The Lawfare Podcast
The Lawfare Institute
The Lawfare Podcast features discussions with experts, policymakers, and opinion leaders at the nexus of national security, law, and policy. On issues from foreign policy, homeland security, intelligence, and cybersecurity to governance and law, we have doubled down on seriousness at a time when others are running away from it. Visit us at www.lawfaremedia.org.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
20 snips
Feb 20, 2026 • 48min
Scaling Laws: Claude's Constitution, with Amanda Askell
Amanda Askell, head of personality alignment at Anthropic and primary author of Claude's Constitution, explains the 20,000-word framework that shapes Claude's values and behavior. She describes how the constitution guides training and reward signals. The conversation covers fidelity to text versus spirit, virtue ethics over rigid rules, cultural universality, decision hierarchies, and implications for moral patienthood and specialized domains.
Feb 19, 2026 • 1h 17min
Rational Security: The “Sects, Lies, and Twin Peaks” Edition
Michael Feinberg, senior editor and foreign-policy commentator; Ari Tabatabai, Iran and Middle East analyst; Daniel Byman, Georgetown and CSIS scholar on counterterrorism and regional security. They debate shifting transatlantic ties after Munich. They unpack Geneva talks with Iran and whether indirect diplomacy is real. They survey China’s incremental advances and U.S. policy incoherence. Short, topical, and wide-ranging.
Feb 19, 2026 • 48min
Lawfare Daily: Challenging Immigration Detentions in Minnesota
John Albanese, a Minneapolis attorney at Berger Montague who handles plaintiffs' and complex litigation, discusses a surge of habeas filings tied to massive immigration detentions in Minnesota. He describes how people are being swept up, how lawyers are mobilizing pro bono, courtroom pushback to government claims, and how judges and courts are adapting to the crisis.
Feb 18, 2026 • 54min
Lawfare Daily: National Security Regulation of Technology and Data Transactions
Justin Sherman, computer scientist and CEO of Global Cyber Strategies and author of Navigating Technology and National Security, explains U.S. regulatory efforts around technology and data transactions. He discusses tensions between risk, transparency, and innovation speed. Topics include export controls, CFIUS and data reviews, supply-chain rules, cloud KYC, bulk transfer limits, and approaches to China like de-risking.
Feb 17, 2026 • 1h 6min
Lawfare Daily: Ukraine After Year One of Trump’s Second Term, with Eric Ciaramella and Francis Farrell
Francis Farrell, Kyiv Independent frontline reporter with on-the-ground battlefield perspective, and Eric Ciaramella, Carnegie senior fellow and former U.S. intelligence official, discuss post-2024 expectations for Ukraine. They cover current frontline dynamics, changes in munitions and intelligence aid, Europe’s rearmament and funding role, negotiation prospects, and risks of battlefield collapse in 2026.
4 snips
Feb 16, 2026 • 1h 42min
Lawfare Daily: The Trials of the Trump Administration, Feb. 13
Peyton Baker, a law student reporting from the Minneapolis courthouse. Anna Bower, senior editor covering election‑law and Fulton County. Roger Parloff, senior editor and legal analyst. Troy Edwards, former federal prosecutor with grand‑jury experience. They discuss Don Lemon’s crowded arraignment and pretrial issues. They dig into shaky Fulton County search affidavits, DOJ moves to vacate Steve Bannon’s conviction, and rogue grand jury dynamics.
Feb 15, 2026 • 53min
Lawfare Archive: Jack Goldsmith on Trump v. United States and Executive Power
Jack Goldsmith, Harvard Law professor and former government official, explains how Trump v. United States reshapes executive authority. He outlines the court's new readings of the Take Care Clause and removal power. He maps implications for DOJ control, non‑enforcement actions like the TikTok order, and the rise of a broad unitary‑executive vision.
Feb 14, 2026 • 35min
Lawfare Archive: Nayna Gupta on the Laken Riley Act
Nayna Gupta, Director of Policy at the American Immigration Council and expert on immigration detention, breaks down the Laken Riley Act. She traces its origins and political symbolism. She explains mandatory detention expansion, where detainees are held, ICE capacity issues, state attorney general standing to sue, clashes with sanctuary laws, and likely litigation and enforcement consequences.
Feb 13, 2026 • 56min
Lawfare Daily: Lessons for Civilian Harm Mitigation in Urban Warfare, from Gaza and Beyond
Claire Finkelstein, ethics and law scholar on urban warfare. Larry Lewis, civilian-harm mitigation scientist advising commanders. Christopher Maier, former DoD official who shaped mitigation policy. Geoffrey Corn, law professor and ex-Army JAG with Gaza field perspective. They discuss civilian harm mitigation in dense urban combat, lessons from Gaza, human shielding challenges, precautionary measures, investigations, and doctrine and training needs.
Feb 12, 2026 • 1h 21min
Rational Security: The “Midnight Train to Ukraine” Edition
Anastasiia Lapatina, Kyiv-based Ukraine Fellow reporting on humanitarian and energy crises. Benjamin Wittes, Editor in Chief who recently toured Ukraine and offers on-the-ground analysis. They discuss Russia’s winter strikes on energy infrastructure and resulting civilian hardships. They examine stalled negotiations and prisoner exchanges. They explore rapid drone warfare innovation, countermeasures, and how tech is reshaping the front lines.
