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The President’s Inbox: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Council on Foreign Relations
Each episode of The President’s Inbox explores a foreign policy challenge facing the United States.
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- 4 days ago31 min
Is 2026 the New 1914?
This episode unpacks unsettling parallels between today’s increasingly multipolar world and geopolitical conditions on the eve of World War I, and reviews lessons from history about the cost of great-power war. Host: James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, CFR Guest: Odd Arne Westad, the Elihu Professor of History and Global Affairs, Yale University We Discuss: Why Odd Arne Westad believes that the geopolitical dynamics of 2026 more closely resemble those of 1912 and 1913 than those of 1939 or the Cold War era. How an era of collapsing globalization, rising nationalism, and newly powerful states echoes the conditions in the decades before World War I. How policymakers can learn from history without ransacking it for convenient analogies. Why Europe stumbled into war in 1914 despite deep economic integration. What Christopher Clark’s Sleepwalkers and Norman Angell’s The Great Illusion can still teach about miscalculation. Why nuclear weapons and economic interdependence may be weaker restraints on war than we assume. The similarities between Belgium in WWI and Taiwan today as geopolitical flashpoints, and what Westad learned on a recent trip to Beijing. The three steps Westad would take to keep today’s great powers from sleepwalking into catastrophe. Mentioned on the Episode: Norman Angell, The Great Illusion, Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co. Odd Arne Westad, The Coming Storm: Power, Conflict, and Warnings from History, Allen Lane Odd Arne Westad, “Trump, Xi, and the Specter of 1914,” Foreign Affairs For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/is-2026-the-new-1914 Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.
- 1 weeks ago31 min
Foreign Policy and the 2026 Midterms
This episode surveys the foreign policy stakes of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, from the Iran war and gas prices to tariffs, Ukraine, and Israel. Host: James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, CFR Guests: Hannah Hartig, Senior Researcher, Pew Research Center Jessica Huseman, Editorial Director, Votebeat We Discuss: Why the national mood is “sour” heading into the midterms, and how the economy and cost of living dominate voters’ concerns. How to be a smarter consumer of polling data. Whether foreign interference in the vote count is a real risk, and why Huseman doesn’t worry about tabulation being hacked. How high gas and diesel prices are voters’ primary concern related to the Iran war, and whether they blame Trump for the spike. Why foreign policy has become a more important issue for Democratic voters since 2022 and 2024, though it still ranks behind other concerns. How tariffs are landing in highly partisan, region-specific ways, from the Midwest to the northern border states facing Canadian tariffs. Where Ukraine and a widening generational divide over Israel fit in, and whether either issue actually moves votes on Election Day. For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/foreign-policy-and-the-2026-midterms Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.
- 2 weeks ago38 min
The Iran War and the Midterms
This episode unpacks America’s strategic stalemate with Iran, Trump’s post-midterm options, and how Tehran and the Gulf see the war. Host: James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, CFR Guests: Cole Bucy, former CIA analyst; former director for Iran at the National Security Council Nate Swanson, director of the Iran Strategy Project, Atlantic Council We Discuss: Why the United States has been strategically stuck in the Iran war for months with three bad options: escalate, negotiate, or hold the line. How the U.S. blockade and sanctions have squeezed Iran without cracking the regime. Why no Iranian elite or military defections have appeared and what that says about the regime’s staying power. Whether and how President Trump will “take the gloves off” after the midterms, with options including decapitation strikes and the “mother of all bombs.” How Tehran reads American politics, and whether the midterms are truly the pivot point each side assumes they are. Why China is the hole in the sanctions “siege,” and how Beijing is exposing the limits of Washington’s power. What Bucy and Swanson would advise the White House to do now, and why the Gulf may hold the key to regional security. Mentioned on the Episode: Cole Bucy and Nate Swanson, “Trump Unleashed,” Foreign Policy For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/the-iran-war-and-the-midterms Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.
- Oct 7, 202633 min
Will There Be Meddling in the Midterms?
