steven-cook-transition-2025-episode-2

Transcribed - Published: 12 November 2024

Stephen Hadley, a principal of Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC and former national security advisor to President George W. Bush, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the presidential transition process and the challenges that all incoming presidents face in staffing up their administration. This episode is the first in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2025 presidential transition and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode   Stephen Hadley, Hand-Off: The Foreign Policy George W. Bush Passed to Barack Obama    For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/staffing-new-administration-stephen-hadley-transition-2025-episode-1

Transcribed - Published: 5 November 2024

Jennifer Kavanagh, senior fellow and director of military analysis at Defense Priorities, and Andrea Kendall-Taylor, senior fellow and director of the Transatlantic Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the nature and significance of growing cooperation between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. This episode is the seventh in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2024 presidential election and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode   Daniel R. DePetris and Jennifer Kavanaugh, “The ‘Axis of Evil’ is Overhyped,” Foreign Policy   Richard Fontaine and Andrea Kendall-Taylor, “The Axis of Upheaval: How America’s Adversaries Are Uniting to Overturn the Global Order,” Foreign Affairs    Walter Lippmann, U.S. Foreign Policy: Shield of the Republic   The U.S. Election and Foreign Policy, CFR.org   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/axis-autocracies-challenge-jennifer-kavanagh-and-andrea-kendall-taylor-election-2024

Transcribed - Published: 29 October 2024

Liza Tobin, senior director for economy at the Special Competitive Studies Project, and Jake Werner, acting director of the East Asia program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the challenges the next president will face navigating relations with China. This episode is the sixth in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2024 presidential election and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode   Robert Atkinson and Liza Tobin, "The Missing Piece in America's Strategy for Techno-Economic Rivalry with China," Lawfare   The U.S. Election and Foreign Policy, CFR.org   Jake Werner, "A Program for Progressive China Policy," Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft  For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/china-challenge-liza-tobin-and-jake-werner-election-2024-episode-6

Transcribed - Published: 22 October 2024

Oriana Mastro, a Center Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and David Sacks, a fellow for Asia studies at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss U.S. policy toward Taiwan in light of talk that China might seek to compel the island’s reunification with the mainland. This episode is the fifth in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2024 presidential election and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode   Council on Foreign Relations, China's Belt and Road: Implications for the United States   Council on Foreign Relations, U.S.-Taiwan Relations in a New Era: Responding to a More Assertive China   Oriana Skylar Mastro, “The Pivot That Wasn’t,” Foreign Affairs   Oriana Skylar Mastro, “This Is What America Is Getting Wrong About China and Taiwan,” New York Times    Oriana Skylar Mastro, Upstart: How China Became a Great Power   David Sacks, “Taiwan’s Trump Conundrum,” CFR.org.   The U.S. Election and Foreign Policy, CFR.org For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/taiwan-challenge-oriana-mastro-and-david-sacks-election-2024-episode-5

Transcribed - Published: 15 October 2024

Steven A. Cook, Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at CFR, and Amy Hawthorne, independent consultant on the Middle East, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the widening war in the Middle East and the challenges it poses for the United States. This episode is the fourth in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2024 presidential election and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode   Steven A. Cook, The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East   Jake Sullivan, “The Sources of American Power,” Foreign Affairs   The U.S. Election and Foreign Policy, CFR.org For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/middle-east-challenge-steven-cook-and-amy-hawthorne-election-2024-episode-4

Transcribed - Published: 8 October 2024

Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the CFR and the Ross Distinguished Visiting Professor at Western Washington University, and Ana Swanson, a trade and international economics journalist at the New York Times, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss opportunities and constraints that the next U.S. president will confront on U.S. trade policy. This episode is the third in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2024 presidential election and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode    Edward Alden, Failure to Adjust: How Americans Got Left Behind in the Global Economy   When the World Closed Its Doors: The Covid-19 Tragedy and the Future of Borders- https://global.oup.com/academic/product/when-the-world-closed-its-doors-9780197697818?cc=us&lang=en&    David Autor, Anne Beck, David Dorn, and Gordon H. Hanson, “Help for the Heartland? The Employment and Electoral Effects of the Trump Tariffs in the United States,” National Bureau of Economic Research   The U.S. Election and Foreign Policy, CFR.org For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/trade-challenge-edward-alden-and-ana-swanson-election-2024-episode-3

