The President’s Inbox
News & Politics Podcasts
Each episode of The President’s Inbox explores a foreign policy challenge facing the United States.
Location:
United States
Description:
Each episode of The President’s Inbox explores a foreign policy challenge facing the United States.
Language:
English
Website:
http://www.cfr.org/
Episodes
A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for Liberal Internationalism, With G. John Ikenberry
5/7/2024
John Ikenberry, the Albert G. Milbank Professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss whether liberal internationalism and U.S. global leadership are fit for purpose in the twenty-first century. This episode is the second in a special TPI series on U.S. grand strategy.
Mentioned on the Episode
John Ikenberry, A World Safe for Democracy: Liberal Internationalism and the Crises of Global Order
John Ikenberry, Liberal Leviathan: The Origins, Crisis, and Transformation of the American World Order
Arthur A. Stein, “The Hegemon’s Dilemma: Great Britain, the United States, and the International Economic Order,” International Organization
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/new-us-grand-strategy-case-liberal-internationalism-g-john-ikenberry
Duration:00:31:05
A Second China Shock, With Brad Setser
4/30/2024
Brad Setser, the Whitney Shepardson senior fellow at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the causes and consequences of China's export surge.
Mentioned on the Episode
David H. Autor, David Dorn, and Gordon H. Hanson, "The China Syndrome: Local Labor Market Effects of Import Competition in the United States," American Economic Review
Volkmar Baur, Brad W. Setser, and Michael Weilandt, "China's Record Manufacturing Surplus," CFR.org
James M. Lindsay, "Election 2024: The United States Is Facing a Second China Shock," CFR.org
Zongyuan Zoe Liu, "Beijing Needs to Junk Its Economic Playbook,” Foreign Policy
Brad W. Setser, "China Needs More Progressive Taxes and More Spending on Public Health," CFR.org
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/second-china-shock-brad-setser
Duration:00:35:50
Challenges Facing the U.S. Military, With John Barrientos and Kristen Thompson
4/23/2024
John Barrientos, a captain in the U.S. Navy and a visiting military fellow at CFR, and Kristen Thompson, a colonel in the U.S. Air Force and a visiting military fellow at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to provide an inside view on how the U.S. military is adapting to the challenges it faces.
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/challenges-facing-us-military-john-barrientos-and-kristen-thompson
Duration:00:33:19
Iran’s Attack on Israel, With Steven Cook and Ray Takeyh
4/16/2024
Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at CFR, and Ray Takeyh, the Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle East studies at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel and the prospects for a broader Middle East war.
Mentioned on the Episode
Steven A. Cook, "Iran Attack Means an Even Tougher Balancing Act for the U.S. in the Middle East," CFR.org
Steven A. Cook, The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East [forthcoming]
Reuel Marc Gerecht and Ray Takeyh, “Keeping U.S. Power Behind Israel Will Keep Iran at Bay,” New York Times
Ray Takeyh, "Iran Attacks on Israel Spur Escalation Concerns," CFR.org
Ray Takeyh, The Last Shah: America, Iran, and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/irans-attack-israel-steven-cook-and-ray-takeyh
Duration:00:34:36
Russia, Ukraine, and Global Instability, With Michael Kimmage
4/9/2024
Michael Kimmage, a history professor at the Catholic University of America and a senior associate with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the origins of Russia’s war in Ukraine and its repercussion for the global order.
Mentioned on the Episode
Michael Kimmage, Collisions: The Origins of the War in Ukraine and the New Global Instability
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/russia-ukraine-and-global-instability-michael-kimmage
Duration:00:32:22
The War in Gaza, With Steven A. Cook
4/2/2024
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 the state of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the prospects for an end to the fighting, and the tensions in U.S.-Israeli relations.
Mentioned on the Episode
Steven Cook, “Five Months of War: Where Israel, Hamas, and the U.S. Stand,” CFR.org
Steven Cook, The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East [forthcoming]
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/war-gaza-steven-cook
Duration:00:34:08
Confronting the Nuclear Threat, With W.J. Hennigan
3/26/2024
W.J. Hennigan, a correspondent for the Opinion section of the New York Times, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the risk of nuclear war in an era of growing geopolitical competition.
