About this episode
The episode discusses how U.S. allies are adjusting their security strategies in response to perceived unpredictability from the U.S. and other global factors.
Chris, Zack, and Melanie have a discussion about how America's allies and partners, after decades of relying on the US for security, are derisking from what they view as an increasingly unpredictable and unfriendly power. How much of their hedging is about President Trump, and how much is due to the growing clout of middle powers, world events, or other factors? What should our allies be doing to constructively protect themselves in terms of their economic and national security? And what do the reactions of world leaders to the conflict in Iran tell us about how they view their relationships with the United States? Chris has a grievance for people, especially those with inside information, betting on war, Zack congratulates Congress for exercising its oversight responsibilities, and Melanie wonders what the purpose of the UN even is anymore. Show Links: James M. Lindsay, " Will US Allies Succeed in Hedging Against the United States? ", Council on Foreign Relations, February 18, 2026. Shayan Sardarizadeh, X feed . Emmanuel Macron, Speech on France's Nuclear Deterrence , March 4, 2026. " At Last, Reasons to be Cheerful about European Tech ," The Economist, March 1, 2026. Henry J…
People in this episode
Hosts: Chris, Zack, Melanie
Topics covered
- U.S. allies
- security
- hedging
- international relations
- national security
- economic security
Keywords
- U.S. allies
- hedging
- national security
- economic security
- international relations
- Trump
- Iran conflict
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Council on Foreign Relations, The Economist, Financial Times
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