This episode unpacks the ongoing threat of influence and interference operations posed by Russia, China, and Iran as the 2026 U.S. midterm elections approach. Host: James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, CFR Guest: Jessica Brandt, Senior Fellow for Technology and National Security, CFR, and former director of the Foreign Malign Influence Center at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence We Discuss: The difference between foreign “influence” operations and “interference” operations, and why the distinction matters. How Russia, China, and Iran run influence campaigns, from troll farms to the corruption of influential Americans. Why the intelligence community assesses that no foreign adversary could alter a U.S. vote count “at scale” without detection. What the Tenet Media case revealed about Russia’s ability to covertly fund American influencers. What President Donald Trump has claimed about Chinese interference in 2020 and what the evidence actually shows. How the federal government’s influence-defense apparatus has been scaled back or stood down after being built up through 2024. Why America’s decentralized, paper-backed election system is itself a source of security. Whether AI and “influence-for-hire” firms are about to turbocharge the threat ahead of the 2026 and 2028 elections. Mentioned on the Episode: “Executive Order 13848: Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Interference in a United States Election,” The White House “Two RT Employees Indicted for Covertly Funding and Directing U.S. Company That Published Thousands of Videos in Furtherance of Russian Interests,” U.S. Department of Justice For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/will-there-be-meddling-in-the-midterms Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.
- Sep 30, 202636 min
The Seven Questions Every Military Strategist Must Ask
This episode unpacks what strategy really is, the seven questions every strategist must ask themselves before initiating a military operation, and why war stays so stubbornly unpredictable. Host: James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, CFR Guest: Eliot A. Cohen, Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and author of The Strategist: How to Think About War and Politics We Discuss: What strategy can actually accomplish, and whether the outcome of war is ultimately a matter of chance. Why Eliot Cohen adopts a deliberately narrow definition of strategy—and why he has little use for the fashionable term “grand strategy.” The distinction between strategy and planning, and why execution is what separates a strategist from a planner. The seven questions every strategist must ask, from “what else is going on?” to “what is your theory of victory?” Why understanding the adversary—“Who are those guys?”—is a recurring American blind spot, including in the Iran war. How surprise, groupthink, and the limits of human judgment repeatedly derail even the best-led war efforts. What Carl von Clausewitz meant by describing war as the continuation of politics by other means. Why a classical liberal education may be the best training for judgment in an age of AI. Mentioned on the Episode: James M. Lindsay, "The 10 Best and 10 Worst U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions," CFR.org Carl von Clausewitz, On War, Princeton University Press Eliot A. Cohen, The Strategist: How to Think About War and Politics, Princeton University Press Robert W. Komer, Bureaucracy Does Its Thing: Institutional Constraints on U.S.-GVN Performance in Vietnam, RAND Corporation Peter Paret, ed., Makers of Modern Strategy: From Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age, Princeton University Press For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/the-seven-questions-every-military-strategist-must-ask Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.
- Sep 23, 202641 min
Trump Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Xi
This episode unpacks Xi Jinping’s high-stakes Washington visit, discussions of “constructive stability,” and tensions over Taiwan, AI, and Iran. Host: James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, CFR Guests: Julian Gewirtz, Senior Research Scholar, Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs Bonny Lin, Director of the China Power Project and Senior Adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) We Discuss: Why Xi Jinping has chosen this moment for his first visit to Washington in a decade, and what his concept of “constructive strategic stability” would actually require of both sides. What President Trump’s plan to personally greet Xi at Joint Base Andrews signals about Washington’s current view of the relationship. Whether hosting a lavish state visit forty days before the midterms is a political risk for Trump and his party. How Beijing aims to lock in a truce on its own terms, from Taiwan arms sales to the pace of diplomacy. Whether a pending $14 billion arms package and stalled presidential transits are eroding Taiwan’s confidence in U.S. support. What a U.S.-China AI dialogue can and can’t deliver, and why Dario Amodei’s call to “pace the frontier” lands differently in Beijing. How China’s purchases of Iranian oil are shaping Iran’s resilience, and whether Washington’s threats against Chinese banks are credible. What Xi’s recent diplomatic tour—and his skipping the UN General Assembly—reveals about the world order Beijing is building. Mentioned on the Episode: Dario Amodei, “We Must Pace the Frontier,” darioamodei.com Julian Gewirtz, “Is Trump Really Giving Xi a State Visit 40 Days Before the Midterms?” Paper Tiger “Taiwan Relations Act (H.R. 2479),” U.S. Congress For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/trump-rolls-out-the-red-carpet-for-xi Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.
