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Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security, joins Clearer Than Truth to examine the strategic challenges facing the United States in an increasingly contested world. From the Trump administration’s approach to military force and the future of American alliances to defense spending, the competition with China, and the growing role of artificial intelligence, Fontaine explores whether the United States has a coherent strategy to match its global power. He also explains why Washington has repeatedly struggled to prioritize the Indo-Pacific, how allies are reassessing American reliability, and why he remains cautiously optimistic about America’s long-term advantages. 00:00 Richard Fontaine on America's Changing Foreign Policy 00:32 Is America's Grand Strategy Fundamentally Changing? 01:53 The Lasting Shift Toward Protectionism 03:12 Does Trump's Foreign Policy Have Historical Precedents? 05:28 What Would John McCain Think of America Today? 07:04 Has America Become an Overextended Superpower? 09:40 Can America Still Trust Its Alliances? 11:52 Trump's Way of War vs. the Powell Doctrine 13:41 Why Clear Military Objectives Matter 15:05 The Problem With Trump's Flexible War Strategy 17:32 What the Powell Doctrine Would Say About Iran 18:51 Can America Afford Another Major War? 19:19 Could America Defend Taiwan Against China? 21:17 America's Defense Industrial Base Problem 22:16 How AI Will Reshape Global Power 24:16 Should America Stay Ahead of China in AI? 25:46 Can America and China Agree on AI Safety? 28:57 What Nuclear Arms Control Can Teach Us About AI 30:06 Why Crises Sometimes Force International Cooperation 32:34 Why America Keeps Failing to Pivot to Asia 34:10 How Middle East Wars Derail America's Asia Strategy 35:21 Is China Still America's Biggest Strategic Rival? 36:36 What CNAS Is Working on Now 37:42 Can America Rebuild the International Order? 38:45 What Still Makes America Powerful? 40:38 Why Richard Fontaine Remains Optimistic 41:13 Where to Follow Richard Fontaine Support the show

Ambassador Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia and author of Autocrats Versus Democrats, joins Clearer Than Truth to examine how Vladimir Putin transformed Russia’s relationship with the West and why the war in Ukraine remains so difficult to end. McFaul argues that Putin’s greatest fear is not NATO expansion but the spread of democracy, which threatens the legitimacy of his autocratic rule. He reflects on the achievements and failures of the Obama administration’s Russia reset, contrasts Putin’s leadership with Mikhail Gorbachev’s approach to Eastern Europe, and discusses the uncertain prospects for political change inside Russia. The conversation also explores Ukraine’s nuclear disarmament and security guarantees, the risks of leaving Ukraine outside NATO, China and India’s limited roles in seeking peace, and why McFaul believes stronger military support for Ukraine and tougher sanctions offer a better path toward a negotiated settlement than appeasing Putin. 00:00 Michael McFaul on Russia and Putin 01:13 Why Putin Fears Democratic Expansion 02:07 What the Russia Reset Was Really About 03:45 What U.S.–Russia Cooperation Achieved 05:01 Why Dual-Track Diplomacy Failed 06:37 Could Russia Have Taken a Different Path? 08:22 How Putin Became More Paranoid and Imperial 09:36 Gorbachev, Eastern Europe, and Nuclear Secrets 11:23 Why Individual Leaders Shape History 12:35 Gorbachev vs. Putin on Democratic Movements 14:02 Why Arms Control Requires Verification 15:12 Could Putin Lose the Support of His Elites? 16:06 How Putin Tightened His Grip on Russia 18:19 Why Revolutions Seem Impossible—Until They Happen 19:15 Ukraine’s Independence and the Nuclear Question 20:27 Putin’s Early Political Years 22:16 The Budapest Memorandum and Ukraine’s Security 23:24 Should Ukraine Join NATO? 24:59 Why China and India Aren’t Helping End the War 26:27 Russia’s War as an Imperial Project 27:19 Why Appeasing Putin Won’t Work 29:06 What Putin Really Wants From Ukraine 30:37 Why Putin Wants the Donbas 31:56 Is Russia Trying to Break Ukraine’s Will? 32:20 The People Who Turned to Putin 34:33 How Propaganda Becomes a Business 35:28 The Dinner That Revealed Putin’s Worldview 37:07 Why Putin Thinks Everyone Can Be Bought 37:35 Michael McFaul’s Latest Book and Writing Support the show

Julius Krein, founder and editor of American Affairs, joins Clearer Than Truth to examine why the United States has struggled to rebuild its industrial base even as the case for reindustrialization has entered the mainstream. Krein argues that tariffs alone cannot restore American productive capacity: the country needs strategic investment, skilled workers, coordinated supply chains, permitting reform, and institutions that can help critical industries become commercially viable. He explains why the goal should not be to centrally plan the entire economy, but to open opportunities for private investment in sectors weakened by decades of underinvestment. The conversation explores the political costs and potential benefits of rebuilding manufacturing, whether a more productive economy could narrow class divides, and how the United States might redirect its financial resources to compete with China. Krein’s broader message is that America has made progress in recognizing the problem, but the real test is whether it can overcome institutional bottlenecks and deliver tangible results before political support fades. 