The Missing Piece [International]

We’re diving into the US-Iran standoff, where the only constant is chaos. President Trump keeps shifting the goalposts—one day threatening to resume bombing after the midterms, the next floating a deal, then rejecting Iran’s own ceasefire proposal. Tehran, meanwhile, has walked away from the table, saying it no longer trusts negotiations and is waiting for a US response to its terms.

Why does this matter? Because the Strait of Hormuz—through which 20% of the world’s oil flows—is the pressure point. Iran wants sanctions relief and frozen assets released; Washington demands nuclear concessions first. With both sides dug in and Trump’s strategy in constant flux, we’re left asking: is this brinkmanship, or a prelude to something far worse? Let’s break it down.

Guest: Professor Jamsheed K. Choksy is a Distinguished Professor, former Chair of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, former Chair of the Department of Central Eurasian Studies, and current Director of the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center at Indiana University - Bloomington.

President Trump is intensifying diplomacy to end the war. He's urged Zelensky to negotiate with Putin before winter, even proposing a Moscow meeting. Envoys Witkoff and Kushner have shuttled between capitals, and Trump has signaled readiness to provide Ukraine security guarantees. But with Russia rejecting unconditional ceasefires, a breakthrough remains elusive.

With November looming, Republicans face a tightrope. The war is largely absent from the convention stage, yet 60% of Americans distrust Trump's Ukraine decision-making. Experts warn his foreign policy could cost the GOP. The party must pivot to kitchen-table economics while crafting a coherent Ukraine message—or risk a midterm rebuke. That's the briefing.

Guest Info: Dr. Alexander John Motyl is an American historian, political scientist, poet, writer, translator, and painter. He is a resident of New York City. He is professor of political science at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey, and a specialist on Ukraine, Russia, and the Soviet Union.

This week, all eyes are on Washington as Chinese President Xi Jinping lands in the U.S. for a landmark state visit with President Trump.

So, what can we actually expect? Don't look for a grand peace treaty. Instead, expect high-stakes maneuvering over a fragile trade truce, tech exports, and critical supply chains.

Why is this Trump’s only chance to reset relations? With political clocks ticking, leader-level summitry is the sole remaining leverage point to bypass bureaucratic deadlock, set hard guardrails, and secure direct concessions from Beijing. And the stakes couldn't be higher. At the core of this summit is the high-tech arms race. As AI safety and semiconductor dominance dictate the future global economy, both superpowers are locked in a fierce battle to set the rules of engagement—before the tech gap creates an unbridgeable divide.

Guest Info: Professor Dennis Wilder is an assistant professor of the practice in Asian studies and senior fellow for the Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues at Georgetown University. He is also a visiting professor of practice at the Bush School of Texas A&M. He was the National Security Council's (NSC) director for China (2004-2005) and then senior director for East Asian Affairs and special assistant to President George W. Bush until 2009. He accompanied both President GW Bush and former President GHW Bush to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.He was the senior editor of the President’s Daily Brief during the Obama Administration. 

George W. Bush's presidency was defined by leadership in the crucible of crisis. From the ashes of September 11 to the financial meltdown of 2008, he made decisions that reshaped America's role in the world . Today, as the nation again confronts deep divisions and global uncertainty, his legacy offers a sobering lesson: leadership in difficult moments demands clarity of purpose, even when the path is contested.

The debates over Iraq and Afghanistan continue, and history's verdict remains unsettled . Yet what endures is the reality that presidents must act amid imperfect information, and that the consequences of those actions echo for decades. We should study Bush not to lionize or condemn, but to understand how conviction and consequence are inseparable in the American presidency.

Guest Info: Professor Russell Riley, co-chair of the Miller Center’s Presidential Oral History Program, is the White Burkett Miller Center Professor of Ethics and Institutions. He is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on elite oral history interviewing and the contemporary presidency. He has logged more than 1,500 hours of confidential interviews with senior members of the White House staff, cabinet officers, and foreign leaders back to the days of the Carter and Reagan Administrations. Since 2003, he has led both the William J. Clinton Presidential History Project and the George W. Bush Presidential Oral History Project.

We look at France’s 2027 presidential race—a vote that matters because the next president inherits a debt exceeding 120% of GDP and the impossible task of reforming pensions without triggering a social explosion.

