Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Washington Roundtable Sep 05, ’25]

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Congress’ return to Washington as government shutdown worries mount; the National Defense Authorization Act moves from the Senate to the House; Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst decision to retire; Texas, California and Missouri redistricting moves; how lawmakers and industry view the prospect the Trump administration will acquire stakes in defense contractors; the administration’s deployment of naval forces to the Caribbean that launched the first of what officials says will be more strikes on drug runners; China hosts leaders from two dozen nations seeking to thwart US power worldwide and the significance of Xi Jinping holding hands with Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi; French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Ukraine’s European allies in Paris to discuss peacekeepers in the country as Russia continues to reject the prospect of troops on Ukrainian soil; and Israel continues its Gaza occupation despite opposition from the country’s top security officials.