00:00 Julius Krein on Rebuilding American Industry 01:01 Has Industrial Policy Finally Gone Mainstream? 02:08 Why Rebuilding Industry Could Take Decades 03:24 From Fringe Idea to National Priority 04:07 The Problem With Tariff-First Economics 05:04 Why Tariffs Alone Won’t Rebuild Manufacturing 06:22 The Real Costs of Trade Policy 07:35 What a Real Reindustrialization Strategy Requires 08:30 Why Critical Industries Lost Their Investment 09:31 The Missing Pieces: Workers, Buyers, and Permits 10:00 Why America Struggles to Coordinate Economic Policy 11:00 Why Supply Chains Are Harder to Map Than They Look 12:16 What Happens When Everything Becomes Strategic? 12:48 Why America Needs More Than Free Markets 13:54 The Industries America Can Rebuild First 14:57 Industrial Policy Without Central Planning 15:31 Who Pays for Reindustrialization? 16:49 The Political Trade-Offs of Rebuilding Industry 18:08 The Long-Term Cost of Deindustrialization 18:57 Will Working-Class Americans Actually Benefit? 20:21 Can Manufacturing Narrow the Class Divide? 21:48 Building an Economy That Works Across Classes 22:16 What Does American Economic Nationalism Mean? 23:03 Why Different Political Camps Support Industrial Policy 24:14 Why Practical Needs Can Matter More Than Ideology 25:10 Is Pragmatism Driving American Industrial Policy? 26:34 Can America Compete With China’s Economic Model? 27:13 Why American Finance Could Help Rebuild Industry 28:28 China’s Manufacturing Strength—and Its Limits 28:55 What the U.S. Must Prove to China 30:19 Can America Fund Long-Term Industrial Growth? 31:07 How Realistic Is American Reindustrialization? 32:08 The Bottlenecks Still Holding America Back 32:59 The Race to Deliver Results 33:46 Why American Affairs Matters Support the show

Historian Barbara Keys joins Clearer Than Truth to examine the making, breaking, and remaking of Henry Kissinger’s legacy. Drawing on her book Super K: The Making, Breaking, and Remaking of Henry Kissinger’s Legacy, Keys explores how Kissinger cultivated journalists, managed his public image, used personal relationships and behind-the-scenes pressure to influence coverage, and maintained extraordinary influence for decades after leaving office. She examines the gap between his private policy positions and public presentation, his support for repressive anti-communist governments, and the role of the human rights movement in reshaping how his record is judged. The conversation also considers Kissinger’s diplomatic relationships across political divides and the media’s role in sustaining his reputation, raising a broader question about how power, access, and storytelling shape the way history remembers political leaders. 00:00 Barbara Keys on Henry Kissinger’s Legacy 00:53 Why Reexamine Kissinger Now? 01:47 Why Criticism Bothered Kissinger 03:08 How Powerful Figures Edit Their Own Histories 04:00 When Kissinger Could Influence the Media 04:50 The Myth of the Grand Strategist 06:28 How Kissinger Entered Nixon’s Circle 07:29 How Kissinger Won Over Journalists 08:30 Charm, Threats, and Media Pressure 09:48 When Kissinger Demanded Special Treatment 10:51 Kissinger’s Private Views on Ukraine 12:56 How Kissinger Changed His Public Positions 14:41 The Power of Strategic Ambiguity 15:59 Kissinger’s Private Position on Cambodia 17:13 How Kissinger Leaked Secrets to the Press 18:07 The Lost Art of International Diplomacy? 19:36 How Kissinger Built Global Relationships 20:57 How Kissinger Stayed Influential for 46 Years 21:27 The Memoirs That Shaped His Reputation 22:20 Kissinger’s Celebrity Persona 23:47 Why Kissinger Opposed Human Rights in Foreign Policy 24:52 How the Human Rights Movement Challenged His Legacy 26:32 Why Kissinger Won the Nobel Peace Prize 27:25 Kissinger’s Late-Life Fascination With AI 28:51 How Kissinger Wanted History to Remember Him 29:43 Why His Reputation Changed After the Cold War 30:45 Will Kissinger’s Legacy Change Again? 31:52 What Future Biographies May Reveal 33:50 The Most Dangerous Lesson of the Kissinger Myth 34:16 How the Media Helped Build Kissinger’s Reputation 35:24 What Kissinger’s Legacy Teaches Us About Media Influence 35:51 Where to Find Barbara Keys’s Work Support the show

Vali Nasr joins Clearer Than Truth to explain why Americans often misunderstand the forces shaping the Middle East. Nasr argues that the region cannot be understood simply through religion, terrorism, or ancient sectarian divisions; instead, geopolitics, competition for power, contested borders, resources, and outside intervention are central to understanding its conflicts. He examines the evolution of terrorism, explaining why it has never been exclusively a product of poverty or religious extremism, before turning to Iran’s grand strategy and the legacy of Ayatollah Khamenei’s resistance to American influence. Nasr also assesses the failures and constraints of U.S. policy toward Iran, the consequences of a potential Iranian nuclear capability, and the possibility of a broader nuclear race across the Middle East. He closes with a warning that the current war may fundamentally reshape the regional order—and that the United States needs to prepare for a Middle East that may look very different when the fighting ends. 00:00 Vali Nasr on the Middle East 00:58 What America Gets Wrong About the Middle East 02:42 Why Sectarianism Doesn't Explain Everything 04:28 How Americans Misunderstand the Region 05:29 The Borders That Created