None Of The Above

In Trump 2.0, China has surprisingly taken a backseat to a renewed focus on the Middle East. And as the United States becomes less predictable and reliable, China has positioned itself as a stable partner on the international stage. In this episode, the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer is joined by Kaiser Kuo, host of the China current affairs podcast Sinica. They discuss how China is thinking about the United States in this moment, the country's approach to technology and innovation, and why China won't replace the United States anytime soon. Kaiser also points out that American and Chinese people have far more in common than they may realize. Find Kaiser on X: https://x.com/KaiserKuo Listen to Sinica: https://www.sinicapodcast.com/

War in the Middle East keeps expanding, oil prices are rising, and an unpredictable American president has everyone trying to guess his next move. As trust in media institutions hits an all-time low and disinformation spreads online, how can we begin to make sense of things? The proliferation of open-source intelligence, or OSINT, offers one answer. While it's possible to glean certain insights from these sources, they can also mislead people to wrong conclusions or game booming prediction markets. In this episode, the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer is joined by friend of the pod Tyler McBrien, managing editor at Lawfare. Tyler recently wrote a piece on the perils of obsessively "monitoring the situation" for The Baffler. He and Jonathan discuss Trump's wars, why prediction markets and geopolitics shouldn't mix, and more. Find Tyler on X: https://x.com/TylerMcBrien Read Tyler's piece in The Baffler: https://thebaffler.com/latest/situational-unawareness-mcbrien Check out Tyler's new series on who blew up the Georgia Guidestones: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/who-blew-up-the-guidestones/id1880399073

After Venezuela and Iran, many are asking if Cuba is next. The island is enduring energy blackouts, food and medicine shortages, and halting public services. But while the most vulnerable Cubans are hit hardest, Secretary of State Marco Rubio's apparent dream of toppling the regime does not appear close to fruition. In this episode, the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer is joined by Ed Augustin, an independent journalist based in Havana, to discuss the situation on the ground. Ed updates us on the unfolding humanitarian crisis, Trump's 180-degree turn on Cuba policy, why the Cuban government is not backing down, and much more. They also touch on how Cuba fits into Trump's broader Western Hemisphere policy. Find Ed on X: https://x.com/ManInHabana Read Ed's most recent article in The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/26/world/americas/cubas-health-system-us-oil-blockade.html Check out his other recent piece for Drop Site News: https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/on-the-streets-of-havana-hope-that

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gave her first major foreign policy remarks at this year's Munich Security Conference to lay out her vision of progressive foreign policy. Many are speculating that she is preparing for a presidential run in 2028. She has called for a reckoning with the United States' history of intervention and repression abroad and attempted to offer an alternative to Trump's "might makes right" approach. In this episode, the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer is joined by Matt Duss, executive vice president at the Center for International Policy and former adviser to Senator Bernie Sanders, to discuss foreign policy on the left. Matt gives Jonathan his perspective on AOC in Munich, where the Democrats have gone wrong on foreign policy, and how they ought to respond to the Iran war. Find Matt on X: https://x.com/mattduss

Food doesn't often enter into conversations about foreign policy, but it is integral to it. Our relationship to food plays shapes ideas of identity and nationalism and is continuously impacted by the forces of history. Technological, social, and political changes inform and alter global foodways over time. And in today's interconnected world, food supply chains are inextricable from geopolitics. In this episode, the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer is joined by Anny Gaul, a cultural historian and professor of Arabic studies at the University of Maryland, to explore the geopolitics of food in the Middle East. They discuss Anny's new book, Nile Nightshade: An Egyptian Culinary History of the Tomato, and how global events both shape and are informed by one of our most basic forms of sustenance. Check out Nile Nightshade: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/nile-nightshade/paper Read an excerpt of the book in Foreign Policy: https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/07/egypt-tomato-price-food-agriculture-culinary-history/ Find Anny on X: https://x.com/annygaul

The United States largely misunderstands Iran. Historic anti-government protests rattled Iran this winter—and were met with lethal state repression and intensifying calls for regime change in Washington. Now, President Trump is again considering military strikes on the country, even as his envoys have sought to negotiate with Iranian leaders. Throughout, Iran has long been one of the most heavily sanctioned countries in the world, causing immense hardship for its people. In this episode, the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer is joined by Narges Bajoghli, an anthropologist and co-director of the Rethinking Iran Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, to challenge American assumptions about Iran. They discuss the impact of Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign, how the current protests unfolded, and those pushing for war in Washington. Narges also explains how the war would be damaging for the interests of Americans and Iranians. Find Narges on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@nargesbajoghli Check out the Rethinking Iran Initiative: https://www.rethinkingiran.com/

