Eliot joins Eric from the shores of Lake Champlain to break down the latest administration jackassery before pivoting to the ongoing negotiations with Iran. They also discuss Russia's recent drone and missile barrage directed at Kyiv which included an Oreshnik missile capable of carrying conventional and nuclear warheads. Eric outlines his new CSBA monograph on nuclear command, control, and communications in the context of deterring both Russia and China as nuclear peers. To close out the show, Eric provides commentary on the Kenyan government's rejection of US efforts to open a quarantine facility for Americans who have contracted Ebola, John Cornyn's primary loss, and the prospects for the administration's Cuba policy.

Eric's Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications Monograph:
https://csbaonline.org/uploads/documents/CSBA8429_(Three_Body_Problem_Report)_final.pdf

Eliot's Latest in The Atlantic (Gift Link):
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/05/words-war/687343/?gift=KGDC3VdV8jaCufvP3bRsPvaB1GNTRUB7dNFTvrxKF_o&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.