On this Washington Roundtable episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast, sponsored by Bell, our guests in segment one are Michael Bayer, former chairman of the Defense Business Board and the president of the Dumbarton Strategies consultancy, and Arnold Punaro, the chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association and CEO of the Punaro Group consultancy to discuss the ongoing presidential transition and how to best accomplish the monumental task of a peaceful transition of power.

In segment two, our roundtable guests are Dov Zakheim, PhD, former DoD comptroller, now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Dr Gordon Adams, the senior White House budget official for national security during the Clinton administration who is now a distinguished fellow at the Quincy Institute and the Stimson Center as well as an American University professor emeritus, Mackenzie Eaglen of the American Enterprise Institute and Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute.

Topics:

— Update on Biden administration efforts to fill presidentially appointed, Senate confirmed jobs

— Budget outlook as the administration worked first-year guidance and outyear planning including pressure on acquisition programs

— A look at the administration’s Interim National Security Strategic Guidance and Defense Secretary Austin’s Message to the Force

— Administration’s relationship with key lawmakers as they move to revamp Authorization of Military Force legislation

— Key Chinese meetings as Adm. Phil Davidson, the US Indo-Pacific commander, warns about America’s declining ability to deter Beijing from moving against Taiwan and outlines his $27 billion multiyear Pacific Deterrence Initiative

— The balanced Biden approach to solving international problems, including returning Iran to the nuclear negotiating table