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On the show
From 10 epsHosts
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Recent episodes
Pete Hegseth’s Long War Disaster
May 4, 2026
50m 55s
Can Iran Take More Pain Than Us?
Apr 27, 2026
58m 27s
Eliot's Return & Schrodinger's Strait
Apr 20, 2026
1h 08m 29s
Trump's Path of Destruction (w/ Mona Charen)
Apr 12, 2026
57m 50s
The Cost of Boots on the Ground (w/ Mike Nelson)
Apr 6, 2026
1h 00m 55s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/4/26 | ![]() Pete Hegseth’s Long War Disaster | Eric and Eliot discuss Pete Hegseth's job security amidst the ongoing war with Iran. They recap his contemptuous testimony at a House Armed Services Committee budget hearing and Vice President Vance's efforts to distance himself from the war through planted stories. They then turn to King Charles III and Queen Camilla's visit to the United States and review the King's speech to a joint session of Congress. Finally, they discuss recent military developments in southern Lebanon, including Hezbollah's fiber-optic drone capabilities that highlight the changing nature of war.Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. | 50m 55s | ||||||
| 4/27/26 | Can Iran Take More Pain Than Us?✨ | IranUS foreign policy+4 | — | IranDemocratic Republic of the Congo+1 | — | Irannegotiated settlement+5 | Miller Center of Public Affairs | 58m 27s | |
| 4/20/26 | Eliot's Return & Schrodinger's Strait✨ | Iran warStrait of Hormuz+4 | Eliot | TrumpMAGA+4 | HungaryUkraine+3 | Iran warStrait of Hormuz+6 | Miller Center of Public Affairs | 1h 08m 29s | |
| 4/12/26 | Trump's Path of Destruction (w/ Mona Charen)✨ | Trump administrationNATO+5 | Mona Charen | The BulwarkNATO+1 | HungaryIran | TrumpMAGA+8 | Miller Center of Public Affairs | 57m 50s | |
| 4/6/26 | The Cost of Boots on the Ground (w/ Mike Nelson)✨ | U.S. military strategyIran war+3 | Mike Nelson | Penn WashingtonThe Bulwark | IranKharg Island+3 | Iran warmilitary strategy+5 | — | 1h 00m 55s | |
| 3/30/26 | Trump Needs Approval for This War (w/ Michael O'Hanlon) | Shield of the Republic✨ | U.S. defense strategyIran War+4 | Michael O'Hanlon | Brookings InstitutionFinancial Times+2 | IranU.S.+1 | TrumpIran War+6 | — | 59m 02s | |
| 3/23/26 | Iran and the Roots of Islamist Terror (w/ Jason Burke)✨ | Islamist terrorismIran+5 | Jason Burke | The GuardianThe Revolutionists: The Story of the Extremists Who Hijacked the 1970s | IranGulf states+1 | Islamist terrorismIran+7 | — | 58m 29s | |
| 3/15/26 | How Does The Iran War End?✨ | Iran warmedia coverage+3 | — | The Atlantic | IranCuba | Iran warmilitary operations+3 | — | 1h 02m 19s | |
| 3/9/26 | Iran's Regional War Strategy is Failing (w/ Norman Roule)✨ | Iran's regional strategyU.S. intelligence+4 | Norman Roule | Center for Strategic and International StudiesOffice of the Director of National Intelligence+2 | IranVenezuela | IranTrump+6 | — | 47m 32s | |
| 3/5/26 | Trump's Iran Gamble✨ | US-Iran relationsMiddle East conflict+3 | — | The BulwarkAmerica’s Invaluable Ally+1 | IranIsrael | IranIsrael+5 | Miller Center of Public Affairs | 37m 53s | |
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| 3/2/26 | China Is Ready For War. We Aren't. (w/ Seth Jones)✨ | military actionU.S. defense policy+4 | Seth Jones | Center for Strategic and International StudiesPentagon+2 | IranAfghanistan+1 | Chinamilitary+5 | — | 1h 08m 22s | |
| 2/23/26 | ![]() On The Precipice of Illegal War (w/ Frank Dikötter) | Eric and Eliot debate the merits and deficiencies of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s attempt to present “Trumpism with a human face” at the Munich Security Conference before turning to the dilemmas Trump faces in Iran. They discuss the administration’s uncertain strategic objective, the failure to consult Congress and the public, and the potential for a much longer military engagement than Trump is accustomed to. In the second half of the show, they welcome Hoover Institution Senior Fellow Frank Dikötter to discuss his newly published book, Red Dawn Over China: How Communism Conquered a Quarter of Humanity. They explore the weakness of the communist movement before World War II; the extensive role Soviet support played in sustaining it and in equipping and training what would become the People’s Liberation Army; the deep Stalinist ideological impact on the party; and the extraordinary violence and barbarity the CCP inflicted on the Chinese populace in the territories it occupied.Red Dawn Over China: How Communism Conquered a Quarter of Humanity:https://a.co/d/0d3ozDuBEliot on Marco Rubio's Munich Speech (Gift Link):https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/02/marco-rubio-munich/686025/?gift=KGDC3VdV8jaCufvP3bRsPv8cuxRM97HlBS7AWRa8x2QShield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. | 1h 07m 11s | ||||||
