
About this episode
The episode discusses the process and implications of drafting the National Security Strategy with former Deputy National Security Advisor Nadia Schadlow.
In the last six months, we’ve been covering big strategic documents published by the executive branch. We’ve interviewed Dean Ball , the principal author of the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan . We’ve also spoken with Judd Devermont , who authored the Biden administration’s Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa . We’re continuing the trend today, but at a higher strategic register. I’m joined by Nadia Schadlow , the former Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy in the first Trump administration and lead architect of the 2017 National Security Strategy . Currently, Nadia is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute where she focuses on strategy, national security, and industrial policy. We discuss: * The process of drafting the National Security Strategy * The differences between the 2017 and 2025 strategies * Why time is an underappreciated element of strategy * What to read to understand Russia better For the full transcript of this conversation, go to www.statecraft.pub . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.statecraft.pub
People in this episode
Host: Santi Ruiz
Guest: Nadia Schadlow
Topics covered
- National Security Strategy
- U.S. foreign policy
- strategic documents
- political analysis
- defense strategy
Keywords
- National Security Strategy
- Nadia Schadlow
- Trump administration
- Biden administration
- strategic documents
- defense policy
- U.S. strategy
- Russia
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Trump administration, Biden administration, Hudson Institute
More episodes of Statecraft
- "The Strongman Presidency" · June 12, 2026 · 58 min
- Ten Thoughts on Government Data · March 5, 2026 · 13 min
- When FAFSA Broke, They Called This Guy · February 26, 2026 · 1h 15m
- How a Congressional Office Actually Works · February 19, 2026 · 1h 9m
- How to Rewire City Hall · February 13, 2026 · 1h 2m
- What’s Wrong with Nonprofits? · February 4, 2026 · 1h 26m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Statecraft podcast page.