Today, Morgan, Jamil, Matt, and Jess unpack Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s high-profile visit to Washington, his first since the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, and a landmark $1 trillion investment announcement alongside a U.S. agreement to sell the Kingdom F-35 fighter jets. The visit, including a business summit at the Kennedy Center, underscores Saudi Arabia’s growing economic and strategic importance to the United States.

As President Trump deepens ties with Riyadh and pushes for Saudi normalization with Israel through the Abraham Accords, is this a pragmatic step toward regional stability — or a transactional bet with long-term risks? Can trade and tech cooperation truly build a new Middle Eastern “NATO,” or is Washington gambling on partnerships that could prove fragile?

@morganlroach

@jamil_n_jaffer

@nottvjessjones

@WMattHayden

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Today, Les, Jamil, Morgan, and Jess break from the usual policy deep-dives for a special episode: a review of A House of Dynamite, the new 90-minute Netflix thriller that imagines a nuclear missile headed straight for the United States. The film unfolds through three overlapping vantage points—a Navy captain running the White House Situation Room, a deputy national security advisor suddenly thrust into a life-or-death decision cycle, and a Secretary of Defense guiding a president portrayed by Idris Elba. With standout performances from Jared Harris, Rebecca Ferguson, and newcomer Gabriel Basso, the movie blends high-stakes crisis response with surprisingly grounded depictions of how the U.S. government might react in the unthinkable scenario of an inbound nuclear strike.

How realistic is Hollywood’s take on nuclear command and control? Which perspective offers the most credible view of how the system actually works? And what does the film get right—or wrong—about the speed, uncertainty, and pressure of decision-making when minutes determine national survival?

@lestermunson

@jamil_n_jaffer

@nottvjessjones

@morganlroach

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Today, Jess, Les, Matt, and Algene discuss Iraq’s parliamentary elections, where Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani’s coalition claimed victory, though history suggests the post-election power struggles are just beginning. With half of Iraq’s population under 25, voter turnout strong, and political violence relatively low, this election could mark a step forward for Iraqi democracy.

What do the results mean for U.S. strategy in the region as Washington prepares to reduce its troop presence by 2026? Can Iraq resist deepening Iranian influence at a time when Syria’s landscape is shifting? And as the U.S. pushes to expand the Abraham Accords and secure energy stability, will Baghdad emerge as a partner for regional progress — or a pressure point for America’s Middle East policy?

Check out this source that helped shape our fellows’ discussion: 

https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iraqs-prime-minister-iran-backed-militias-set-for-difficult-negotiations-after-election-4668abb8?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfwA1yCAZTvMYMMp3i22_AkbCNDrQA-Ipis82JTDlJhiWMQ7gXCr_20BU6k91s%3D&gaa_ts=6916447b&gaa_sig=A231zbhaHMgoOWVXiVlE9kmZm1YmZvrIr9lVtai7yGoudpX6Xg-xoN3621z8UoZoEU1mt7i5d4OsmTh2rcb7JA%3D%3D4dd7f26b8e98 

@nottvjessjones

@lestermunson

@AlgeneSajery

@WMattHayden

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Today, Morgan, Jamil, Les, and Jess discuss the Trump administration’s deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to the Caribbean as part of its intensified campaign against Latin American drug cartels. The move dramatically expands U.S. presence in the U.S. Southern Command’s area of operations—with destroyers, F-35 fighters, and Reaper drones joining the effort—and has drawn a fierce response from Venezuela’s Maduro regime, which launched its own military exercises in protest.

What’s Washington’s real objective here, countering narcotics networks or signaling to Caracas? And if most fentanyl traffics through land routes via Mexico, not by sea, is this deployment really about fighting the drug trade, or about projecting power closer to Venezuela’s shores? As regional partners like Colombia and the UK distance themselves from the mission, is this bold strategy a show of deterrence—or a costly display of overkill?

Check out this source that helped shape our fellows’ discussion: 

@morganlroach

@lestermunson

@nottvjessjones

@jamil_n_jaffer

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Today, Les, Jamil, and Jess discuss the Trump administration’s successful effort to delay a major vote at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN body that oversees global shipping regulations. The proposal would have taxed vessels based on carbon emissions, with revenues funneled to the UN. The U.S. opposed the measure, warning it would raise shipping fuel costs and threaten to worsen inflation at home. After intense U.S. lobbying—described by some as bullying—the IMO voted to postpone the plan.