Mentioned on the Episode
"At the Brink," New York Times
J. Hennigan, "How America Made Nuclear War the President's Decision," New York Times
J. Hennigan, "Nuclear War Is Called Unimaginable. In Fact, It's Not Imagined Enough," New York Times
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/confronting-nuclear-threat-wj-hennigan
Duration:00:29:45
A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for U.S. Retrenchment Overseas, With Stephen Wertheim
3/19/2024
Stephen Wertheim, a senior fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss whether and where the United States should be less involved in the world. This episode is the first in a special The President’s Inbox series on U.S. grand strategy.
Mentioned on the Episode
Stephen Wertheim, “Internationalism/Isolationism: Concepts of American Global Power [PDF],” in Rethinking U.S. World Power: Domestic Histories of U.S. Foreign Relations, ed. Daniel Bessner and Michael Brenes
Stephen Wertheim, Tomorrow, the World: The Birth of U.S. Global Supremacy
Stephen Wertheim, "Why America Can't Have It All: Washington Must Choose Between Primacy and Prioritizing," Foreign Affairs
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/new-us-grand-strategy-case-us-retrenchment-overseas-stephen-wertheim
Duration:00:38:16
The Crisis at the U.S. Southern Border, With Dara Lind
3/12/2024
Dara Lind, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the record surge in migrants and asylum seekers crossing the U.S. southern border.
Mentioned on the Episode
Dara Lind, "What We Know About the Senate Negotiations That Could Wreck Asylum in the U.S.," Immigration Impact
The Weeds, Vox
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/crisis-us-southern-border-dara-lind
Duration:00:37:05
International Women’s Day, With Ann Norris
3/5/2024
Ann Norris, a senior fellow for women and foreign policy at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss International Women’s Day and the challenges facing adolescent girls around the world and the solutions to address them.
Mentioned on the Episode
Ann Norris, Renewing the Global Architecture for Gender Equality
United Nations, "SDG 5: Achieve Gender Equality and Empower all Women and Girls"
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/international-womens-day-ann-norris
Duration:00:28:03
Combating Global Poverty, With Kate Schecter
2/27/2024
Kate Schecter, president and CEO of World Neighbors, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss progress and setbacks in promoting economic development in some of the world’s poorest countries.
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/combating-global-poverty-kate-schecter
Duration:00:31:06
Year Three of the Ukraine War, With Miriam Elder and Carla Anne Robbins
2/20/2024
Miriam Elder, the Edward R. Murrow press fellow at CFR, and Carla Anne Robbins, a senior fellow at CFR and co-host of CFR’s The World Next Week podcast, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss where the war between Russia and Ukraine is headed as it enters its third year.
Mentioned on the Episode
“House Republicans Fear Trump Too Much to Aid Ukraine,” Economist
Simon Shuster, The Showman: Inside the Invasion That Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky
The World Next Week, Council on Foreign Relations
“Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief on the Breakthrough He Needs to Beat Russia,” Economist
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/year-three-ukraine-war-miriam-elder-and-carla-anne-robbins
Duration:00:33:03
Governance of Artificial Intelligence, With Kat Duffy
2/13/2024
Kat Duffy, a senior fellow for digital and cyberspace policy at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the capacity of the U.S. government to lead in creating a framework for regulating artificial intelligence (AI).
Mentioned on the Episode
Kat Duffy and Katie Harbath, "Defending the Year of Democracy," Foreign Affairs
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/governance-artificial-intelligence-kat-duffy
Duration:00:35:16
U.S. Airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, With Ray Takeyh and Robin Wright
2/6/2024
Ray Takeyh, the Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle East studies at CFR, and Robin Wright, a contributing writer and columnist for the New Yorker, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the ramifications of U.S. retaliation against Iranian-backed militias after the killing of three U.S. service members in Jordan on January 28.
