Episodes

49 minutes ago
The China-Philippines Standoff, With Derek Grossman
49 minutes ago
49 minutes ago
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

7 days ago
7 days ago
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

Tuesday May 20, 2025
The India-Pakistan Crisis, With Šumit Ganguly
Tuesday May 20, 2025
Tuesday May 20, 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

Tuesday May 13, 2025
The Iran Nuclear Talks, With Karim Sadjadpour
Tuesday May 13, 2025
Tuesday May 13, 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

Tuesday May 06, 2025
The U.S.-China Trade War, With Zoe Liu
Tuesday May 06, 2025
Tuesday May 06, 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

Tuesday Apr 29, 2025
Trump's First 100 Days, With Carla Anne Robbins and Matthias Matthijs
Tuesday Apr 29, 2025
Tuesday Apr 29, 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

Tuesday Apr 22, 2025
Climate Change Realism on Earth Day 2025, With Varun Sivaram
Tuesday Apr 22, 2025
Tuesday Apr 22, 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

Tuesday Apr 15, 2025
Trump’s Plan for the Panama Canal, With Will Freeman
Tuesday Apr 15, 2025
Tuesday Apr 15, 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

Tuesday Apr 08, 2025
Confronting the China Challenge, With Dmitri Alperovitch
Tuesday Apr 08, 2025
Tuesday Apr 08, 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

Tuesday Apr 01, 2025
Germany's Rearmament, With Sophia Besch
Tuesday Apr 01, 2025
Tuesday Apr 01, 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