President Trump campaigned on promises of peace and putting America first, and heavily criticized past involvement in foreign wars. But one year into his second term, the United States has bombed Iran, kidnapped Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, and threatened NATO allies. So, what exactly are his foreign policy goals? And who is shaping those decisions? In this episode, the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer is joined by Curt Mills, the executive director of The American Conservative, to break down the state of foreign policy on the right. They discuss the major players, from Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Vice President JD Vance, emerging rifts in the coalition, and whether Trump is fulfilling his America First promise. Find Curt on X: https://x.com/CurtMills Check out Curt's work at The American Conservative: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/author/curt-mills/

On January 3rd, 2026, the United States seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — and shocked the world. The Trump administration has made no bones about its intent to dominate the Western Hemisphere, and the raid was a brazen show of force. But with the same regime still in place, it is unclear what exactly will change in Venezuela. In this episode, the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer is joined by Alejandro Velasco, a historian and professor at New York University, to discuss the recent invention. Amid claims about drug trafficking and oil, they analyze what might really be behind Trump's actions. They also touch on the legacy of Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's economic crisis, and what the broader implications of Trump's aggressive posturing might be for the region and the world.

Mohammed Mhawish did not set out to be a journalist. But studying Shakespeare while enduring Gaza's wars, he was moved to convey the stories all around him. Mohammed fled the strip with his family in 2024, after receiving death threats and surviving Israel's bombing of their apartment building. Now based in the United States, he continues to report on Palestine. In this episode, Mohammed joins the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer to discuss life under Israeli surveillance, the threats faced by journalists, President Trump's Gaza plan, and the future of Palestinian governance. They touch on many of the topics Mohammed has covered in recent articles for New York Magazine and The New Yorker. Find Mohammed on X: https://x.com/mrmhawish Find Mohammed on Substack: https://www.mohammedmhawish.com/

American foreign policy is in crisis. The bipartisan consensus that emerged after the Cold War has collapsed after a string of American failures, like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, with the rise of China and the new ascendance of middle powers, the United States must rethink its engagement with the world. But where to start? In this episode, the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer is joined by Emma Ashford, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, to discuss her new book First Among Equals. In the book, Emma offers a realist vision for how the United States can adapt its foreign policy to a multipolar world. Together they explore the necessity of restraining American power, how the Trump administration has upended the status quo, and more. Find Emma on X: https://x.com/EmmaMAshford Check out Emma's writing at Foreign Policy: https://foreignpolicy.com/author/emma-ashford/ Check out First Among Equals: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300279542/first-among-equals/

The United States is wealthy, powerful, and a democracy. That means there are many avenues for foreign countries vying to influence its politics and policy. Though many forms of foreign lobbying are legal and totally above-board, those efforts are largely misunderstood and all too understudied. But understanding the geopolitics of influence can help us understand how Washington really works. In this episode, the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer is joined by Nick Cleveland-Stout, a research associate at the Quincy Institute, to discuss all things transparency. Nick explains how he digs through documents to discover the foreign influence campaigns of countries like Israel and Qatar — and why Americans should care. Check out Nick's reporting: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/author/ncstout/ Find Nick on X: https://x.com/nick_clevelands Check out Kenneth P. Vogel's book, Devils' Advocates: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/devils-advocates-kenneth-p-vogel

Trump embodies many contradictions when it comes to foreign policy. IGA's newly released study, "Reckless Peacemaker? How Americans See Trump's Foreign Policy," tries to make sense of these contradictions by polling Americans on the biggest geopolitical challenges of today. We found that Americans think Trump is performing poorly overall, but there are wide partisan splits on almost every issue. In this episode, the Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer, new host of None Of The Above, is joined by Andrew Payne, a research director at Chatham House, to break down some key findings. They also discuss how foreign policy plays into presidential elections, the geopolitical meaning of Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani, and more. Check out IGA's report "Reckless Peacemaker? How Americans See Trump's Foreign Policy": https://instituteforglobalaffairs.org/2025/11/reckless-peacemaker-american-views-trump-foreign-policy/ Read Andrew's Foreign Affairs article: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/americans-love-tough-guy

The 1990s were a pivotal decade for the United States and the world. This season on None Of The Above, we rewinded to the ‘90s to cover the breakup of the Soviet Union, America’s unipolar moment, and the rise of China. We explored civil war in Afghanistan, the spread of nuclear weapons, South Africa’s transition to democracy, and much more. The ‘90s also gave rise to free trade, globalization, and the growth of the internet – all of which profoundly shaped the world we live in today. In the final episode of our ‘90s Rewind miniseries, we asked Ian Bremmer to wrap it all up. He joins the Institute for Global Affairs’ Mark Hannah to revisit some of these key moments and walk us through how he was thinking about them at the time, and how he looks back on them now with the benefit of hindsight. Ian also happens to be our founder here at IGA.

