High-level US government deliberations on the Signal app; the true beliefs of our national security leaders; why using Signal for national security discussions is a bad idea; classified information and Signal’s security; the use of emoji in formal work settings; and Marcus is more of a WhatsApp person

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.

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Further Reading:
Jeffrey Goldberg and Shane Harris. 2025. “Here Are the Attack Plans That Trump’s Advisers Shared on Signal.” The Atlantic.

Dan Black. 2025. “Signals of Trouble: Multiple Russia-Aligned Threat Actors Actively Targeting Signal Messenger.” Google Threat Intelligence.

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Trip report from the 2025 International Studies Association Annual Conference; the reasons to attend academic conferences; whether diplomats will embrace virtual reality diplomacy; the usefulness of AI in diplomacy; teaching people to use AI; and Marcus goes out for deep dish pizza

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.

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The disastrous return of face-to-face diplomacy between Trump and Zelensky; the ambush theory of international diplomacy; should this meeting have been an email; a stark signal to Europe and other allies; and Marcus’ rooms have feels

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.

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Further Reading:
Marcus Holmes and Nicholas Wheeler. 2025.  “Trump and Zelensky: when face-to-face diplomacy goes wrong it can be disastrous – especially if the whole world is watching.” The Conversation.

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Five things we did this week; small signs of pushback against Elon Musk; foreign policy implications of DOGE; security risks from merging government computer systems; efficiency vs. other priorities in government; what’s in a place name; the fleeting nature of place names in a digital world; maps as arbiters of truth; Mapquest does not care; and Marcus’ rose is off the bud

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.

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Further Reading:
Mapquest’s “Gulf of Something” website

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A bad week for Ukraine and transatlantic relations; Trump’s mini-feud with Zelensky; a bargaining approach to the question of whether Zelensky could have avoided war; the return of spheres of influence; reassuring words from Vladimir Putin; Europe’s appetite for securing a post-conflict Ukraine; and Marcus embraces rationalism

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.

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Further Reading:
James D. Fearon. 1995. “Rationalist Explanations for War.” International Organization 49(3): 379–414.

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The Trump administration’s early moves and their implications for US foreign policy; hollowing out expertise in the civil service; the loss of USAID; Trump’s designs on the Gaza Strip; tough signals to Ukraine on upcoming negotiations; and Marcus is already working on the op-ed

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.

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Pandas are back in our nation’s capital; DeepSeek challenges the AI status quo; TikTok remains in legal limbo; how TikTok is like Bed Bath & Beyond; and Marcus is always up for a little China talk

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.

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Further Watching/Reading/Listening:
Giant Panda Cam from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Giant Pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao Play in the Snow

Ethan Mollick. 2025. “Which AI to Use Now: An Opinionated Guide.” One Useful Thing.

Cheap Talk Podcast with Jaime Settle. 2024. “Mostly Golden Retriever Videos.”

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.

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New products (and discounts!) in the Cheap Talk online store at cheaptalk.shop; heterarchy in international relations; rebel advances in Syria; continuing popular protests in Georgia; the German Chancellor visits Ukraine; and Marcus hates hand-washing coffee mugs

The Cheap Talk store has been restocked with new t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and stickers, perfect for the IR enthusiast in your life. All new designs are on sale for a limited time. Order before 12/16 with expedited shipping to receive your items by Christmas.

Cheap Talk is taking a holiday break, but will be back with new episodes in January. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.

Please send us your questions or comments!

Further Reading/Listening:
Check out the research of Kyuri Park at kyuripark.com

Dan Maliniak on Cheap Talk

Cheap Talk records live from Williamsburg, Virginia with the students of William & Mary’s Government 204 course, Introduction to International Politics, answering questions about Ukraine, face-to-face diplomacy, the international relations paradigms, North Korea, and more; and Marcus had a good time

(Our apologies for some audio issues this week—we hope you enjoy the podcast anyway. We will be back with our usual crystal clear audio next time.)

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.

Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.

Please send us your questions or comments!