Marine Le Pen is running again, despite a criminal conviction for embezzling public funds. She remains eligible after an appeals court reduced her ban from office. What makes her different is not just the MAGA-style defiance she now performs—treating legal constraints as persecution—but her emphasis on working-class economic protection over the economic liberalism of her own party president, Jordan Bardella. She is running as the candidate of the “forgotten,” while promising to appoint Bardella as prime minister.

Meanwhile, US-France relations are fraying. Washington has stalled the approval of France’s ambassador nominee, retaliating for French criticism on human rights and trade. A Le Pen presidency would likely deepen that rift.

This is a campaign where criminal convictions, class resentment, and transatlantic distrust collide.

Guest Info: Dr. Renaud Foucart is a senior lecturer at the Department of Economics at Lancaster University Management School, and an associate fellow of the OPGDI (Oxford University) and ECARES (Université libre de Bruxelles)

As 2028 approaches, the buzz around AOC grows louder. But is she truly ready for the big stage? While her star power is undeniable, her radical track record remains a liability. From defending "Defund the Police" to calling for ICE abolition, her baggage would energize opponents and fracture the Democratic base, reminding voters she is a creature of the progressive internet, not a unifier . Her recent pivot from "Woke 1.0" feels less like growth and more like a strategic, inauthentic rebrand .

Meanwhile, on foreign policy, the next administration must be serious. The US-Brazil relationship is at a low point, with Lula facing re-election amid growing tension. The US has revoked visas and imposed tariffs, but cannot afford more clumsy intervention . The playbook is simple: show respect for Brazil's sovereignty and resist the urge to meddle. The goal should be stability, not scoring political points.

Guest Info: Professor Kurt Weyland is Mike Hogg Professor in Liberal Arts in the Department of Government, University of Texas at Austin.

These days, we’re peeling back the layers of the modern political hegemony—a system supposedly built on free markets, yet increasingly defined by asymmetry. While the West champions rules-based order, the reality on the ground is a playing field that isn't level; trade imbalances aren't just economic statistics, they're geopolitical weapons.

And then there’s the wildcard: the Trump doctrine. In an attempt to recalibrate, he’s wielding tariffs like a sledgehammer where a scalpel is needed. But here’s the miscalculation—by alienating allies and underestimating the resilience of rival blocs, he isn't fixing the system; he’s accelerating its fracture. He’s fighting yesterday’s war with tomorrow’s debt, mistaking isolation for strength. The result? A chaotic decoupling that hurts the very working class he claims to champion. Stay tuned as we dissect who really wins—and who loses—in this new Cold War trade saga.

Fifty years ago, Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace, yet his ghost haunts every ballot box today. Why study a disgraced president? Because Nixon perfected the playbook: weaponizing voter fraud claims to delegitimize outcomes, all while his own campaign sabotaged peace talks. He proved that election integrity isn't just about ballots—it's about public trust. For today's GOP, Nixon is a warning: cry wolf too loudly, and you undermine the very democracy you swear to protect. History doesn't repeat, but it echoes. And this echo? It's a siren. Let's heed it.

Today, we’re crossing borders to explore a radical idea: celebrating death. In Mexico, *Día de los Muertos* isn’t a funeral—it’s a colorful, noisy homecoming. The belief? Death is the ultimate equalizer, and mocking it with laughter and sugar skulls is the ultimate act of life-affirming bravery. But Mexico isn't alone. In China, during *Qingming* or the Hungry Ghost Festival, ancestors are feasted and honored, not mourned in silence. Both cultures see death not as an ending, but as a continuation of relationship—a cosmic check-in. It begs the question: If we celebrated our end, would we live more meaningfully? Perhaps the meaning of life isn't found in avoiding death, but in dancing with it. Let’s dive in.

Guest Info: Mr. Jesus Seade, Ambassador of Mexico to China.

Today, we’re diving into the escalating crisis between the US and Iran. With the Strait of Hormuz all but closed and global prices spiking, one key question dominates: why should Iran, or anyone, trust Trump? He’s already torn up the nuclear deal, openly says he doesn’t want a deal, and has even claimed the Strait of Hormuz is "US territory" . This isn't just bluster; it’s about control. The Strait is the world’s key energy chokepoint, and the debate over it isn’t really about shipping—it’s about who holds the economic and military leverage in this standoff. Let's unpack the real power play.

Guest Info: Professor Jamsheed K. Choksy is a Distinguished Professor, former Chair of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, former Chair of the Department of Central Eurasian Studies, and current Director of the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center at Indiana University - Bloomington.