Was this coercion or simply hardball diplomacy? Should the UN, through the IMO, have the authority to levy global taxes in the first place? And as the administration frames its push as economic self-defense, does this signal a broader rejection of multilateral climate measures that Washington sees as bad for business?

Check out this souce that helped shape our fellows’ discussion: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/climate/trump-climate-international-bullying.html 

@lestermunson

@nottvjessjones

@jamil_n_jaffer

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Today, Jess, Morgan, and Andy unpack a potentially dramatic diplomatic turn in Syria-US relations. The United Nations has lifted sanctions on President Ahmed al-Sharaa—reportedly at Washington’s urging—clearing the way for his historic visit to the White House next week. Once a commander in the al-Nusra Front, al-Sharaa now leads a Syrian government pivoting from isolation to engagement, as the Trump Administration considers establishing a U.S. military presence at an airbase in Damascus.

What does this mean for Trump’s broader Middle East vision of normalization with Israel? Can Syria’s fragile new government withstand domestic backlash as it moves closer to Washington? Is this a genuine pivot away from Iran and Russia, or just another chapter in Syria’s long game of survival?

@nottvjessjones

@morganlroach

@andykeiser

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Today, Morgan, Les, Amy, and Andy discuss the recent political violence in Tanzania, where President Samia Suluhu Hassan claimed victory with 98% of the vote in an election widely condemned as neither free nor fair. Opposition candidates were arrested, protests have been violently suppressed, and Tundu Lissu, leader of the banned Chadema party, faces treason charges for calling for election reform. Once seen as one of East Africa’s more stable democracies, this marks a sharp and troubling turn for Tanzania.

What does this mean for democratic backsliding across Africa—and beyond? Could instability in Tanzania open new opportunities for China and Russia to expand their influence in the region? And as the United States continues to pull back from Africa, can Washington afford to keep treating the continent as an afterthought while authoritarian powers move in?

@morganlroach

@lestermunson

@amykmitchell

@andykeiser

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Today, Les, Jamil, Morgan, and Andrew discuss President Trump’s latest statement that U.S. troops may be sent to Nigeria to confront what he described as terrorists targeting Christians. The post sparked immediate controversy, with some analysts noting the Administration may be conflating two distinct conflicts: sectarian violence between Fulani herders and Christian farmers, and the extremist insurgencies of Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa. President Tinubu has said he would welcome U.S. security assistance, but the situation on the ground—and Washington’s strategy—remain deeply unclear.

Is the Trump administration misdiagnosing Nigeria’s complex conflict? What would an American military intervention look like, especially after the U.S. was expelled from Niger and pulled back counterterrorism operations across the Sahel? And with terrorist groups resurging in West Africa and Russia’s Africa Corps expanding its footprint, can the U.S. afford to stay disengaged or is it about to overcorrect?

@lestermunson

@morganlroach

@jamil_n_jaffer

@andrewborene

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Today, Les, Martha, Morgan, and Jess discuss the alarming developments in Mali, where an Al Qaeda affiliate may soon control the country outright. With the U.S. ordering Americans to evacuate and fuel imports blockaded across the country, the situation in Bamako is rapidly deteriorating. Could this be the moment Al Qaeda transitions from insurgency to governance — collecting taxes, enforcing rule, and projecting power beyond the Sahel?

If an Al Qaeda-linked regime does consolidate control, what would that mean for U.S. policy, recognition, confrontation, or containment? How might this reshape counterterrorism strategy in Africa, especially as Russia and China expand their influence in the region? And with extremist groups rising across the Sahel and no confirmed Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, can Washington afford to stay on the sidelines?

@lestermunson

@morganlroach

@marthamillerdc

@nottvjessjones

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Today, Morgan, Martha, Sarah, and Jess discuss the latest developments in the U.S.–Japan relationship following President Trump’s meeting with Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The two leaders announced a wide-ranging set of agreements, including deals on F-35 fighter jets, missile systems, and a Memorandum of Understanding to finance new shipbuilding and critical mineral projects. With China controlling about 90 percent of the world’s rare earth supply, the new MOU commits both nations to support mining ventures within six months—underscoring their shared goal of securing and diversifying critical mineral supply chains.

What does this deal mean for U.S. national security and economic resilience? Can Washington and Tokyo’s “friendshoring” strategy strengthen defenses against China’s dominance in the minerals market—or is it more symbolic than strategic? And as Trump eyes a potential deal with Beijing that could also touch on critical minerals, will this partnership with Japan bolster U.S. leverage—or complicate the calculus?

@morganlroach

@marthamillerdc

@nottvjessjones

@SarahStewartDC

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