Transcribed - Published: 1 October 2024

Alice Hill, the David M. Rubenstein senior fellow for energy and the environment at CFR, and Varun Sivaram, a senior fellow for energy and climate at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss what the United States has done and should do to confront a changing climate. This episode is the second in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2024 presidential election and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode    Alice C. Hill, The Fight for Climate After COVID-19   Varun Sivaram, Taming the Sun: Innovations to Harness Solar Energy and Power the Planet   The U.S. Election and Foreign Policy, CFR.org For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/climate-challenge-alice-hill-and-varun-sivaram-election-2024-episode-2

Transcribed - Published: 24 September 2024

Liana Fix, a fellow for Europe at CFR, and Thomas Graham, a distinguished fellow at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the future of U.S. policy toward Russia and the risks posed by heightened tensions between two nuclear powers. This episode is the first in a special TPI series on the U.S. 2024 presidential election and is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.   Mentioned on the Episode    Liana Fix, “NATO and Ukraine: The Peril of Indecision,” Survival   Liana Fix and Michael Kimmage, “The Ukraine Scenarios,” Foreign Affairs   The U.S. Election and Foreign Policy, CFR.org   Thomas Graham, Getting Russia Right For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/russia-challenge-liana-fix-and-thomas-graham-election-2024-episode-1

Transcribed - Published: 17 September 2024

Max Boot, the Jeane J. Kirkpatrick senior fellow for national security studies at CFR and a columnist for The Washington Post, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Ronald Reagan’s life and his impact on U.S. foreign policy.    Enter the CFR book giveaway by September 24, 2024, for the chance to win one of ten free copies of Reagan: His Life and Legend by Max Boot. You can read the terms and conditions of the offer here.    Mentioned on the Episode   Max Boot, “Reagan Didn’t Win the Cold War,” Foreign Affairs    Max Boot, Reagan: His Life and Legend   Max Boot, The Road Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam   Shreya Chattopadhyay and Miguel Salazar, "22 Nonfiction Books to Read This Fall," New York Times   Edmund Morris, Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan   Ronald Reagan, "Address to the Nation About Christmas and the Situation in Poland"   Ronald Reagan, "Address to the Nation on the Explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger"   Ronald Reagan, “Remarks at a Ceremony Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion, D-Day"   “Ronald Reagan, Mastermind,” Saturday Night Live   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/ronald-reagan-us-global-leadership-max-boot

Transcribed - Published: 10 September 2024

Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the potential for a wider war in the Middle East as Iran vows to retaliate against Israel for the killing of a top Hamas official in Tehran.   Mentioned on the Episode   Steven Cook, The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/a-wider-middle-east-war-with-steven-cook

Transcribed - Published: 3 September 2024

Liana Fix, a fellow for Europe at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia.   Mentioned on the Episode   Liana Fix, “NATO and Ukraine: The Peril of Indecision,” Survival   Liana Fix and Michael Kimmage, “The Ukraine Scenarios,” Foreign Affairs   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/ukraines-attack-kursk-liana-fix

Transcribed - Published: 27 August 2024

Stephen Heintz, president and CEO of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the United States should adapt to an era of renewed great power competition and domestic disagreement over what it should seek to achieve abroad. This episode is the fourth in a special TPI series on U.S. grand strategy.   Mentioned on the Episode    Stephen Heintz, “A Logic for the Future: International Relations in the Age of Turbulence,” Rockefeller Brothers Fund John F. Kennedy, “Commencement Address at American University,” June 10, 1963   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/case-multipolar-pluralism-stephen-heintz

Transcribed - Published: 20 August 2024

Rush Doshi, C.V. Starr Senior Fellow for Asia Studies and director of the China Strategy Initiative, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how America should navigate its geopolitical rivalry with China.    Mentioned on the Episode    Graham Allison, Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’ Trap?   Hal Brands and Michael Beckley, Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict With China   Rush Doshi, The Long Game: China’s Grand Strategy to Displace American Order   Rush Doshi, et al., “Debating the United States’ China Strategy,” CFR.org   Rush Doshi, et al., “What Does America Want From China?,” Foreign Affairs   Aaron Friedberg, The Weary Titan: Britain and the Experience of Relative Decline, 1895-1905   Mike Gallagher and Matt Pottinger, “No Substitute for Victory: America’s Competition With China Must Be Won, Not Managed,” Foreign Affairs   William Langley and Gloria Li, “Chinese Robot Maker Says Protectionism Will Not Stop Its March,” Financial Times   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/americas-china-strategy-rush-doshi

Transcribed - Published: 13 August 2024