The President’s Inbox

A New U.S. Grand Strategy: A Return to Spheres of Influence, With Sarang Shidore

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

Israel Strikes Iran, With Steven Cook

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

Zbigniew Brzezinski, With Edward Luce

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

The China-Philippines Standoff, With Derek Grossman

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

The United States and South Africa, With Reuben Brigety

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

The India-Pakistan Crisis, With Šumit Ganguly

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

The Iran Nuclear Talks, With Karim Sadjadpour

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

The U.S.-China Trade War, With Zoe Liu

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

Trump's First 100 Days, With Carla Anne Robbins and Matthias Matthijs

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

Climate Change Realism on Earth Day 2025, With Varun Sivaram

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