Modern Conflict 07:12 Why Israel-Palestine Is More Recent Than You Think 08:23 What Americans Get Wrong About Terrorism 09:14 The End of the War on Terror 10:59 Terrorism Before Al-Qaeda 12:28 The Strategy Behind Terrorist Violence 13:46 Why Wealthy People Join Terrorist Groups 16:04 Why So Many Terrorists Studied Science 17:57 Iran's Grand Strategy 20:05 Where Iran's Strategy Has Failed 21:23 Why Iran Keeps Resisting the U.S. 22:19 Iran's Forever War With America 23:12 What Obama Got Right—and Wrong—About Iran 25:18 The Limits of American Influence 27:11 Why Obama Chose the Nuclear Deal 28:35 Obama Was More Realist Than Idealist 29:45 What If Iran Gets a Nuclear Bomb? 31:11 India, Pakistan and the Nuclear Lesson 33:14 Why Iran Might Want Nuclear Deterrence 34:21 Could Iran Trigger a Middle East Nuclear Race? 36:01 How Nuclear Iran Changes the Region 37:18 The Risk of a Wider Nuclear Order 37:46 The Middle East May Never Go Back 38:36 Could This War Get Much Worse? 39:26 How the Middle East Could Reshape the West 40:28 What Comes After the War? 41:40 What America Can Learn From History 42:34 Closing Support the show

James M. Lindsay joins Clearer Than Truth for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of American power and the international system the United States helped build. Lindsay is a longtime scholar of U.S. foreign policy and the policymaking process at the Council on Foreign Relations, where he previously served as senior vice president and director of studies and where he hosts The President's Inbox. For roughly eight decades, American foreign policy has operated around an assumption that U.S. security and prosperity depend on an active role in the world. Lindsay argues that consensus is now under enormous strain, but says the story did not begin with Donald Trump. The American-led system has evolved through several distinct eras, from the bipolar Cold War order to the post-Cold War “unipolar moment,” before the return of great-power competition forced Washington to confront a more complicated geopolitical environment. The conversation then turns inward, examining the changing balance between Congress and the presidency. Lindsay explains why the modern “imperial presidency” predates 9/11, how Congress gradually gave presidents greater discretion in foreign policy, and why that authority has proven difficult to reclaim. He also discusses the limits of courts as a check on presidential power and the enduring political difficulty of constraining a president once military action has begun. Lindsay also examines the emerging cooperation among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, cautioning against treating them as a formal alliance while acknowledging the growing incentives for bilateral cooperation among them. The discussion ultimately returns to the larger question: what comes after American primacy? Lindsay argues that the American-led order is coming to an end, but says historians will debate for years how much of that decline was structural and how much resulted from America's own decisions. 00:00 James M. Lindsay on the Future of American Power 01:04 What Broke America's Foreign-Policy Consensus? 01:54 From the Cold War to the Unipolar Moment 02:58 The Return of Geopolitics 03:28 Why Congress Lost Influence Over Foreign Policy 04:56 The Rise of the Imperial Presidency 05:46 What Congress Learned From the 1930s 07:44 Why Presidents Were Given So Much Discretion 08:06 How Presidents Expanded Their Authority 09:14 Why Courts Rarely Check Presidential Power 10:11 The Courts, Trump & National Security 12:30 When Expansive Presidential Power Serves a Purpose 13:55 How Far Can the President Go Militarily? 15:21 Congress and the Authorization of War 16:22 Why Congress Struggles to Rein In Presidents 18:12 Is There Really an Axis of Autocracies? 19:20 Why China, Russia, Iran & North Korea Cooperate 21:01 Why You Should Watch What Countries Do 22:03 Why Military Power Doesn't Equal Victory 23:07 Can Economic Pressure Bring Down Iran? 24:45 Can Leaders Become Too Detached From Their People? 25:51 Why Iran Hasn't Become Another Vietnam 26:21 How War Hits Americans at Home 28:56 What Vietnam Teaches Us About Public Trust 29:49 Can America Split the Axis of Autocracies? 31:03 Why the Nixon-Kissinger Strategy May Not Work Today 32:13 Why Regime Change Is So Hard to Predict 33:24 Was American Bipartisanship Ever Real? 34:03 Washington, Jefferson & America's First Foreign-Policy Fight 36:20 What Institutions Like CFR Actually Do 37:30 From Diagnosis to Policy to Implementation 38:25 The American-Led Order Is Ending 39:35 Was America's Decline Inevitable? 40:10 The Mistakes That Weakened American Leadership 41:54 Did America Fall Behind China? 42:21 How U.S. Policy May Have Accelerated Decline 43:21 What Happens to American Leadership Now? Support the show

