Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Mar 27, ’26 Washington Roundtable]

Mar 27, 2026

Guest

Patrick Cronin

Guest

Dov Zakheim

Guest

Michael Herson

Dr. Patrick Cronin, Indo‑Pacific strategy expert at the Hudson Institute. Dr. Dov Zakheim, former Pentagon comptroller and security analyst. Michael Herson, Washington defense policy and budgeting adviser. They discuss the US‑Israel war on Iran and global economic shocks. They debate congressional war powers, wartime supplemental and budget politics. They examine Europe and Asia scrambling over energy, Ukraine’s munitions strain, and regional deterrence risks.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

War Powers Likely Ineffective Against Administration

The War Powers resolutions are unlikely to change the president's conduct because any passed measure would be vetoed and unlikely to pass both chambers.
Michael Herson cites high congressional frustration and low public support, with 58% opposing the conflict and 59% disapproving of the president, underscoring limited leverage for Congress.

ADVICE

Pass Wartime Supplemental Through Regular Order

Move the supplemental through regular order with bipartisan buy-in rather than force it into reconciliation to secure broader support and transparency.
Michael Herson warns reconciliation will become a "Christmas tree" with defense as the anchor and contested pay-fors like tax cuts and ACA changes.

INSIGHT

DHS Funding Split Enables Political Leverage

Funding for DHS is being split tactically: Senate funded most of DHS except ICE and parts of CBP, with reconciliation slated to cover the rest.
Herson notes procedural hurdles in the House could delay final passage until Monday, despite the Senate voice vote.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored by L3Harris, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian discuss the US-Israel war on Iran as President Trump touts talks to end the conflict that has roiled world markets and sent energy prices soaring, driving up inflation; whether lawmakers will vote to constrain the administration’s war powers as GOP members worry that the economic turmoil in the wake of the conflict will hurt the party’s political prospects in November as Democrats made gains in Florida elections this week; outlook for wartime supplemental, reconciliation and base budget spending as lawmakers work to restore Department of Homeland Security funding; European nations jolted by soaring energy prices are under pressure from their citizens to find ways to both return normal traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and mollify a mercurial US president, with capitals suggesting they’re willing to help in an international mission after the shooting stops; whether Europe has an opportunity to supplant Washington as a Middle East and Indo-Pacific partner; Washington races to normalize relations with Russia despite Moscow’s intelligence and weapons support for Iran; US pressure on Ukraine to give up Donbas in exchange for security guarantees as the Pentagon considers shifting defensive weapons bound for Ukraine to the Middle East as Russia continues to pound the country; Asian governments scramble to triage energy to mitigate economic shocks; the White House says the president’s postponed summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing will be 14-15 May; Kim Jong Un uses the Iran war to justify his nuclear arsenal; and Israel’s campaign in South Lebanon.