- Sep 16, 202639 min
Elbows Up: How Canada Is Fighting Trump’s Tariffs
This episode unpacks the deepening U.S.-Canada trade war, the collapse of a potential deal to end it, and whether decades of economic integration are rupturing. Host: James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, CFR Guest: Rohinton Medhora, Professor of Practice at McGill University and Distinguished Fellow at the Center for International Governance and Innovation (CIGI) We Discuss: Whether the latest U.S. tariffs mark a genuine “rupture” in the U.S.-Canada relationship or just another rough patch in a partnership that goes back more than a century. How a nine-year arc—from the NAFTA renegotiation to USMCA—led to today’s standoff, and why Ottawa sees the U.S. national security rationale for steel and aluminum tariffs as a betrayal. How a mid-August deal collapsed, and what Canadian negotiators mean by the “ghost in the room.” Why Prime Minister Mark Carney chose to retaliate “elbows up” rather than follow Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s more conciliatory approach. How Canada’s “messy and noisy” federation—from Doug Ford’s Ontario to Alberta’s secessionist stirrings and Quebec’s election—shapes Ottawa’s room to maneuver. Whether energy exports are the “elephant in the room,” and how far Canada could go in using them as leverage. How Ottawa is courting U.S. governors, senators, and public opinion in states that depend on cross-border trade. What the unresolved fight over digital technology means for where the U.S.-Canada relationship heads next. Mentioned on the Episode: Ronald Reagan, “Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade,” Ronald Reagan Presidential Library For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/elbows-up-how-canada-is-fighting-trumps-tariffs Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.
- Sep 10, 202635 min
What the U.S. Got Wrong in the War on Terrorism
This episode unpacks how the September 11 attacks reshaped the U.S. approach to global threats and internal security. Host: James M. Lindsay, Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy, CFR Guest: Walter Russell Mead, Ravenel B. Curry III Distinguished Fellow in Strategy and Statesmanship, Hudson Institute We Discuss: Why the September 11 attacks were such a pivotal moment in the history of U.S. foreign policy, and how they are understood by those who lived through them in comparison to younger Americans. How the attacks shattered a post-Cold War sense in the United States that “history had ended,” with the world moving inevitably toward greater freedom and prosperity. Whether the "Global War on Terrorism" reflected the idiosyncrasies of the Bush administration, or something more fundamental about how the United States responds to attacks. How the Bush response to 9/11 compares to Franklin D. Roosevelt's response to Pearl Harbor. Why the United States found it so hard to leave Afghanistan and Iraq, and how mission creep turned those military campaigns into open-ended nation-building projects. How "liberal fundamentalism" shaped an overconfident belief that American values could be easily applied to other, complicated societies. Why Americans tend to treat foreign policy as a solvable problem rather than a set of chronic issues to be managed. The fate of the Jeffersonian impulse in American foreign policy, and what lessons Mead hopes 2028 presidential candidates will take from the legacy of September 11. Mentioned on the Episode: Walter Russell Mead, Special Providence: American Foreign Policy and How It Changed the World, Knopf Walter Russell Mead, Power, Terror, Peace, and War: America’s Grand Strategy in a World at Risk, Knopf Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago, Harper & Row Walter Russell Mead, “The Return of Geopolitics: The Revenge of the Revisionist Powers,” Foreign Affairs George F. Kennan (“X”), “The Sources of Soviet Conduct,” Foreign Affairs “The National Security Strategy of the United States of America (September 2002),” The White House For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/what-the-us-got-wrong-in-the-war-on-terror Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.
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