Joby Warrick returns to Clearer Than Truth to discuss his new book, The Jackal: The Rise and Fall of Carlos the World's First Super-Terrorist. A two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The Washington Post, Warrick has spent decades reporting on terrorism, intelligence failures, and the conflicts shaping the modern Middle East. This time, he goes back to the 1970s to examine the extraordinary career of Carlos the Jackal and what his story can tell us about terrorism today. Carlos was more than a terrorist for hire. Warrick describes him as a remarkably flexible figure who moved between Palestinian militant organizations, communist governments, intelligence networks, dictators, and eventually anyone willing to employ him. His ideology was often secondary to his ambition, ego, and desire to become a revolutionary celebrity. But his greatest innovation was understanding the power of spectacle. The early terrorist groups around Carlos realized that attacks far from the battlefield could force television cameras, governments, and the public to pay attention to a cause. Warrick traces how those tactics evolved through the 1970s and eventually influenced later terrorist organizations, including al-Qaeda. The conversation also examines the OPEC siege, Carlos's relationships with state sponsors, the conditions that allow terrorist movements to emerge, and the danger of creating new generations of extremists through war, instability, and political collapse. The conversation ultimately moves from history to the present. Warrick warns that the combination of weapons of mass destruction and artificial intelligence could create new opportunities for terrorist organizations, while the deterioration of international cooperation may make it harder for states to contain them. Carlos the Jackal may belong to another era, but the methods he helped pioneer, particularly the use of spectacle, proxies, and permissive environments, remain relevant. 00:00 Joby Warrick on Carlos the Jackal 00:53 Why Go Back to Carlos Now? 02:30 What Actually Drove Carlos? 04:47 Carlos the Jackal and Today's Terrorists 06:23 The Rise of Proxy Terrorism 07:43 How Terrorism Became a Global Spectacle 09:16 Why Terrorists Wanted the Cameras 10:03 The International Terrorism Network of the 1970s 11:44 The Shift From Secular to Religious Terrorism 12:11 The OPEC Siege: Carlos's Most Audacious Attack 14:01 Gaddafi and the OPEC Plot 15:35 Why Gaddafi Abandoned Carlos 16:20 Are Terrorists Products of Failed States? 17:33 Why Carlos Became a Legend 18:16 How Dangerous Was Carlos Really? 19:21 The Incredible Mistakes of Carlos the Jackal 20:00 Why States Keep Getting Terrorism Wrong 20:46 The Conditions That Produce Terrorism 22:18 Are We Creating the Next Generation of Terrorists? 24:10 The Threat of AI and Weapons of Mass Destruction 25:47 What Made Carlos Different? 27:10 Why Carlos Needed to See Himself as a Hero 28:20 How Carlos Was Finally Captured 30:54 What al-Qaeda Learned From Carlos 32:59 Did Carlos Ever Regret What He Did? 34:22 The One Thing Carlos Regretted 35:00 How Many People Did Carlos Really Kill? 36:26 Could a Weaker World Order Bring More Terrorism? 37:07 The Decline of International Cooperation 38:22 How Carlos Wants to Be Remembered 39:28 Closing Thoughts Support the show

Richard Overy is one of the world's leading historians of the Second World War and the history of warfare. In this episode of Clearer Than Truth, Overy draws on decades of research to examine one of the most enduring questions in international politics: why do leaders continue to choose war when history repeatedly demonstrates how difficult it is to control? The conversation begins with the dangers of comparing today's conflicts too directly to the 1930s and 1940s. Overy argues that today's geopolitical environment is fundamentally different, particularly because of nuclear weapons and the existence of the United States and China as major global powers. Yet some historical patterns remain strikingly familiar. Leaders can become convinced that their opponents are weaker than they are, underestimate the costs of conflict, and assume that military force can produce a quick and decisive outcome. Overy also explores Russia's war in Ukraine, Putin's understanding of Russia's place in the world, the lessons China may be drawing from the conflict, and whether the emerging relationships between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea constitute a genuine strategic coalition. He argues against simplistic historical analogies and warns that viewing every geopolitical rivalry through a disaster scenario can obscure the differences between today's world and the past. The discussion ultimately returns to Overy's central argument in Why War: technology changes, weapons change, and international systems change—but human beings remain capable of making the same fundamental mistake: believing that war is the solution when it may become the problem. 00:00 Richard Overy on the Dangers of Historical Analogies 00:30 Is Imperialism Really Back? 01:49 Why a Third World War Is Different Today 02:43 The Nuclear Lesson of the Cuban Missile Crisis 03:10 How Regional Wars Become Global Conflicts 04:09 Why World War Isn't Inevitable 04:57 How Much Does Personality Matter in War? 06:16 Putin, Russia & the Psychology of Encirclement 08:30 Why Putin Isn't Stalin 09:22 Russia's Search for Great-Power Status 11:33 Why Leaders Underestimate War 13:32 What Leaders Miss When They Ignore History 15:07 What China Is Learning From Ukraine 16:20 Would China Really Invade Taiwan? 17:10 Could America Push China Toward Conflict? 18:31 The Historical Roots of U.S.-China Rivalry 20:25 Is the West Ready for a Major War? 21:23 Why Modern War Still Looks Like World War II 22:55 Will AI and Cyberwar Change Warfare? 24:08 Is There Really an Authoritarian Axis? 26:19 Why Wartime Coalitions Eventually Break Apart 27:57 The Danger of Leaders Hearing Only What They Want 30:09 What Could Actually Remove Putin? 31:22 Why Do Humans Keep Choosing War? 32:56 The Lesson Today's Leaders Must Remember 33:53 Is There Any Reason for Optimism? 35:08 Richard Overy's Next Book: Hitler's Long Afterlife 36:20 Why Are We Still Fascinated by Hitler? 37:53 Was Hitler More Evil Than Other Dictators? 38:56 Hitler, Ideology & the Holocaust 39:31 Closing Thoughts Support the show