| 2/16/26 | ![]() Arms Control is Dead | Eric and Eliot begin with a buffet of administration jackassery before pivoting to a preview of the Munich Security Conference. They discuss Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Bridge Colby's remarks, as well as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's speech highlighting the importance of transatlantic ties. They also examine the New START treaty's recent lapse and the future of arms control, the prospect for additional U.S. strikes on Iran, and the apparent shutdown of Russian Starlink terminals. They conclude with a discussion of the ongoing international fallout from the Epstein affair and his many unexplained Russian connections.Eric and Frank Miller's Latest on New START:https://thedispatch.com/article/new-start-expiration-russia-united-states-nuclear-program/Eric and Frank Miller on NATO:https://www.nationalreview.com/2026/01/natos-not-dead/Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. | 58m 46s | ||||||
| 2/9/26 | ![]() The Crisis Facing Our Military (w/ Kori Schake) | Eric and Eliot welcome back friend of the show Kori Schake, Senior Fellow and Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, to discuss her new book, The State and the Soldier: A History of Civil-Military Relations in the United States. They explore Kori’s critique of Samuel Huntington’s canonical study, The Soldier and the State, examine George Washington’s consequential resignation of his commission before the Continental Congress, and discuss the role of charismatic but unhinged military figures in American politics, as well as the relationship between civilians and military officers when executing orders. The State and the Soldier: A History of Civil-Military Relations in the United States:https://a.co/d/0biIePiPThe Soldier and the State: The Theory and Politics of Civil–Military Relations:https://a.co/d/0dsgKaLrShield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. | 57m 20s | ||||||
| 2/2/26 | ![]() America's New Defense Strategy is Nonsense | Eric and Eliot discuss Trump’s latest reversals on Greenland before pivoting to the recently released National Defense Strategy. They dissect the many flaws of the NDS, including North Korean–style adoration for the President, a lack of explanation for how its stated goals would be achieved, and the total omission of Taiwan. The two also speculate about how Xi Jinping’s recent purge of General Zhang Youxia could impact the Indo-Pacific in the near future, before closing with an assessment of whether Trump is on the cusp of military action against Iran.Eric on the National Defense Strategy:https://thedispatch.com/article/trump-national-defense-strategy-europe-china-homeland/Eliot on the National Defense Strategy:https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/01/unserious-national-defense-strategy/685784/Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. | 56m 04s | ||||||
| 1/26/26 | ![]() How Evil Regimes Cling to Power (w/ Stephen Kotkin) | Eric and Eliot welcome Stephen Kotkin, professor emeritus of history at Princeton University and senior fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and Freeman-Spogli Institute. They discuss his recent Foreign Affairs article, “The Weakness of the Strongmen: What Really Threatens Authoritarians?” Kotkin explores the frailty and resilience of authoritarian regimes through the lens of recent events in Venezuela and Iran, as well as the rise of Russia and China as authoritarian powers. They also discuss potential alternative future paths for Russia and turn to the current authoritarian temptation in the United States, along with the historic reasons for optimism that American democracy is robust enough to weather the depredations of the Trump administration. Eliot’s Latest in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/01/trump-greenland-europe-nato/685720/?gift=KGDC3VdV8jaCufvP3bRsPgGy7Ja9UMv_dSH1wXC41Rk&utm_ The Weakness of the Strongmen: What Really Threatens Authoritarians?: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/weakness-strongmen-stephen-kotkin The Five Futures of Russia: And How America Can Prepare for Whatever Comes Next: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russian-federation/five-futures-russia-stephen-kotkin Stalin: Paradoxes of Power, 1878-1928: https://a.co/d/40CsvHC Stalin: Waiting for Hitler, 1929-1941: https://a.co/d/6IQt4nR Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. | 59m 44s | ||||||