Mentioned on the Episode
Ray Takeyh, The Last Shah: America, Iran and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty
Robin Wright, Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/us-airstrikes-iraq-and-syria-ray-takeyh-and-robin-wright
Duration:00:34:46
Henry Wallace and the Origins of the Cold War, With Benn Steil
1/30/2024
Enter the CFR book giveaway by February 13, 2024, for the chance to win one of ten free copies of The World That Wasn’t: Henry Wallace and the Fate of the American Century by Benn Steil. You can read the terms and conditions of the offer here.
Mentioned on the Episode
Danny Rocco, Convention
Benn Steil, The Battle for Bretton Woods: John Maynard Keynes, Harry Dexter White, and the Making of a New World Order
Benn Steil, The Marshall Plan: Dawn of the Cold War
Benn Steil, The World That Wasn’t: Henry Wallace and the Fate of the American Century
Oliver Stone, The Untold Story of American History
Henry Wallace, “Text of Wallace Letter to Stalin Calling for Peace Program,” New York Times
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/henry-wallace-and-origins-cold-war-benn-steil
Duration:00:36:35
TPI Replay: AI’s Impact on the 2024 U.S. Elections, With Jessica Brandt
1/23/2024
Jessica Brandt, policy director for the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative at the Brookings Institution, where she is a fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how artificial intelligence might affect the 2024 U.S. elections.
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President's Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/ais-impact-2024-us-elections-jessica-brandt
This episode first aired: September 12, 2023
Duration:00:33:23
The Houthi Threat to Red Sea Shipping, With Katherine Zimmerman
1/16/2024
Katherine Zimmerman, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the ongoing attacks by the Houthis in Yemen on commercial ships transiting the Red Sea.
Mentioned on the Episode
Alan Beattie, “Why Red Sea Attacks Won’t Derail Globalisation (Probably),” Financial Times
Kenneth M. Pollack and Katherine Zimmerman, “Washington Can't Let the Houthis Take Yemen,” Wall Street Journal
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/houthi-threat-red-sea-shipping-katherine-zimmerman
Duration:00:33:39
Taiwan’s Presidential Election, With David Sacks
1/9/2024
David Sacks, a fellow for Asia studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the potential geopolitical consequences of Taiwan’s presidential race.
Mentioned on the Episode
Council on Foreign Relations, U.S.-Taiwan Relations in a New Era: Responding to a More Assertive China, 2023
Hou Yu-ih, “Taiwan’s Path Between Extremes,” Foreign Affairs
James M. Lindsay, “Ten Elections to Watch in 2024,” CFR.org
David Sacks, “Taiwan’s 2024 Presidential Election: Analyzing Hou Yu-ih’s Foreign Policy Positions,” CFR.org
David Sacks, “Taiwan’s 2024 Presidential Election: Analyzing Ko Wen-je’s Foreign Policy Positions,” CFR.org
David Sacks, “Taiwan’s 2024 Presidential Election: Analyzing William Lai’s Foreign Policy Positions,” CFR.org
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/taiwans-presidential-election-david-sacks
Duration:00:33:33
Far-right Terrorism, With Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware
1/2/2024
Bruce Hoffman, the Shelby Cullom and Kathryn W. Davis senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at CFR, and Jacob Ware, a research fellow at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the rise of far-right violent extremism in the United States and abroad.
Enter the CFR book giveaway by January 16, 2023, for the chance to win one of ten free copies of God, Guns, and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America by Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware. You can read the terms and conditions of the offer here.
Mentioned on the Episode
Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware, God, Guns, and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America
Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/far-right-terrorism-bruce-hoffman-and-jacob-ware
Duration:00:38:10
Year End Q&A Special, With Shannon O’Neil
12/26/2023
Shannon O’Neil, vice president, deputy director of Studies, and Nelson and David Rockefeller senior fellow for Latin America Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to answer questions submitted by listeners to The President’s Inbox.
Mentioned on the Episode
Walter Issacson, The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race
Shannon K. O’Neil, The Globalization Myth: Why Regions Matter
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/year-end-qa-special-shannon-oneil
Duration:00:49:02