Can the US still fight a major war? Does it still possess the industrial base to fuel a prolonged war effort, the political will to put aside partisan differences, and a myriad other factors that need to come together to allow it to prevail? How does this tie into United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue? In this episode of Engaging the Eagle, Dr. Steven Metz provides insights into the implications of the Ukraine war on US military strategy, the challenges facing the US defense industrial base, and the evolving nature of military recruitment and ethos. The conversation also touches on the federalization of the National Guard in response to domestic issues and the impact of social media on presidential communication and public perception.