Robert Zoellick, former U.S. Trade Representative, Deputy Secretary of State, and President of the World Bank, joins Clearer Than Truth for a wide-ranging conversation about globalization, trade, American power, and the future of the international order. Zoellick argues that the backlash against globalization has become intertwined with a broader backlash against elites and established institutions—but warns that the United States risks responding to legitimate concerns in ways that ultimately make the country weaker. He defends the strategic logic behind NAFTA and North American economic integration, arguing that a stronger relationship with Canada and Mexico gives the United States a powerful economic and security advantage in a world increasingly shaped by China.  The conversation then turns to the weaponization of economic interdependence, protectionism, supply-chain resilience, and the danger of using national security as a justification for restricting trade. Zoellick argues that the United States should build greater resilience and redundancy where necessary—but shouldn't mistake economic isolation for security. He makes a similar case regarding China: compete aggressively in critical areas, but remain focused on staying technologically ahead rather than simply trying to shut the world off.   Zoellick also examines the health of America's democratic institutions and the international alliances that underpin U.S. power. He warns that undermining confidence in elections, the rule of law, independent institutions, and America's commitments to allies can have consequences far beyond domestic politics. Drawing on his experience during the end of the Cold War and the global financial crisis, he argues that institutions can adapt to profound changes—but they must be strengthened rather than dismantled.   The episode ultimately becomes a discussion about what comes next. Zoellick believes the international system is being disrupted and that a new generation will have an opportunity to reshape it. His advice is straightforward: avoid unnecessary conflicts, maintain openness to capital and talented people, and preserve the alliances and institutions that allow the United States to lead without having to dominate. 00:00 Robert Zoellick on the Backlash Against Globalization 01:14 Was NAFTA a Mistake? 02:21 Why Mexico Joined NAFTA 03:48 Is America Destroying North America? 04:35 The Strategic Case for North American Integration 06:31 Why America Needs Mexico and Canada 08:10 America's Relationship With Canada 09:59 Globalization Isn't Going Away 10:25 How Economic Interdependence Can Be Weaponized 12:07 The Hidden Cost of Protectionism 13:24 Should America Buy From China? 14:14 Zoellick's Biggest Regret About NAFTA 16:35 Can Trade Rules Keep Up With China? 18:29 The Real Economics of U.S.-Canada Trade 20:25 Why Economic Change Creates Political Backlash 21:09 Can America's Institutions Survive? 22:02 The Threat to American Democracy 23:14 Is Congress Losing Its Power? 24:07 Could America's Alliances Unravel? 25:23 The Lessons of the Cold War 26:42 Was NATO Expansion a Mistake? 27:31 Why NATO Still Matters 28:18 How to Support Ukraine Without NATO Membership 29:02 Can America Adapt the World Order? 30:32 America Has Always Had to Fight for Consensus 31:24 Can America Manage Competition With China? 32:05 Can the U.S. and China Cooperate on AI? 32:26 Don't Make America More Like China 34:31 America's Energy Security Problem 36:20 Why Allies Matter in a Conflict With China 37:10 The Best Strategy Against China 37:54 Can America's Institutions Survive Another Crisis? 39:19 The Lesson of the Global Financial Crisis 40:22 Why America Still Has to Lead 40:47 The Next Generation Will Remake the World 41:12 Zoellick's Advice for the Future 42:09 Closing Thoughts Support the show

Africa is becoming increasingly central to the global order, yet many of its conflicts and political shifts remain overlooked in Western discourse. On this episode of Clearer Than Truth, Nathan speaks with Declan Walsh, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Chief Africa Correspondent for The New York Times, about the forces reshaping the continent. Walsh begins with the war in Sudan, a conflict whose scale and human toll rival some of the world's most prominent wars but has received considerably less international attention. He explains why Sudan has become a critical case study in the changing priorities of the United States and the broader Western world.  The conversation then turns to Africa's extraordinary demographic transformation. While much of the world faces aging and shrinking populations, Africa remains young and rapidly growing. Walsh discusses what this population boom could mean for the continent—and for the rest of the world—as Africa's share of the global population continues to increase.  Walsh also examines the changing geopolitical competition in Africa. As American engagement has receded, countries including the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India, and Russia have expanded their influence, pursuing access to resources, investment opportunities, ports, and strategic relationships.  