What Really Matters with Walter Russell Mead What Orbán Meant
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Apr 17, 2026 Discussion of Pentagon plans to repurpose commercial automakers for weapons production. Exploration of rising religiosity among young American men and its civic implications. Analysis of shifting ties between Trump and European populists after recent political setbacks. A look at Viktor Orbán's political style, media strategy, and international influence.
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Commercial Industry Could Become A Wartime Arsenal
- The Pentagon is exploring using commercial automakers to surge munitions production as Ukraine and Iran deplete stocks.
- Walter Russell Mead says this signals a more dangerous world and a likely broad shift toward defense manufacturing and higher U.S. defense budgets.
Young Men Show A Significant Religious Resurgence
- Gallup shows young U.S. men reporting religion as very important rose from 28% to 42% since 2022-23, a roughly 50% increase.
- Mead treats this as potentially transformative for social stability, family formation, and lowering hookup-culture harms for women.
Transatlantic Populist Alliance Shows Cracks
- European far-right leaders are distancing from Donald Trump as his global ambitions and egotism clash with European priorities.
- Mead argues the transatlantic populist alliance was always fragile and Orban's defeat weakened it further.
