The President’s Inbox

Constanze Stelzenmüller, Brookings expert on European politics and transatlantic ties, and Kristi Govella, CSIS specialist on Japan and U.S.-Japan security, discuss allies’ hesitant responses to Operation Epic Fury. They cover Europe’s public distancing, Germany’s basing support and political limits, Japan’s constitutional constraints and energy dependence, and how hedging and domestic politics shape strategic choices.

Max Boot, Jeane J. Kirkpatrick senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and military historian, breaks down tactical wins versus strategic uncertainty. He discusses vague U.S. goals, Iranian regional escalation, vulnerabilities of the Strait of Hormuz, allies’ reluctance to assume naval risks, drone surprises, and U.S. munitions shortfalls.

Lynne Olson, historian and author known for Those Angry Days, explores the politics behind the 1941 Lend-Lease Act. She traces 1930s isolationism, FDR’s strategy to aid Britain without troops, and the Capitol Hill battles that nearly derailed support. The conversation highlights how Lend-Lease and early mobilization reshaped America’s path to World War II.

Dalia Dassa Kaye, a UCLA international-relations scholar and author on U.S.-Iran policy, walks through the decision to strike Iran and whether it aims for regime change. She breaks down targeting choices, Iran’s likely asymmetric retaliation, regional reactions from Gulf states, risks around nuclear sites and leadership decapitation, and what signals to watch next.

Michael Bustamante, Chair in Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami, offers a concise look at escalating U.S. pressure on Cuba and its ripple effects. He discusses Venezuela’s halted oil shipments and resulting outages. He covers Russia and China’s limited roles, legal questions around a de facto blockade, and how shortages drive migration and protests.

Jeremi Suri, historian and Mack Brown Distinguished Chair at UT Austin, explores Nixon's 1972 trip to China and its seismic impact on global politics. He traces secret diplomacy, Kissinger’s covert shuttle, Chinese motives, and the politics of announcing the trip. Short, vivid scenes illuminate protocol, symbolism, and the longer strategic shifts that reshaped U.S.-China-Soviet dynamics.

F. Gregory Gause III, scholar of Middle Eastern politics and Gulf expert, explains Mohammed bin Salman's consolidation of power and shifting Saudi strategy. He discusses Saudi moves toward Iran détente, cautious relations with the United States, China’s economic role, and how Gaza and regional rivalries reshape normalization and security calculations.

Jonathan Berkshire Miller, senior fellow and Canada–U.S. relations expert, explains how Canada is reducing reliance on the United States through trade and defense moves. He discusses tariffs hitting specific industries, strategic hedging choices like diversifying procurement, Canada’s tricky China ties, and Arctic and security challenges in a changing great-power landscape.

Rebecca Pincus, Arctic security expert at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, and Heather Conley, transatlantic and Arctic policy expert at the American Enterprise Institute, discuss Trump’s pursuit of Greenland. They explore Greenland’s autonomy and economics. They trace historical U.S. interest, Arctic strategic value, resource challenges, and the transatlantic fallout from the proposal.

Historian Christopher Nichols, an expert in U.S. foreign relations, and law professor Mary Dudziak, known for her work on civil rights and foreign policy, share insights on a recent survey of historians evaluating U.S. foreign policy decisions. They dissect the top ten best and worst decisions, revealing the complexities of multilateralism versus unilateralism. Dudziak connects domestic racism with Cold War diplomacy, while Nichols explains the implications of the Treaty of Alliance with France. Their discussion offers valuable lessons from history to inform today’s policy.