A major focus is the impact of reduced U.S. aid. Walsh describes what he has witnessed firsthand in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the collapse of humanitarian food programs and weakened disease-surveillance networks.  The discussion also explores Africa's increasingly restless younger generation, the rise of Gen Z protests, the failures of democratic governments to deliver economic opportunity, and the growing appeal of military leaders in parts of West Africa.  Finally, Walsh identifies some of the continent's most dangerous potential flashpoints—including rising tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea—and returns to the war in Sudan, warning about the possibility of the conflict spreading across borders and drawing in neighboring powers. Despite these challenges, he closes on a more hopeful note, pointing to Africa's enormous human potential, improving health and education outcomes, and the many people driving progress across the continent. 00:00 Why Africa Matters to the World 02:53 Africa's Population Boom 03:51 America's Changing Approach to Africa 08:18 The New Powers Competing for Africa 12:14 The Real-World Impact of U.S. Aid Cuts 18:42 Africa's Youth & the Threat of Instability 22:18 What Happened to the Arab Spring? 26:49 The Sahel's Growing Crisis 28:23 Ethiopia, Eritrea & the Next Major Flashpoint 32:41 The UAE, Saudi Arabia & the New Geopolitics 36:08 Can Sudan Survive as a Unified Country? 39:32 What Gives Walsh Hope for Africa? Support the show

Two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and acclaimed presidential historian H.W. Brands joins Clearer Than Truth to explore what history can teach us about American leadership, democracy, and the presidency. Brands discusses what separates great presidents from mediocre ones, arguing that the most important quality in a leader is good judgment—the ability to make wise decisions in circumstances where there are rarely clear answers. He explains why presidents like George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin Roosevelt succeeded in their own historical moments, and why greatness cannot simply be transplanted from one era to another.  The conversation also examines Donald Trump and his place in presidential history. Brands compares Trump's dominance of American political life to Franklin Roosevelt's, while asking whether Trump represents a temporary departure from traditional presidential norms or a lasting transformation of the presidency.  As America is in the midst of its 250th anniversary, Brands reflects on the extraordinary experiment the United States represents: a nation founded around the idea that people can govern themselves. He considers whether American democracy is in danger, why political polarization isn't new, and what today's fractured media environment means for an informed electorate.  Finally, Brands discusses his biography of George Washington, revealing how Washington's restraint, patience, and ability to gather information before making decisions helped establish the presidency—and why his actions helped shape the power of the executive branch for generations to come. 00:00 What Makes a Great President? 02:57 The Secret to Presidential Greatness 04:19 America's Most Controversial Presidents 07:47 Trump vs. FDR: A Historical Comparison 10:13 The Presidents Who Had a Grand Strategy 13:33 America's 250-Year Experiment 18:01 Is American Democracy Failing? 21:30 America's Partisan Media Has Always Been Divided 24:05 Are We Entering an Age of Post-Literacy? 26:52 How Do You Understand George Washington? 32:37 Washington's Greatest Leadership Trait 36:51 How Washington Expanded Presidential Power 38:57 H.W. Brands' Historical Dinner Party Support the show

Arne Westad, one of the world’s leading historians of international history and the Cold War, joins Clearer Than Truth to examine the geopolitical forces reshaping the world. Westad argues that today’s rivalry between the United States and China should not simply be viewed as a new Cold War. Instead, he sees stronger parallels with the period before World War I—a time when a relatively stable international system began to fracture, multiple regional conflicts emerged, and no one could predict which crisis might ultimately trigger a global catastrophe.  The conversation explores the increasingly consequential relationship between Russia and China, Russia’s dependence on Beijing, the future of Putin’s regime, NATO expansion, Russian nationalism, and the lessons history can—and cannot—teach us about today's conflicts. Westad also examines China’s extraordinary economic transformation, its relationship with Taiwan, and how Beijing is interpreting Russia’s experience in Ukraine. He ultimately argues that the coming decades are likely to be defined by multipolarity, rising nationalism, and a series of smaller conflicts that could test the ability of major powers to maintain global stability. 00:00 Introduction: Arne Westad 00:29 Is This a New Cold War? 02:20 Why 1914 May Be the Better Comparison 04:32 Russia & China: A Dangerous Partnership 07:33 How China Became a Global Power 09:20 How Durable Is the Russia-China Partnership? 12:10 What Happens to Russia by 2050? 14:23 How Putin Led Russia Into Crisis 16:41 NATO Expansion & Russia's Strategic Thinking 19:17 What Is Happening Inside Russia? 22:40 What Happens If Putin's Regime Weakens? 24:15 Understanding Russian Nationalism 27:33 China's Rise & Global Ambitions 30:49 What Is China Learning From Ukraine? 33:00 The Future of the Global Order 35:30 The Coming Storm & What's Next Support the show