| 1/19/26 | ![]() Don't Count on Trump Coming to the Rescue (w/ Michael Weiss) | Eliot's coastal Georgian internet connection holds on just long enough to review the administration's latest jackassery before Eric welcomes journalist Michael Weiss to the show. Their wide-ranging conversation covers the prospects for U.S. strikes in Iran, Trump's Venezuelan adventure, and the latest from the Russia-Ukraine war. Finally, the two discuss recent revelations related to Havana Syndrome and the role Russian military intelligence has likely played in attacks on U.S. intelligence, law enforcement, and foreign service officers overseas.Eric and Frank Miller's Latest on New START:https://open.substack.com/pub/thebulwark/p/time-to-end-the-last-us-russia-nuclear-trreaty-new-start-trump-putin-china-weapons-missiles-ukraineForeign Office by Michael Weiss:https://macspaunday.substack.com/Michael's Investigation in The Insider on GRU Links to Havana Syndrome:https://theins.ru/en/politics/270717Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. | 1h 16m 32s | ||||||
| 1/12/26 | ![]() A Dangerous Start to 2026 | Eric and Eliot discuss serious threats that Trump continues to make against Denmark and the possibility that the administration might use military force to seize Greenland. They also examine the seizure of the ghost fleet tanker Bella, the risks of inadvertent conflict with Russia, and ongoing negotiations in Paris over the future of the war in Ukraine. The conversation explores the odds that Russia can continue fighting in 2026 given immense battlefield losses, the country’s cratering economy, and shifts in Ukrainian domestic politics. Finally, they turn to the intensifying protests in Iran, contrasting them with earlier waves of public revulsion against the regime in the late 1990s, 2009, 2017–18, and 2022–23, and discuss what indicators might suggest the regime is truly coming apart at the seams.Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. | 47m 55s | ||||||
| 1/9/26 | ![]() Trump's New War for Oil | Eric and Eliot return from holiday break with a special episode breaking down all things Venezuela. They discuss the Trump administration's raid in Caracas to capture Nicholas Maduro, the legal and constitutional basis for the operation, and the differences from past interventions in Panama and Iraq. The two also examine the next steps in Venezuela and the administration's prospects of success in "running" the country.Eliot's latest in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/01/trump-hegseth-venezuela-military/685530/?gift=KGDC3VdV8jaCufvP3bRsPhkQGhz7GxTTEE7TT-QEa0Y&utm_Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.Become a Bulwark Youtube Plus Member here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Hp1KbGw4e02N7FpPXDgQ/join | 51m 46s | ||||||
| 12/22/25 | ![]() We Need to Secure Our Supply Chains (w/ Mike Froman) | Eric welcomes Council on Foreign Relations President Mike Froman to discuss CFR's latest task force report on U.S. economic security. They explore the importance of AI, quantum computing and biotechnology as foundational technologies in today's strategic competition, the effort that China is investing in these technologies, and the market failures that have led the U.S. to underinvest in quantum and biotech. The conversation also covers supply chain vulnerabilities, human capital shortfalls in key areas of technology, and the tension in the Trump administration's effort to address China's growing technological dominance while simultaneously cutting funding for basic research at the NSF, NIH, and other institutions.U.S. Economic Security: Winning the Race for Tomorrow's Technologies:https://www.cfr.org/task-force-report/us-economic-securityMike Froman on Substack:https://mikefroman.substack.com/Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. | 42m 06s | ||||||
| 12/15/25 | ![]() Double Taps and Drug Lord Pardons | Eric and Eliot discuss the newly released National Security Strategy's flaws, highlighting its incoherence and hostility to Europe. They note the strategy's unwillingness to identify Russia, China, and Iran as enemies of the United States and the abdication of the U.S. role in maintaining global order. The pair also discuss the latest pressure on Ukraine to capitulate to Russia before welcoming returning guest Representative Jim Himes for a conversation about the Trump Administration's Venezuela policy. Eric on the NSS in The Bulwark: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-national-security-strategy-foreign-policy-defense-allies-china-russia-iran-north-korea Eliot on the NSS in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/12/national-security-strategy-incoherent-babble/685166/?gift=KGDC3VdV8jaCufvP3bRsPhY0neK1oFmUu2ila2ZbOTc&utm_ The 2025 National Security Strategy: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. | 1h 02m 17s | ||||||