The military and the very idea of national security changed a lot in the 1990s. Politicians promised a new period of peace and prosperity after the Cold War, but the military would not draw down from the international arena. On the contrary, the United States turned to policing the world, and the military carried out new types of missions meant to advance new ideals, ambitions, and interests. In this episode of None Of The Above’s ‘90s Rewind miniseries, the Institute for Global Affairs’ Mark Hannah explores strategic, structural, technological, and social change in the US military. He is joined by military historian Max Boot, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and columnist for The Washington Post. NPR’s Deborah Amos returns to provide insights and commentary.

When the Cold War ended, many imagined a more peaceful world. Yet the 1990s were marked by humanitarian crises in Somalia, Rwanda, and former Yugoslavia. Images of mass atrocities and genocide reached wide audiences on newly available 24/7 TV news channels, as humanitarians increasingly advocated for military intervention. The United States under Bill Clinton took up the mantle of protecting human rights – and quickly discovered the perils of intervention. In this episode of None Of The Above’s ‘90s Rewind miniseries, the Institute for Global Affairs’ Mark Hannah delves into the rise of humanitarian intervention in the 1990s. He is joined by international relations scholar Rajan Menon, professor emeritus at the City College of New York and senior research scholar at Columbia University. Ambassador Thomas Pickering returns to provide insights and commentary.

China’s violent Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989 marked a turning point in US-China relations. After two decades of slowly but steadily nurturing friendly relations, the United States would choose to develop economic ties without insisting on democratic reforms. The prevailing hope was that China’s economic growth would inevitably lead to political change. That hope, however, was never fully realized. Today, China is America’s largest trading partner and yet its biggest geopolitical rival. In this episode of None Of The Above’s ‘90s Rewind miniseries, the Institute for Global Affairs’ Mark Hannah explores the origins of 21st century US-China rivalry. He is joined by modern China historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom of the University of California, Irvine. NPR’s Deborah Amos and Ambassador Thomas Pickering return to provide insights and commentary.

Sudan’s civil war recently entered its third year. It has claimed the lives of around 150,000 people and displaced around 13 million. In this archival episode, we revisit the outbreak of violence that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Army, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces, led by Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan–known also as Hemedti. As the warring factions competed for control of resource-rich Sudan, regional leaders like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Israel, as well as the United States and the United Nations grappled with how to respond the catastrophic violence and humanitarian crisis still unfolding. But, as our guest reminds us, peacebuilding efforts from external actors like the US and the UN, however well-intentioned, have unintended consequences. Guest host and former IGA research fellow Zuri Linetsky spoke with Sudan expert Justin Lynch to help us make sense of the conflict and how external actors helped embolden the military leaders, who have brought the country to the brink of collapse.

In the 1990s, democracy triumphed in South Africa over a brutal system of racial segregation known as apartheid. South Africa was a US ally during the Cold War, but years of grassroots activism pushed Washington to reassess its policy toward the apartheid government. Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990 and won the first democratic election in 1994. He embraced global leadership and carried his moral authority into a new South Africa, with an independent foreign policy centered on human rights and peaceful conflict resolution. In this episode of None Of The Above’s ‘90s Rewind miniseries, the Institute for Global Affairs’ Mark Hannah explores the role the United States played in ending apartheid and how South Africa emerged as a strong voice in the Global South. He is joined by Chris Alden of the London School of Economics and Sean Jacobs of The New School.

The 1990s witnessed a turning point in one of the world’s most intractable disputes. After four decades of conflict, the 1991 Madrid Conference opened the door for peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. A flurry of negotiations and agreements followed. The Camp David Summit in 2000 was the Clinton administration’s last-ditch attempt to produce a final deal but it failed to deliver on that goal. In this episode of None Of The Above’s ‘90s Rewind miniseries, the Institute for Global Affairs’ Mark Hannah remembers how America launched a peace process, and explores why its objectives ultimately failed. He is joined by former diplomat Aaron David Miller. NPR’s Deborah Amos and retired Ambassador Thomas Pickering return to provide insights and commentary.

Nightmares of mushroom clouds and fears of mutually assured destruction plagued many during the Cold War. But by the early 1990s, both the United States and Russia promised a world with fewer nuclear weapons. Together, they agreed to dismantle 80% of their strategic nuclear warheads. Meanwhile, other countries such as North Korea and Pakistan saw value in nukes amid a less balanced world, and raced to acquire them. In this episode of None Of The Above’s ‘90s Rewind miniseries, the Institute for Global Affairs’ Mark Hannah explores the decade’s mixed track record on nuclear arms control and nonproliferation. He is joined by Emma Belcher, president of Ploughshares Fund. Historian Susan Colbourn and retired ambassador Thomas Pickering return to provide insights and commentary.