Admiral Mike Rogers joins hosts Nathan Kiker and George Bogden to assess how cyber deterrence, disinformation, and rapid advances in AI are reshaping strategic competition. Rogers argues that the United States’ most consequential vulnerability is domestic: deep polarization that blocks consensus on hard problems—public debt, social programs, and technology governance—making solutions more costly the longer they’re deferred. The result is a political system struggling to keep pace with a security environment defined by speed, interdependence, and information manipulation. Rogers contends that credible cyber deterrence remains elusive. Adversaries still view peacetime cyber operations and influence campaigns as low-cost, low-risk tools to impose friction on the United States and its allies. He calls for a broader, risk-informed menu of response options—some signaled publicly—to shift adversary cost-benefit calculations, backed by consistent attribution and the capacity to impose costs across domains. The conversation examines critical infrastructure exposure in an era of dense interconnection and fragile dependencies, from power grids and ports to finance, communications, and GPS/PNT. Despite notable improvements since NotPetya and Colonial Pipeline, Rogers warns that complexity creates hidden failure modes that demand anticipatory standards, cross-sector exercises, and sharper prioritization of high-impact, high-probability risks. On AI, Rogers separates hype from operational reality. He highlights the true costs of development and deployment, the likelihood of a tiered model ecosystem rather than a frontier-model default, and the regulatory lag behind private-sector innovation—especially as China and Russia pursue state-driven approaches. His near-term worry is less a technical catastrophe than a breakdown in societal cohesion catalyzed by technology; his optimism comes from motivated innovators building guardrails and tools that strengthen, rather than corrode, open societies. 00:00 Introduction to Admiral Mike Rogers 00:32 America's Biggest National Security Challenge 06:24 Global Threats Beyond U.S. Politics 08:19 AI, Emerging Technology & Government Regulation 10:09 China's Artificial Intelligence Strategy 17:04 How China Could Attack America's Infrastructure 22:34 Why Governments Struggle to Assess Risk 25:07 America's Offensive Cyber Capabilities 28:58 Should the U.S. Be More Aggressive in Cyberspace? 34:20 Why Cyber Deterrence Is Failing 38:52 The One Scenario That Worries Mike Rogers Most 42:04 Why Technology Still Gives Him Hope About the Guest Admiral Mike Rogers is the former Director of the National Security Agency and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command (2014–2018). A retired four-star U.S. Navy officer, he previously led U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/Tenth Fleet and brings decades of experience at the intersection of signals intelligence, cyber operations, and national security strategy. Support the show

Julian Zelizer joins Nathan Kiker and George Bogden to assess how polarization and party dynamics have reshaped U.S. governance—and why that matters for foreign policy, markets, and national security. He argues that political parties are indispensable institutions that organize interests and enable collective decision-making, but warns that key guardrails and leadership norms have eroded since the 1990s. The result is a Congress more prone to procedural hardball and performative conflict, with downstream effects on deterrence credibility, budget stability, and the steadiness of U.S. strategy. Zelizer traces a pivotal shift to Newt Gingrich’s ascent, which normalized a confrontational style that weaponized procedure and treated political opponents as illegitimate. Combined with narrow, shifting majorities and social media incentives, these dynamics reward zero-sum tactics over governing. The consequence is a legislature less able to absorb disagreement, negotiate tradeoffs, and deliver predictable policy—conditions that allies, adversaries, and businesses now price into their decisions. He also charts the long arc of the “imperial presidency,” noting that executive power has expanded for decades across parties. Yet Congress retains real leverage: the power of the purse, oversight, and statute remain decisive tools. Zelizer highlights the 1970s as proof that institutional renewal is possible, pointing to reforms on budgeting, ethics, disclosure, and impoundment limits, and offering a sober assessment of the War Powers Resolution’s mixed record. Looking ahead, Zelizer outlines practical steps to rebuild capacity: reestablish guardrails, strengthen committee work and regular order, and better connect party organizations to voters. For policymakers, investors, and security professionals, the message is clear: institutional design and leadership incentives are strategic variables that shape U.S. reliability, crisis response, and long-term competitiveness. Key Topics DiscussedWhy parties are essential to American democracy—and how frayed leadership norms since the 1990s shifted incentives from governing to procedural combat.The Gingrich-era revolution: weaponized oversight, agenda control, and scorched-earth tactics that redefined congressional power and political culture.The rise of the imperial presidency and how Congress can still reassert authority through budgets, oversight, and targeted statutory reform.War Powers, authorizations for use of force, and the practical constraints Congress faces when presidents act quickly in crises.Paths to renewal: restoring guardrails, rewarding substantive legislating over performative politics, and engaging a new generation of public servants.Chapter Markers 00:00 Introduction to Julian Zelizer 01:05 Why Defend Partisanship? 