| 12/8/25 | ![]() When Power Stops Caring About the Law | Eric and Eliot return from Thanksgiving to dissect the revelations from the Washington Post about the double-tap strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat in September. They discuss whether the strike was a war crime, the resignation of SOUTHCOM Commander Admiral Alvin Holsey, and the administration’s larger objectives in Venezuela. They also address the Department of Defense IG report on Signalgate, and explain why it does not constitute a ‘complete exoneration’. They conclude with a discussion of the Witkoff-Kushner “mission to Moscow”, the corruption crisis in Ukraine that ousted Presidential Chief of Staff Yermak, and the Wall Street Journal’s coverage of the Trump cronies lining up to do business deals in Russia once the Ukrainians can be forced into submission.Show Notes:Former White House Counsel Bob Bauer on the Venezuela boat strikes:https://www.execfunctions.org/p/the-boat-strike-presidencyWall Street Journal Report on Witkoff & Kushner's Plans for Peace:https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/russia-u-s-peace-business-ties-4db9b290?Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. | 58m 53s | ||||||
| 11/24/25 | ![]() The Pentagon's Confederate Cover-Up | Eric and Eliot reflect on the memorial service for Vice President Dick Cheney and welcome Brigadier General (ret.) Ty Seidule, author of Robert E. Lee and Me and A Promise Delivered. They discuss the Commission created by Congress in 2020 to replace Confederate commemorations with tributes that better reflect American values, the pushback it faced, and why renaming military bases does not “change history.” The conversation also explores the post-Reconstruction myths behind these commemorations, the enduring appeal of the Confederate battle flag in certain right-wing circles, and the current controversy over reverting base names following efforts by Trump and Hegseth to overturn the Commission’s work. Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause: https://a.co/d/6H1iMaJ A Promise Delivered: Ten American Heroes and the Battle to Rename Our Nation’s Military Bases: https://a.co/d/b99Nvzv Take our quick listener survey and help us make The Bulwark even better. https://bit.ly/bulwarkaudio | 57m 58s | ||||||
| 11/17/25 | ![]() Can Taiwan Trust the United States? (w/ Michael Hunzeker) | Eric welcomes Michael Hunzeker, associate director of the Center for Security Policy Studies at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, to discuss his new book America’s Taiwan Dilemma, co-authored with Mark Christopher. They explore why a nation’s reputation for credibility matters for deterrence and alliance management, and whether U.S. treaty allies in East Asia truly want Washington to defend Taiwan at all costs. The conversation also examines Taiwan’s globally essential semiconductor industry, the fate of Hong Kong following its integration into China, and how the Trump Administration is reshaping America’s East Asian system of bilateral alliances.America's Taiwan Dilemma: Allies' Reactions and the Stakes for US Reputation:https://a.co/d/6sgYh3DShield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. | 53m 33s | ||||||
| 11/10/25 | ![]() Why MAGA Loves Illiberalism (w/ Laura Field) | Eric and Eliot pay their respects to the late Vice President Dick Cheney before welcoming their guest Laura Field to discuss her book Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right. They explore the origins of the effort to create an intellectual ecosystem for Trumpism starting with the Claremont Institute and Michael Anton's infamous "Flight 93" article in the Claremont Review of Books. Laura explains the influence of philosopher Leo Strauss on these early efforts as well as Strauss's student Harry Jaffa. They discuss the emergence of post-liberalism, Catholic integralism, and the arguments made on behalf of these positions by Patrick Deneen and Adam Vermeule. They also discuss national conservatives, techno-monarchists, and advocates of Red Caesarism like Peter Thiel and Curtis Yarvin. Finally, they touch on the openly theocratic efforts of Christian nationalists to fit into the Trumpist universe, and the overlaps and contradictions among these various Trumpist movements. Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right https://a.co/d/eeTmFrT Eric's Reflections on Vice President Dick Cheney: https://thedispatch.com/article/dick-cheney-conservatism-republican-party/ | 1h 01m 32s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
9 placements across 9 markets.
Chart Positions
9 placements across 9 markets.

