The Washington Post describes Susan Glasser and Peter Baker’s new book The Divider as the “most comprehensive and detailed account of the Trump presidency yet published.” From his “American carnage” inaugural address to the January 6th insurrection he helped trigger, the authors argue that far from lurching from one controversy to another, Donald Trump was constantly learning the techniques and practices of the foreign autocrats he so admired. 

Aaron sits down with the authors to discuss the Trump presidency and the state of the American republic.

The war in Ukraine is entering a new and more dangerous phase in the wake of the overnight success of Kyiv’s counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region. A string of major Russian military setbacks is feeding hopes for a once-unthinkable Ukrainian victory in the war. For his part, Putin is moving to formally annex the parts of Ukraine occupied by Russian forces and is inching closer toward full-scale military mobilization. Is the war in Ukraine at a tipping point? How vulnerable is Putin at home? How should the West respond to Putin’s countermoves? And what are the long-term implications of Moscow’s chronic underperformance on the battlefield? 

Aaron hosts Kadri Liik, Andrew Weiss, and Eugene Rumer to discuss the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine and where the conflict could go from here.

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The United States faces the most challenging trade environment in decades. Amid a complex domestic political environment, a more aggressive China, and varied trade views among U.S. allies to U.S. allies, the Biden administration has championed a new approach. In this complicated and fraught environment, what exactly is the worker-centered trade policy? Can trade really be designed to benefit American workers and the middle class? Can it effectively counter an emboldened China? And will the newly created Indo-Pacific Economic Framework revitalize U.S. trade strategy in Asia?

Aaron sits down with the United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai to discuss the future of U.S. trade policy.

As Israel approaches its fifth election in four years, it faces a series of challenges and opportunities. Worries over Iran’s nuclear ambitions remain, and a peace with the Palestinians remains elusive. Meanwhile, Israel has an opening to expand relations with the Gulf states and a longstanding relationship with the United States under a Biden administration keen on working together with Israel.  

Listen as Aaron David Miller sits down with Israel’s eleventh president, Isaac Herzog, to talk about the presidency, the U.S.-Israeli relationship, Iran, Palestine, and more.  

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In the prelude to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, intelligence played a critical role in exposing Vladimir Putin’s intentions to the world. Since then, NATO has expanded and doubled down on its efforts to counter Russia, all while keeping its eyes to the east on China. Meanwhile, old challenges persist in the Middle East—talks to revive the Iran nuclear deal have reached an impasse and there appears little prospect for a breakthrough, and Biden soon heads off on his first trip to the Middle East to mend a precarious relationship with Saudi Arabia. U.S. intelligence will play a key role in decisionmaking as policymakers navigate these tricky challenges, but what does the Intelligence Community get right and wrong? And how might that impact the path forward?

Aaron sits down with  General James Clapper, who was the fourth and longest-serving director of national intelligence, as they discuss today’s critical foreign policy challenges and the role of U.S. intelligence in policymaking.

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Millions of Americans are frustrated as U.S. gas prices now exceed $5 per gallon at the pump—and are only projected to rise. One of the key drivers behind the global inflationary spike is, of course, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Disruption in the flow of Russian oil and gas, combined with preexisting inflationary pressures, have roiled energy and financial markets and placed a renewed focus on energy security. How will this new energy equation impact government policies in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and especially in the United States? Will this situation pressure U.S. and international leaders to find alternative energy solutions and finally deal substantively with climate change? And can the United States and its allies find ways to mitigate the impact of energy costs on consumers, or are rising prices at the pump here to stay for the foreseeable future? 

Aaron sits down with Helima Croft, managing director of global commodity strategy research at RBC Capital Markets, to talk about rising oil prices, the effectiveness of sanctions on Russian oil, and more.

America is in trouble. Even as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to preoccupy the Biden administration, events at home offer a grim picture. While inflation and a resurgence of COVID-19 continue to darken the national mood, active shooters and mass killings, the rise of white nationalist extremism, and pernicious polarization on issues from gun control to voting rights to abortion seem to have stressed the political system’s capacity to address these challenges. How do we move forward?

Aaron sits down with Mary B. McCord to address the unique domestic security challenges confronting a nation increasingly divided at home.

Putin’s brutal attacks against civilians in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have produced a rare moment of bipartisanship in the United States, even as the U.S. midterm elections draw near in November. However, if history is any indicator, the conflict itself is not likely to impact American voters at the polls.  But how important is presidential leadership in shaping voter preferences during an unprecedented foreign policy crisis abroad? Has Biden’s handling of Ukraine served to offset the hits he has taken in the wake of the Afghanistan withdrawal? And what if anything might shift voters’ likely focus on domestic issues such as inflation and the pandemic?

Aaron sits down with the preeminent political strategist and commentator David Axelrod for an evaluation of the Biden presidency and how the war in Ukraine will impact American politics as the midterms loom large.  

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In recent weeks, terror attacks in Israel and operations launched by the Israeli Defense Forces have claimed the lives of more than thirty Palestinians and Israelis. Israeli police have also clashed with Palestinians on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

This escalation is occurring at a critical moment for the region as negotiations to revive the Iran nuclear deal have stalled, raising the prospects of an Israeli-Iranian confrontation over Tehran’s nuclear program. Preoccupied with Russia and Ukraine, how is the Biden administration tackling the challenges of both the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Iran nuclear issue?

Aaron David Miller sits down with Thomas Nides, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the future of the Iran nuclear deal, and the U.S.-Israel relationship.

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“Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has ended America’s thirty-year holiday from history,” Robert Gates opined in the Washington Post last month, referencing the United States’ reentry into great-power conflict for the first time since the Cold War. No more salient words have been written on the U.S. role in the crisis.

Russia’s brutal military campaign against Ukraine and its horrifying war crimes have stunned the West, which has responded with unprecedented sanctions and aid to Ukraine. But what are the trend lines behind the headlines? Is there a diplomatic off-ramp to end the crisis? What are the internal implications for Putin’s Russia and for NATO, China, and U.S. foreign policy?

Aaron sits down with former U.S. secretary of defense Robert M. Gates to unpack these and other issues in the ongoing crisis.

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