04:01 Is America's Political System Broken? 06:30 Newt Gingrich and the Modern Republican Party 08:12 How the U.S. Compares to Other Democracies 12:26 Are Today's Politicians Less Effective? 15:48 How Congress Lost Power to the Presidency 21:11 Executive Power, Congress, and the Supreme Court 24:29 The War Powers Debate and Foreign Policy 27:21 Why Biden Succeeded Legislatively 30:06 What the Founders Intended for Congress 31:10 Why Julian Zelizer Remains Optimistic About the GuestJulian E. Zelizer is a leading historian of American politics and Congress, serving as the Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, Class of 1941 Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University. He is the author and editor of numerous books on U.S. governance, including Burning Down the House: Newt Gingrich, the Fall of a Speaker, and the Rise of the New Republican Party, and is a frequent analyst on the presidency, party politics, and institutional reform. Support the show

Bojan Pancevski, Chief European Political Correspondent for The Wall Street Journal and author of The Nord Stream Conspiracy, unpacks the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines and its far‑reaching strategic consequences. The episode centers on attribution, tradecraft, and the emerging legal case in Germany—an unusually clear window into how a small clandestine team can generate outsized geopolitical effects by targeting critical undersea infrastructure. Nathan Kiker and George Bogdan press Pancevski on “Operation Diameter,” a plan conceived within a Ukrainian special operations unit but executed by civilian deep‑sea divers with limited clandestine training at 80–100 meters in the Baltic. He traces the recruitment pipeline, rapid training, and a chain of approval that ran through General Valery Zaluzhny, alongside the unresolved question of what, if anything, reached President Zelensky. The result, he argues, was an audacious, low‑budget mission that struck at the heart of Europe’s energy map in 2022. The conversation then turns to the German federal prosecutor’s decision to pursue war‑crimes charges—an attempt to bypass combatant immunity (the legal protection afforded to lawful combatants) by arguing the target was German infrastructure and the operatives were out of uniform. Pancevski outlines how this approach collides with politics in Berlin and Kyiv, intersecting with Germany’s energy strategy, the legacy of Angela Merkel’s Nord Stream policy, and live parliamentary debates. Finally, the episode situates Nord Stream within U.S.–European dynamics, from CIA warnings to the Biden administration’s stance on Nord Stream 2, and distills the strategic lesson: modern undersea networks—pipelines, power interconnectors, data cables—are acutely vulnerable to low‑cost attacks. With a Hamburg trial on the horizon, the case could set legal precedent, strain alliances, and reshape how states plan covert action and defend seabed infrastructure. Key Topics DiscussedHow “Operation Diameter” combined military planning with a civilian dive team to execute a complex, deep‑water sabotage on a minimal budget—and what that reveals about modern covert tradecraft.The command architecture behind the operation, including approval attributed to General Valery Zaluzhny and the ongoing dispute over presidential awareness in Kyiv.Germany’s prosecutorial strategy to pursue war‑crimes charges by challenging combatant immunity due to non‑uniformed operatives and damage to German infrastructure, and the political risk this creates.Berlin’s domestic cross‑pressures: energy security after Nord Stream, Merkel’s legacy, Bundestag debates, and how parties frame accountability and deterrence.Strategic implications for the protection of undersea infrastructure, deterrence signaling, escalation risks, and U.S.–European coordination amid CIA warnings and the Biden administration’s Nord Stream 2 posture.Timestamps00:00 – Why Nord Stream matters: strategic leverage, energy, and alliance politics03:45 – Inside “Operation Diameter”: planning, recruitment, and deep‑water tradecraft12:30 – Chain of command: Zaluzhny’s role and the Zelensky question18:50 – Germany’s legal gambit: war‑crimes theory vs. combatant immunity25:40 – Berlin’s political calculus: energy strategy, Merkel’s legacy, and Bundestag debate32:15 – The U.S. angle: CIA warnings, sanctions policy, and transatlantic diplomacy38:40 – Seabed vulnerability: pipelines, cables, and the deterrence challenge44:20 – The Hamburg trial: evidentiary hurdles and alliance implications49:10 – Did the sabotage achieve its aims? Russia’s repair/reopen push and narratives53:00 – Policy takeaways: hardening infrastructure and shaping future covert action normsAbout the GuestBojan Pancevski is the Chief European Political Correspondent for The Wall Street Journal and the author of The Nord Stream Conspiracy. He reports on European politics, security, and transatlantic affairs, with a track record of breaking stories at the intersection of intelligence, law, and statecraft. Support the show